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Construction Begins on Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester's New Kids Café
New kitchen to provide healthier snacks and 150 hot meals daily
Mount Kisco, NY – (September 8, 2008) – Recognizing the importance of good nutrition for a child's school performance, growth, and development, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester has begun construction of its Kisco Kids Café at its Mount Kisco facility. The project requires demolition of existing lounge, office, and closet space to accommodate a new kitchen and updated cafeteria. The Kisco Kids Café, which will provide healthier snacks and 150 hot meals daily, is expected to open in the early fall.
 The Kisco Kids Café initiative recognizes the needs of the changing membership at the Boys & Girls Clubs Mt. Kisco facility. Approximately 50% of members are Hispanic, primarily from very low-income families. Many of the children rely on the Club for after-school nutrition and do not eat a hot meal at home after they leave the Club. The estimated cost of feeding a hot, nutritious meal to one child is $7.50 per day, $37.50 per week, $150 per month, and $1,875 per year.
In addition to providing healthy snacks and meals, the Kisco Kids Café will also serve as a teaching facility to host culinary and nutrition classes for Club members and their families, and for introducing youth to potential careers in the culinary arts. The Club plans to hire a director of food service in October, along with chefs for the Mt. Kisco and Tarrytown facilities. Food Patch will provide food and hot meals for the new program.
The Club has been working to increase nutritional awareness amongst its members and supporters for several years. Their recent Humanitarian Award Dinner, "Positively Nutritious," generated a $400,000 donation to fund the new commercial-grade kitchen and canteen. Other programs and events include a joint nutrition event in conjunction with The Junior League in March 2008 and a 10-week pilot "Healthy Lifestyles" program, led by area nutrition consultant Phyllis Shustak, this past spring.
 In early 2008, the Club's board formed a committee to push forward and make the kitchen a reality. Dubbed the "Kitchen Cabinet," the committee is led by board member Shelley Waln and includes Board Vice President Tom O'Brien and President Skip Beitzel; board members Kim Ainley, Leslie Cecil, and Jill Lawrence; and community volunteers John Burton of Burton Construction, who is donating his services as general contractor; Erik Kaeyer of KG&D Architects, who is donating his architectural and design services; and Ladle of Love/Café of Love owner Leslie Lampert, who is helping with the kitchen design and future curriculum. State Assemblyman Adam Bradley has also secured $40,000 in grants.
"We are grateful to our generous donors," says Brian Skanes, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester. "Without their support, we could not have made this important commitment to the health of our members."
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester is located at 351 Main Street, Mt. Kisco, NY, and can be reached at 914.666.8069 or via www.bgcnw.com.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester (www.bgcnw.com) was established in 1939 as a place for "boys to get off the streets." It is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and enabling young people, especially those who need it most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. The main unit in Mt. Kisco, NY is a 36,000-square-foot facility featuring an eight-lane pool, Child Care Center, gymnasium, games room, two computer labs and an additional 1,600-foot Teen Center facility. The Club has two satellite programs: a youth and teen center in the Yorktown Community Center; and a full service program at The Community Opportunity Center in Tarrytown, NY. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester serves 3,500 youths, boys and girls ages 6 months to 18 years, from more than 60 Northern Westchester communities. The Club has been ranked among the outstanding Clubs in the national network of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Press Contact:
Kelly Lee
Co-Communications
914-666-0066
kelly@cocommunications.com
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