Kids In Nutrition (Kin)

Mission: Kids In Nutrition (KIN) is dedicated to enhancing food equity, promoting sustainable systems, and improving health for at-risk youth through food literacy and food access. Recognizing that children form lifelong habits by age nine, KIN's mission is to cultivate nutrition knowledge and foster positive food preferences during their formative years. Our primary focus is on marginalized communities, where educational and health disparities in low-income areas contribute to a disproportionate risk of chronic diseases. Early food literacy plays a pivotal role in instilling healthy dietary habits that carry into adulthood, thus establishing a foundation for preventing chronic disease, advancing health equity, and preserving the environment. Initiative: KIN was founded in 2014 by two students, Michelle Nicolet & Angela Shields, at the University of California, Santa Barbara, seeking to combat food system issues in public and environmental health. KIN's strength lies in its cost-effective, replicable, and sustainable student-led model. Our approach mobilizes university students to inspire healthy and sustainable dietary behavior in youth through a three-pillar intervention: education, food access, and family engagement. These pillars work in unison to equip children and their families with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed dietary choices. By mobilizing existing resources and spearheading grassroots change, KIN empowers diverse individuals to be part of a movement that directly impacts themselves, their peers, their community, and future generations. Operating chapters: UC Santa Barbara, UC Los Angeles, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, Indiana University, Tufts University, and Northeastern University. Kids In Nutrition is an official program under the Sustainability and Community Health Initiative (SACHI). SACHI is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.