The Youth Food Corps, renamed by the participating students as EATWISE (Educated and Aware Teens Who Inspire Smart Eating), is an after school program comprised of students from the Food & Finance High School and High School of Hospitality Management, two small public high schools in New York City at which FoodChange is the head non-profit partner. EATWISE engages high school students in hands-on learning about a variety of food issues from nutrition to food systems. The program provides opportunities to both create their own food projects, such as smoothie sales and peer nutrition education workshops, and to connect with other youth working with food issues in New York City.

The ultimate goal of EATWISE is to create an action-oriented youth movement focused on choosing healthier foods, raising awareness about food issues in their communities, and improving access to healthier food. EATWISE is the intersection of SchoolFood Plus, designed to improve the eating habits, health and academic performance of young people within the reach of the New York City school meals program, and FoodChange’s High School Programs, which infuse academics with our expertise in nutrition and emergency food systems. Through our combination of direct service and policy work, FoodChange provides a platform for young people to gain deep understanding of these important issues.

EATWISE currently focuses on education and outreach to classmates within the two high schools and will branch out to other schools as it evolves.

For more information, contact Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky, Assistant Director, Food & Nutrition Services at mhr@foodchange.org.