ABOUT HFHkids
Our mission, who we are, and what we do.
Our MISSION
Our mission is to inspire healthier lives by providing youth with joyful school gardening experiences and opportunities to eat the garden-fresh vegetables they’ve grown.
Our vision is a vegetable garden in every school, leading to generations of healthy families throughout Delaware.
Our COMMITMENT
We are deeply committed to establishing trust and adhering to high standards of behavior whenever we interact with children, schools, parents, volunteers and donors who support and participate in our programs.
Our IMPACT
School garden programs work! Learn how HFHK is creating a proven healthier future for today’s kids. We love watching students grow in their understanding of gardening science and their love of vegetables.
“At this moment in education, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a huge element of developing the whole child in school. I believe that building this relationship with Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids will allow each one of our students to learn how to become a healthier individual, which will in turn affect their Social and Emotional well-being. Being a small part of a big production like this creates a team atmosphere and a sense of purpose all while teaching students the importance of cultivating their taste buds. Hopefully, the lessons will positively affect their education as well. Ultimately, our goal is to plant the seed knowning our school is able to reap the benefits of the program.”
Allisa Booth, Principal, John M. Clayton Elementary
OUR STAFF
LYDIA SARSON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Lydia Sarson joined Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids as Executive Director in 2021 after nearly a decade spent in international business development, in both the private and nonprofit sectors. Using her experience in corporate development and nonprofit management, combined with her personal love of cooking and gardening, Lydia is excited to continue HFHK’s mission to “veggie-cate the First State.”
Lydia holds a B.S. in International Relations, a B.A. in German Language Studies, and a B.A. in Russian Language Studies, from West Chester University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She also holds a post-graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Drexel University. Lydia is a former member of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia, a board member of The Rotary Foundation, and a founding member of the Philadelphia Global Business Alliance. She currently sits on the Delaware Advisory Council of the United States Global Leadership Coalition, for which she was a member of the Pennsylvania Council for five years, on the steering committee for the Delaware Urban Farm and Food Coalition, and on the Education Committee for the Delaware Council on Farm and Food Policy.
JEN CIPOLLA
PROGRAM MANAGER
Jen Cipolla has worked for Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids since May 2019. As the Program Manager, she enjoys working with children, teaching them new skills and watching their curiosity bloom as they plant gardens and try new vegetables. Jen was a certified swim instructor for the YMCA of Delaware for 9 years. She has incorporated her teaching experience into how she interacts with students and teachers at our Partner Schools. Jen has an M.S. in Environmental Engineering and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Jen is also a board member of the Delaware Association for Environmental Education.
RACHEL TERRACINA
PROGRAM COORDINATOR, KENT AND SUSSEX COUNTIES
Rachel Terracina is our Kent and Sussex Counties Program Coordinator. Rachel joined Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids in May 2022. She is passionate about educating and empowering people from every background to make the best choices for their bodies, communities, and environment. Armed with a B.S. in Biology from the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater and nine years of science communication experience, Rachel is excited to help grow HFHK’s programming to reach even more students and teachers in Delaware. Nothing makes Rachel happier than watching a child's confidence grow as they learn new skills. In her free time, Rachel enjoys the wonderful beaches of Delaware and exploring marshes in a kayak. Rachel is currently studying to become a Master Naturalist.
The History of HFHK
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Inspired by a visit to The Edible Schoolyard in California, HFHK founder Thianda Manzara assembles a Planning Committee to begin a school vegetable gardening program in Delaware.”
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HFHK program officially starts at Springer Middle School, in partnership with Principal Michael Gliniak, The Delaware Center for Horticulture (The DCH), 4-H, and other community partners.”
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HFHK nonprofit organization created, HFHK begins working with the Christina School District, and starts its Education Cultivation Program at Keene Elementary School (ES).”
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HFHK starts vegetable gardening programs at Douglass Alternative School, Brader ES, Forest Oak ES, Marshall ES, and Stubbs ES.”
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In partnership with The DCH, HFHK receives a grant from Dow to begin Education Cultivation Programs at Downes ES, Brookside ES, McVey ES, and West Park Place ES. HFHK becomes a Public Ally partner organization, and through them hires first employee.”
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HFHK starts at Wilson ES, expands Forest Oak’s program, starts a pilot at Elbert-Palmer ES, creates partnerships for 2012 gardens with Delaware School for the Deaf, Richardson Park ES, North Star ES, and receives a Healthy People 2020 Community Innovation grant.”
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HFHK begins Education Cultivation at Richardson Park ES, Shortlidge ES, North Star ES, Elbert-Palmer ES, Highlands ES and Rehoboth ES. In partnership with Delaware School for the Deaf (DSD) and New Castle County Master Gardeners, HFHK starts the “Blue Hawk’s Nest” garden program, serving DSD students from preschool through high school. HFHK is the ONLY Delaware recipient of the inaugural USDA/FNS Farm to School Grant.”
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HFHK begins programs at Carrie Downie, Eisenberg and Read Schools in the Colonial SD. HFHK hires first official part-time employees, Lindsay Lancaster and Kayley Hassler.”
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HFHK begins programs at New Castle ES, Nativity Preparatory School, and Mt Pleasant ES.”
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HFHK begins a program at Forwood ES, creates partnerships with five new schools for 2017.”
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HFHK begins programs at Lombardy ES, Marbrook ES, Serviam Girls Academy, HB DuPont MS, and Freire Charter School. HFHK offered a Longwood Foundation Challenge grant.”
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HFHK begins programs at Gallaher ES and Odyssey Charter School. Longwood grant awarded.”
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HFHK begins programs at Bayard MS (garden funded by Delaware Department of Health and Social Services: Health Innovation Fund Grant), South Dover ES and Sussex Montessori School (both gardens funded by Delaware Department of Agriculture: Specialty Crop Block Grant). HFHK first executive director. Named a winner of the Lt. Governor’s Challenge Leadership Award. Highmark Delaware grant received.”
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Dr. Manzara officially retires. New Community Engagement & Partnerships Director hired.”
Dr. Thianda Manzara grew up in a Greek home where cooking brought family and friends together to share delicious vegetable dishes. She remembers the amazing experience of growing her first garden and how much better those vegetables tasted than the ones bought in a grocery store. These experiences shaped her career as a plant biology professor and researcher.
By the time Dr. Manzara arrived in Delaware, the seeds for Health Foods for Healthy Kids began germinating. She was shocked that obesity was such a problem for kids and set out to address it. Not with a fad diet, a pill, or good intentions. But with a simple approach of true prevention and lasting change informed by science.
It was, and still is, her conviction that one of the best ways to improve diet and health of the typical American is to incorporate more vegetables while maintaining a balanced diet. School garden research studies show that experience in school gardens have greater impact on increasing kids eating vegetables than nutrition education does.
Our STORY
A Passion for Cooking, Gardening and Vegetables Leads to a Revelation
A final obstacle to overcome
In 2003, Dr. Manzara visited the Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, California. While exploring their use of gardening, a teaching kitchen and related school curriculum, she learned the total cost for one school exceeded $400,000 per year! To bring such a program to Delaware, she had to come up with a more affordable and practical model to create hands-on vegetable gardening experiences for Delaware school children.
And so, she did.
The rest is history.
"We designed the program to have two seed-to-table growing seasons during the school year so every student in a school has the opportunity to grow and eat fresh garden vegetables multiple times. Like me, once kids discover that veggies can be delicious, they will take that habit into adulthood."
- Dr. Thianda Manzara
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Our NEWSLETTERS
We send out quarterly newsletters with in-depth updates of our work and the impact we continue to have in the community.
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