Currently, the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito’s Center for a Healthy Lifestyle in Solana Beach offers a teaching kitchen, space for classes and entertaining, and is surrounded by an interactive organic garden with beautiful patios.
The programs for children and teens which are currently offered at the Solana Beach location include: Youth Culinary Academy, After School Gardening, Home School Series, Arts & Crafts, Skills Training, Garden-to-Table Field Trips, Cooking Demonstrations at Local School Assemblies and programs for Special Needs groups.
Coming Soon to Encinitas
In order to serve more youth and families while fostering healthy lifestyles, the Center for a Healthy Lifestyle Kitchen and Garden Project will expand this program into the Griset Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito location in Encinitas.
The CHL Kitchen and Garden Project is a garden-to-table program designed to fight against childhood obesity and diabetes to help insure healthy live of the next generation. This culinary academy will feature an interactive, half-acre organic garden and commerical-like kitchen classroom. The students will learn practical skills and receive vocational training as they grow and prepare food. The garden and kitchen will also be available for the entire community to enjoy healthy cooking classes and garden education.
Support the Center for a Healthy Lifestyle Kitchen & Garden Project
Construction on the kitchen began in January, but the CHL Kitchen and Garden Project Committee are seeking to raise additional funds to be used for the construction of the kitchen as well as the organic garden. So far, they have raised around $100,000 for the Kitchen, but need an additional $25,000 to complete this Phase I of this project. Phase II, the garden requires around $125,000 to complete.
Naming opportunities and an item wish list for both the kitchen and garden have been created, which includes Kitchen Naming Rights ($10,000), Cutlery ($110) and Outside Picnic Tables ($650 each) as well as the Butterfly Garden ($2,500), Bird Feeders ($100) and Trees (varying costs).
For more information on how you can volunteer, or donate to this project, visit the official website where you can learn more.
You can also view the photos online from the New Kitchen & Garden Site Luncheon which was held earlier this month.
