Boys & Girls Club of Wooster receives grant for food program

The Boys & Girls Club of Wooster recently announced its selection as one of only 16 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide to receive a grant from the Rachael Ray Foundation to expand its Healthy Habits program. The funding will directly support BGCW’s Healthy for Me initiative, a hands-on culinary and nutrition education program designed to foster lifelong healthy habits in youth through cooking, food exploration and locally sourced learning experiences.

This recognition places BGCW among a select group of organizations chosen for their innovation and commitment to improving youth health and wellness. The award is part of the national Healthy Habits program, supported by the Rachael Ray Foundation, which promotes balanced meals, portion awareness, food literacy and cooking as a family-oriented activity.

“This is an incredible honor for our club, our kids and our community,” said Jon Hutchison, CEO of BGCW. “We’re proud that the foundation recognized the innovative work happening here in Wooster. It shows that with strong local support, we can launch programs that gain national attention and make a lasting impact.”

The Healthy for Me program was initially launched in August with seed funding from the Wayne County Community Foundation’s Give 365 Fund, enabling the purchase of basic kitchen equipment.

“The Wayne County Community Foundation is honored to have helped launch the Healthy for Me program through our Give 365 Fund,” WCCF Executive Director Melanie Reusser Garcia said. “It is rewarding to see local youth gaining the knowledge to make healthy choices, and we are proud that this initiative is now being recognized on a national stage.”

The new Rachael Ray Foundation grant allows the club to take this grassroots program to the next level, funding nutritious ingredients for cooking lessons, aprons for participants and the development of a youth-created cookbook to be shared with the foundation.

A key component of the program is BGCW’s local partnership with Local Roots, a Wooster-based cooperative that connects the club with area farmers. Farmers will visit the club to teach youth about food sourcing, sustainability and the farm-to-table movement, helping bridge the gap between agricultural knowledge and healthy eating.

Wayne County continues to face significant challenges related to youth nutrition and food insecurity. According to the 2024 Wayne County Health Report, 33.9% of local children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, and 35.1% of youth age 10-19 are overweight or obese. Healthy for Me directly addresses these challenges by combining cooking skills, nutritional education and community connection.

“This program is about more than meals; it’s about empowerment,” Hutchison said. “It equips kids with the skills and confidence to make healthier choices for a lifetime and bring those skills home to their families.”

The club’s culminating cookbook will feature youth-designed recipes, photos and reflections from the program and will be shared with national partners, local stakeholders and supporters across the region.

To learn more about supporting the Healthy for Me program, email Jenni Szafranski at szafranski.j@bgcwooster.org or call 330-804-0055.