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Food Paradigm Essentials

This week's board spotlight will be highlighting our wonderful VP and co-director Karla! She has done great work on-site and behind the scenes for Food Paradigm. Karla has exemplified empowering dedication to the organization. Karla highlights her time on site stating: "The on-site visits remind me exactly why this work matters. I always leave feeling re-energized and more committed than ever to making this a reality for kids. At RISE especially, the excitement from the student ambassadors is contagious. You can feel how much this pilot means to them. That energy drives me. My hope extends well beyond the classroom, though. The staff at RISE already do a beautiful job of making these kids feel seen, cared for, and valued, and I want this work to be just another layer of that. Another reminder to each child that they matter, that their health matters, and that the people around them are invested in their whole wellbeing." Thank you for all your work, Karla, this wouldn't be possible without you!

Students, teachers, school board members, former Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane, and others from across the community came to the table Tuesday night for a preview of the scratch-made meals that will be served at RISE Charter Academy starting this fall. The event marked an important milestone for Food Paradigm and its pilot project with RISE, showing what’s possible when school meals are prepared more intentionally, with real ingredients, less waste, and student health in mind. Chef Dean Ogan prepared the Taco Tuesday meal, and Overflowing Hands shared its commitment to helping fund the kitchen upgrades needed to bring scratch cooking to life at RISE. After the meal, Food Paradigm co-founder Thursall Celle, board member Roxie Cash, Chef Dean Ogan, and RISE school leaders answered questions about the vision, costs, and what it will take to bring this work to life. Thank you to everyone who came out to support RISE and Food Paradigm. We have a busy summer ahead as we finish building out the details, and we can’t wait to get started this fall. If you’d like to help build healthier school food systems in North Carolina, we’d love to connect. #ScratchFood #HealthyFood #SchoolFood

Thank you to Education North Carolina for sharing the news about our pilot program at RISE Charter School with a broader audience and capturing the spirit of what we're trying to do with our partners. From our co-founder Thursall Celle: “At a high level, school food today is shaped by convenience, speed, and cost. Schools do their best but are limited by the system." “The challenge isn’t just food, it’s a systems problem. Schools don’t typically have the time, knowledge, or infrastructure to redesign their programs. Food Paradigm exists to help bridge that gap with structure, coordination, and the right expertise.” Visit our website or reach out online if you'd like to learn more about how we work and how we're trying to help make the next generation of school kids healthier through better food. Link in comments. #ScratchFood #SchoolFood #HealthyFood

Karla, Mia, and Thursall (not pictured, Dean) - the core team behind the RISE Scratch Cooking Pilot - got to spend some time together recently at the Cooking for Kids fundraiser hosted by OverFlowing Hands. Food Paradigm was honored to be chosen as a beneficiary of this event, with funds raised going directly toward the kitchen we're working to transform at RISE Academy. Nights like this one remind us what's possible when a community rallies around nourishing kids. Real food for kids takes a village. Food Paradigm is planning for a big year ahead. With the generous support of the Cooking for Kids fundraiser and the team at OverFlowing Hands, we're building a scratch-cooking system that works for real school life. That means menus kids enjoy, operations staff can run, and a plan schools can sustain for the long term. We were grateful to be part of this event. Reach out to our team if you're a school or a potential partner who would like to learn more. #FoodParadigm #CookingForKids #OverFlowingHands #RISECharter #SchoolFood #Community

Please help us welcome Roxie Cash to the Food Paradigm board. She has been a constant supporter of our mission since the beginning and we are honored to have her officially on the board. Roxie grew up on a farm in Iowa where home-cooked meals were prepared from scratch three times a day by her mother and grandmother. Cooking happened throughout the day so those working on the farm could do their best work, and those experiences shaped how she thinks about food and caring for others.Roxie attended pharmacy school at Drake University in Iowa and Creighton University in Nebraska and has practiced hospital pharmacy throughout her career with an emphasis in oncology.After moving to North Carolina with her family, Roxie became deeply involved in public education and served on the Wake County Board of Education for 18 years. Through her time on the board, she developed a strong passion for public education and supporting children and families in her community.Roxie sees the need for healthier school meals because she understands that, for some children, school food may be one of the most consistent sources of nutrition they receive each day. She believes children deserve meals they will actually enjoy eating and sees scratch cooking as an important opportunity to improve participation and reduce food waste in schools.Roxie continues to serve on nonprofit boards across Wake County and believes strongly in giving back to her community. She lives in North Carolina and treasures time with her four children and fifteen grandchildren, who are the focus of her life. #SchoolFood #CommunityImpact #NorthCarolina #NonprofitLeadership

Thank you to the team at RISE Charter School for meeting with us recently as we work together on a pilot program to bring healthy, scratch-made food to their students. Like us, they know that school food matters because it shapes more than a single meal. For many kids, school lunch fuels their energy, focus, and ability to learn for the rest of the day. When food is nourishing and thoughtfully prepared, it supports health, human worth, and long-term well-being in school and beyond. This is why improving school food isn’t extra. It’s foundational. Learn more about us at our website link in our bio and help us change how kids eat. #FoodParadigm #schoolfood #realfood #collaborate #nourish #thrive

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