A food program founded by a Surrey dentist has been honoured in the U.S. for “making the healthy choice the easy choice in the fight against childhood obesity.”
Created by Dr. Greg Chang a decade ago, the non-profit SuperChefs Cookery for Kids is among five finalists for the 2018 Impact Award from the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA).
The PHA’s Catalyst for Change Awards winner will be announced at a gala event in Washington, D.C., in September.
“We are honoured to be a finalist for the Impact Award on our 10th year anniversary and to be part of the change in creating a healthier future for children across North America and the world,” Chang said Monday.
SuperChefs, the only Canadian finalist for the award, is nominated for its work to teach kids how to make healthier food choices and also guide kid-focused menus for the Westin Hotels and Resorts chain in more than 200 properties around the world.
“Our partnership with (Westin), to create a new standard of delicious and nutritious menus for families while they are on the road, has been a global success,” Chang said in a release. “We have provided a model for hotels around the world to bring kids into their kitchens, holding SuperChefs events to promote wellness and healthy choices in their communities.”
• RELATED STORY: SuperChefs cook up a culinary education for kids, from Surrey to New York, from 2016.
Chang, a trained chef whose Surrey Place Dental clinic is located at Central City Shopping Centre, created SuperChefs after years of working on kids with tooth decay caused by bad eating habits.
The mission of SuperChefs Cookery for Kids is to help kids put on their best “FACES” — that is, make them Food literate, Aware of their food systems, Competent in their food skills, Engaged in physical activity and Savour balanced food choices.
Last June, Chang and MasterChef Canada winner David Jorge partnered to make special “burrito bowls” for B.C. Lions players at the team’s practice facility in Surrey.
• RELATED STORY: ‘Super’ chefs serving BC Lions in Surrey, from 2017.
In Surrey, the organization runs summer cooking camps for kids.
“SuperChefs has been providing a well-run, educational fun program for our at-risk students for several years, helping to improve the health of many children in many ways,” Liane Ricou, Surrey School District’s business development manager, stated in a release Monday. “It’s great to see SuperChefs receiving recognition for the work it does.”
The PHA was created in conjunction with – but independent from – former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! effort.
“The third annual Catalyst for Change Awards finalists are at the forefront (of) our nation’s culture shift towards health and wellness,” PHA president and CEO Nancy E. Roman said in a release announcing the finalists. “Partnership for a Healthier America is extremely pleased to acknowledge the companies and organizations bringing us closer towards our goal of ensuring that all young people grow up free from obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other conditions associated with excess weight.”
