Nine-year-old Jangel Sedano, a 4th grader at Magnolia Elementary School, is a young chef who is passionate about teaching kids to cook, eat healthy and move away from junk food. After attending a Children’s Bureau/Food Marketing Coalition meeting with his mom, he realized that unhealthy food habits had taken their toll on those around him, including his young neighbor who was overweight and obese.
Inspired to impact the next generation of kids and families in his community, he launched Facebook videos on how to cook healthy delicious recipes: https://business.facebook.com/jan.avellaneda/videos/1494197697315042/ The result: Sedano is being the change he wants to see in Los Angeles where he has the support of his mother and family to evangelize about healthy choices that taste great and appeal to children, making them more willing to try new recipes such as those featured in the Champions for Change cookbooks.
On Saturday, September 15, at 10 am, the young food activist will do a presentation in English for 20 children at Children’s Bureau in Los Angeles, which focuses on protecting vulnerable children through prevention, treatment and advocacy. Sedano will prepare delicious items that can be made with fruits and vegetables for the cooking demo at Children’s Bureau located at 1910 Magnolia Avenue, just west of downtown LA. The workshop is a partnership with Healthy Kids in the Bon Appétit Kitchen, a nutrition and culinary education program created by Bon Appétit Management Co. that has reached more than 7,000 children around the country. Bon Appétit Manager of Food Education for Children Hannah Schmunk and Mayet Cristobal, Bon Appétit’s executive chef at Disney, will co-lead the class with Sedano and offer lessons in plant parts, basic knife skills, and the connection between fresh unprocessed food and well-being.
Just-released obesity statistics from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System in June 2018, https://stateofobesity.org/rates/, reported that California ranks 22 of 43 states with a high school obesity rate of 13.9 percent, and 31.2 percent obesity rate for the 10-17 year old demographic. According to the LA Food Bank, Latinos make up over two thirds (67.4 percent) of food insecure households (v. 12.3 percent of U.S. Households in the general population) which means they face barriers at some time during the year to purchase healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats and foods high in fiber. As a result, these households often have poor diets because they resort to buying less expensive foods that are high in calories but lacking in nutritional value with an excess intake of calories, salt, saturated fat and added sugar, making them more susceptible to chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and many types of cancer.
Sedano’s role as a food activist mirrors the passion of Children’s Bureau’s annual Blue Tie Gala honoree, Bon Appétit CEO and co founder Fedele Bauccio. Bauccio launched the Healthy Kids program in 2015 at AT&T Park in partnership with the San Francisco Giants before taking it nationwide in 2016 to spread food literacy. According to Bauccio, “Teaching kids at an early age about where food comes from and what it does to your body – and how eating healthy is good for your body and helps you grow – contributes to healthy food habits that can last a lifetime.”
children’s Bureau is a Children’s Bureau, a nonprofit leader in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect in Southern California, will host its annual Blue Tie Gala on November 3, from 6:30 to 10 pm, at the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica. The Blue Tie Gala, with the color blue representing the national color of child abuse prevention, will feature a formal multi-course dinner prepared by acclaimed chefs and paired with world-class wines, an auction offering luxury items, entertainment, dancing and more. Over the years, the Children’s Bureau’s annual fundraiser has raised over $2.5 million to support its mission.
This year’s Blue Tie Gala will honor Bauccio who revolutionized the food service industry by introducing fresh, made-from-scratch food to the contract market and pioneered environmentally and socially responsible practices for a better food system. Every year, Bon Appétit Management Company underwrites the cost of rentals, waiting staff and food estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars in event cost-savings for Children’s Bureau. Bauccio’s support has ensured that Children’s Bureau raises the essential dollars needed to underwrite its child abuse prevention programs.
“Child abuse is connected to many of today’s social ills, including obesity and diabetes. Our work with children like Jangel and support from food industry leaders like Fedele is helping to change the trajectory of the next generation,” said Children’s Bureau President & CEO Ronald Brown.
Tickets to the Blue Tie Gala are $350 per person. For ticket purchase or sponsorship information, please visit https://www.all4kids.org/bluetiegala.
