From left to right: Sheila Adams, Assistant Principal of Federal Hill Preparatory School Baltimore, Towanda Cofield, Principal of Federal Hill Preparatory School, Salina Duncan, Tastewise Kids Executive Director, Trish Slutzky, Director of Client Relations, Employer Health Programs and Julie Eugenio, Tastewise Kids Community Programs Manager.

In April, Johns Hopkins Health Plans awarded a grant of $11,000 to TasteWise Kids, an organization that addresses food insecurity by teaching food literacy to kids. The grant will provide funding to support Days of Taste, a hands-on program that educates fourth-graders about food flavors, meal preparation and the journey of food from farm to table.

TasteWise Kids was founded in 2015 with the mission to inspire life-long healthy eating habits by introducing kids to the world of food and its sources through hands-on experiences, including visits to farms and guidance from professional chefs. The grant will benefit 175 fourth-graders at John Rodgers School and Patterson Park Public Charter School in Baltimore City.

Good food is foundational to physical and mental health. The Days of Taste program builds students' food knowledge and teaches them skills for preparing their own food, as well as increasing their willingness to try new foods, explore new tastes and realize new career possibilities. As part of the program, the kids also receive salad kits to prepare together at home with family members.

Johns Hopkins Health Plans’ Trish Slutzky, Director of Client Relations, Employer Health Programs, was at Federal Hill Preparatory School to present the check to Salina Duncan, Executive Director of TasteWise Kids, and Program and Partnerships Manager, Julie Eugenio. Learn more about TasteWise Kids at www.tastewisekids.org.

Addressing the challenges that many of our members face on a daily basis is an important part of helping our communities achieve their best health. Factors such as financial stability, education and literacy, access to food, and more are known as “social determinants of health.” Johns Hopkins Health Plans is committed to helping members and neighbors overcome these barriers through community action.