Help Me Give Back and Get Kids Cooking Today

22 August 2018

by Giada

Help Me Give Back and Get Kids Cooking Today

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We're spreading a love of learning about food with the help of this amazing nonprofit.

The quickest way to encourage kids to eat healthy is to cook with them. When they see where food really comes from, the magic of how time, heat, and a little love turns a pile of raw ingredients into a delicious plate of pasta, they're engaged, interested, and more likely to want to dig in. It's one of my greatest passions in life; the family demos I do every year at South Beach Wine and Food Festival are so much fun, and I see my loyal #giadzygram followers using my recipes to cook with your kids, too. But I know there are millions of kids out there who don't have the opportunity or the time to make good food a priority, and I want to help in a bigger way.

Then I found DonorsChoose, and I was blown away by the way the site gives individuals the opportunity to reach out directly to teachers and help them give their kids a better learning experience. Teachers set up a request for materials for a specific project they've been dreaming about for their students but don't have the budget to make it happen. The nonprofit helps them price it out, then gives them a platform to find donors. If they get funded, DonorsChoose even buys the supplies for them and sends them right to their school! From play kitchens for kindergarteners to gardening supplies to building a professional-quality kitchen for high schoolers to get real-world job training, I was stunned by the number of amazing programs that teachers want to give their students, if they only had the funding.
It's a sad fact that teachers end up spending out of their own pockets to give their kids what they need. That's where DonorsChoose comes in. It was actually founded by a history teacher who realized he was spending hundreds of his own dollars on supplies. To date, they've raised more than $715 million for teachers across the country, helping more than 22 million students. Teachers already give so much love and support to our kids - they shouldn't have to give their paychecks back, too!
So for my birthday, I'm paying it forward, and I'm asking you to join me. On Wednesday, August 22, 100% of the proceeds from purchases in the Giadzy shop will go to DonorsChoose projects to bring healthy food closer to kids across the country. Stock up on signed cookbooks for upcoming Christmas gifts, or treat yourself to a set of new Italian city tea towels, or just a new coffee mug! Any purchase will make a big difference.