ABOUT US

MISSION STATEMENT

The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food (NYCHSF) is a statewide nonprofit that works to improve the health and well-being of New York's students by advocating for healthy plant-based foods, including local and organic where possible, farm to school programs, school gardens, the elimination of unhealthy competitive foods in all areas of the school (not just the cafeteria), comprehensive nutrition policy, and education to create food- and health-literate students.

HOW WE DO IT

We do this by:

• Conducting pilot programs
• Creating educational resources
• Holding conferences
• Speaking engagements
• Workshops
• Our Healthy School Food hotline
• Working to change legislation (within the limits of our 501(C)(3) status)

BOARD MEMBERS

Amie Hamlin - Executive Director

Joy Pierson - Chairperson

Fernanda Capobianco

Joy Dushey

Audrie Gerstein

Mary Max

Heather Mills

Henry Rinehart

Sara Tirschwell

Dinneen Viggiano

Shivani Vora

ADVISORY BOARD

Kate Adamick, JD - Foods Systems Consultant, School Food Advocate
Jayni Chase, Founder, Center for Environmental Education

Ann Cooper - The Renegade Lunch Lady, author, Lunch Lessons

Antonia Demas, PhD - Author, Food is Elementary Curriculum

Joel Fuhrman, MD - Author, Disease Proof Your Child and Eat to Live

Pat Hysert - Secretary, NYS PTA

Suzanne Havala Hobbs, RD, PhD - Author, professor at UNC Chapel Hill

Mehmet Oz, MD - Director, Cardiovascular Institute, Columbia University

RESOLUTION

We began in 2004 by writing and getting passed unanimously a New York State Legislative Resolution - Assembly or Senate - which asked schools to offer plant-based entrees as a healthy option, provide nutrition education that includes information on multi-cultural and plant-based eating patterns, promote farm to school programs, and more. In relation to this resolution, we received letters of endorsement from a number of organizations, celebrities, medical professionals, and religious organizations:

Endorsers:

American Heart Association

Center for Science in the Public Interest

NYS PTA

Benjamin Carson, MD

T. Colin Campbell, PhD

Brenda Davis, RD

Joel Fuhrman, MD

Mark Nelson, MD

Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH

Mehmet Oz, MD

Rabbi Israel Rubin

Christian Vegetarian Association

Montel Williams

Executive Director Amie Hamlin with NYS First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson (left) and Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand (right, now Senator Gillibrand)

The Candle 79 team: Chefs Michael & Jorge, co-owner Joy Pierson, and coalition friend Stephanie Fields

Resolution