Their Insights

Founded in 2005, Wellness in the Schools (WITS) is a national nonprofit organization that partners with school districts to promote healthy habits among children, enhancing their learning and overall well-being. Through their programs, WITS provides nutrition and fitness education, prepares healthy scratchcooked meals, and encourages active recess periods. By transforming menus and educating students and families about cooking and nutrition, WITS aims to improve academic performance, foster lasting change, and combat childhood obesity in school environments.

During the 2021-2022 school year, WITS programs benefited over 86,000 children in nearly 200 schools nationwide. In New York City, these programs are currently implemented in 38 schools across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Last September, WITS joined forces with the NYC Department of Education’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS) to launch the Chef Council, a collaborative effort aimed at developing scratch-cooked, plant-based, and culturally relevant recipes to feed almost one million schoolchildren.

With back-to-school season just around the corner, we reached out to Nancy Easton, WITS Executive Director and Co-Founder, and Executive Chef Bill Telepan to gain their insights on what to expect from the upcoming back-to-school menus this September.

Nancy, could you please elaborate on WITS’ unique role in its partnership with NYC’s DOE OFNS?

This partnership is built on nearly continued on page 120

Cherry Dumaual is a seasoned contributing writer for Total Food Service, bringing years of experience in culinary communications to her role. As the former Partnerships Director at The Monday Campaigns/Meatless Monday, she was responsible for spearheading the PR and partnership development for Monday initiatives, including Meatless Monday. During her tenure, she successfully forged partnerships with renowned organizations, such as C-CAP (Careers for Culinary Arts Program), the American Institute of Cancer Research, and New Jersey Healthy Kids Initiative. Prior to joining TMC, Cherry held the position of Senior Vice President at leading PR agencies, where she worked with major food and healthcare clients. Her passion for learning and cooking international cuisines has led her and her husband to explore local food markets and restaurants in over 50 countries. This firsthand experience has allowed her to gain a deep understanding of different cultures and cuisines, which she brings to her work in the food industry.