May 13th, 2009
Operation Frontline
With the nation facing increased rates of hunger and obesity, there is considerable need for nutrition education among low-income families. These families are less likely than those with higher incomes to have a healthy diet, to know about the links of diet and health, and to have the resources to properly feed themselves and their families. This has a serious, significant impact on their health and the health of their children. [i] In response to this health challenge we face both nationally and here in Los Angeles, Jubilee Consortium has joined forces with nationally-based nonprofit, Share Our Strength, and locally-based nonprofit, Center for Community & Family Services , to launch Operation Frontline at Jubilee and other sites in the greater Los Angeles area. Operation Frontline® is a groundbreaking nutrition-education program that connects families with food by teaching them how to prepare healthy, tasty meals on a limited budget. This exciting new west coast collaboration has been made possible by a generous seed grant from the ConAgra Foods® Foundation.
The Operation Frontline® program, developed by Share Our Strength, helps low-income families help themselves by teaching them how to prepare healthy, low-cost meals. Professional chefs and nutritionists volunteer their time and expertise to lead hands-on courses that teach adults, teens and kids how to get the most nutrition out of a limited budget.
Since 1993, Operation Frontline® and its hundreds of volunteer instructors have conducted 3,800 nutrition and financial-planning courses helping 43,000 low-income families in communities across the country learn how to eat better for less. Each class includes hands-on meal preparation led by a chef who teaches participants that cooking healthy foods can be simple, enjoyable, delicious, and affordable. The courses cover basic nutrition, food safety, and food budgeting so that participants are able to plan and prepare low-cost nutritious meals for themselves and their families. Operation Frontline® offers courses for adults, children, teens, and, parents and children together as well as persons living with HIV and AIDS. Operation Frontline® has received special recognition by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for excellence in nutrition education.
We would love to have your active involvement and support in building Operation Frontline Los Angeles into a vibrant program. Can you help? We are looking for local volunteer chefs and nutritionists to participate in the cooking classes and financial contributions to help fund the program into the future and make it a powerful vehicle for positive change for low-income families in Los Angeles. If you would like more information on how you can help, please call Jubilee Consortium’s Executive Director, Jaime Edwards-Acton at 323.469.3993.
[i] Much of the above information is taken from Share Our Strength literature
Marlene
Marlene is eight years old with an infectious smile. She has been faithfully attending the Jubilee Consortium aerobics classes at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Hollywood for the last year and a half. When asked questions about why she comes and participates in the Jubilee classes, she doesn’t hesitate to share her answers. One of the things she likes about the classes is that she gets to spend time with her mom. “The classes,” she says, “make my mom feel happy and that makes me feel happy, too. I come with my mom and some of her friends. I’ve noticed that I have more energy and I feel happy and better about myself.” Marlene also comes to
Jubilee’s Alternatives to Violence class on Thursday evenings when the church’s sanctuary is converted into a boxing gym and twenty or more young people gather to learn boxing, life and leadership skills. “I like the boxing class because I have a place to take my anger out,” she says with a smile. “In all the classes,” she continues, “I feel that I am at home.”
Recently, the Jubilee Consortium hosted an “Aerobics-a-thon Fundraiser and Health Fair” at its Hollywood site. When Marlene heard about the planned event, she immediately signed up to participate, grabbed several sponsor sheets and went out in search of potential donors. By the day of the event, Marlene had raised $110. That itself is amazing for an eight year old. But the thing that was even more amazing
was how she did it. Marlene persuaded more that 100 people to sponsor her. She asked her family, her friends, her neighbors, her teachers at school. Some of the sponsors pledged $1 or $5. But many pledged a nickel, a dime or a quarter. Her efforts and commitment were a clear signal to everyone how important these exercise and nutrition classes are to the low-income residents that attend them. “When I grow up,” Marlene explains, “I don’t exactly know what I want to do, yet, but I would like to be an aerobics instructor to help all the women and people get healthier.”
Marlene is great at getting the word out about Jubilee programs. “I’ve invited everyone,” she exclaims. And the folks that take her up on her invitation always tell her that they love the class and the community spirit. Marlene embodies the urgency and commitment Jubilee feels in its efforts to help individuals, families and neighborhoods to be healthy and strong. When asked if she wanted to say anything to the people who financially support the work of Jubilee, Marlene offered the following: “I just want to thank the people. Many people who come to the classes don’t have a lot of money. The money that others give makes a lot of people happy and healthier and I am happy that all those people are happy. It makes me feel great!”
Events
Member Websites
Holy FaithInglewood
St. Luke'sLong Beach
St. Stephen'sHollywood