San Antonio Food Bank is absorbing CHEF SA, or the Culinary Health Education for Families program, both organizations announced Friday. The nonprofit will continue its programs as planned as it transitions into the food bank.
Moving forward, CHEF SA will become the San Antonio Food Bank’s official nutrition program across its 29-county reach in Southwest Texas.
Since its start in 2017, CHEF SA has offered nutrition education programs for children and families and implemented its program in 238 San Antonio schools.
CHEF SA’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the move last week, and former CEO Suzanne Feldmann added that the nonprofit’s reach will grow “exponentially” under the food bank’s umbrella.
Feldmann has stepped down from her position as CEO as part of the restructure and transition, San Antonio Food Bank spokesman Michael Guerra said, and five CHEF SA staffers will move into the food bank’s offices.
In CHEF SA’s nutrition education curriculum, families and students learn basic cooking skills and receive mentoring.
In San Antonio, one in three children face childhood obesity, and more than half of all deaths are due to a diet-related chronic disease.
Eric Cooper, the food bank’s president and CEO, said the CHEF staff will blend into existing staff and will have responsibility for making the CHEF program the signature nutrition program of the food bank, spreading it across the region.
“We are so honored to build on the incredible program that Suzie built. We are excited to see the tens of thousands of additional kids and parents who will experience the magic of cooking healthy food at home together,” Cooper said. “We could not imagine a better ingredient to add to our recipe of programming for kids and families than the CHEF curriculum.”
