Baton Rouge Epicurean Society donates over $120K to children’s charities
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – The Baton Rouge Epicurean Society announced more than $120,000 in donations to seven local charities focused on improving children’s health and nutrition in the Capital Region.
The donations will go to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, the OLOL Children’s Hospital Weight and Nutrition Center, the BREADA Farmers Market, the Knock Knock Children’s Museum, the Capital Area CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Association, Girls on the Run, and the Louisiana Restaurant Association ProStart Foundation.
The funds come from the society’s prior fundraising events.
“Taking care of our children is number one priority,” said Sarah Gray, executive director of the Baton Rouge Epicurean Society.
Food bank receives largest donation
The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank will receive $45,000 from the donations.
“It’s truly just phenomenal because the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank depends upon such big community support,” said Liz Pfifer, president and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.
Pfifer said the donation will help ensure every child and household has the food they need each day.
“Having that external support, either be financial or food or volunteer time, helps us to get food out to those most in need,” Pfifer said.
Hospital program expands culinary medicine
The OLOL Children’s Hospital will receive $20,000 to create new opportunities for children in need.
The funding will support a culinary medicine program that allows pediatric residents to train at the LSU School of Nutrition and Cooking four times a year.
“Through the funding from Epicurean Society, we’ve been able to grow a culinary medicine program right here in Baton Rouge,” said Dr. Katie Queen, medical director of the OLOL Children’s Hospital Weight and Nutrition Center.
The program uses cooking to teach nutrition to children and families.
“For example, we might teach how to cook four different taco recipes or spaghetti recipes. And one is the traditional recipe with high calories, high fat, and then we’ll work down and add more vegetables, sometimes add lentils, things that you can hide for kids,” Dr. Queen explained.
“I’ve been a pediatrician for 12-plus years, but I’ve never felt so supported in my passion, which is to help children to be as healthy as possible,” she said.
Gray said the society is already preparing for its next round of fundraising events to continue supporting local charities.
“We take all of our money and funds from that revenue, and we are able to give it to these charities that are so important to us,” Gray said.
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