SBHS Alum Launches Charity for Kids at Risk for Diabetes

With skyrocketing childhood obesity rates linked to families struggling economically, a South Brunswick woman is trying to bring a healthy lifestyle change to those in need.

Allison O'Brien, a 2003 South Brunswick High School graduate, recently launched the Garden State Community Kitchen, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing education and support for local families living with Type II diabetes, pre-diabetes, or malnutrition. 

O'Brien, a Certified Natural Chef, came across the "community kitchen" concept while volunteering in Northern California during culinary school in 2012.  

"For my internship I chose to work in a community kitchen for families with cancer," O'Brien said. "You work with adult and teen volunteers to prepare meals and distribute them to families who are sponsored by the organization. I thought it was an awesome concept. I loved working with kids and I saw how engaged they were working with food. I wanted to bring it back to New Jersey because nothing like that exists here."

O'Brien decided to target families in need who may be at high risk for childhood diabetes and other obesity-related health issues. After hiring a lawyer to register as an official non-profit, the GSCK launched in September last year.

The GSCK and its partners provide free fitness, gardening, nutrition and cooking classes to local families who sign up to participate in the program.

Once a week, fitness classes are offered at Breakthrough Fitness by Certified Personal Trainer​ Anthony Carter. The class teaches kids fitness routines that make exercise fun, as they play games to encourage personal challenges.

Gardening classes are taught at Crossroads North Middle School with Robert Saldino of the middle school Science Department, and Eagle Scout Thomas O'Toole, who built the community garden the program utilizes at the school. In this class, the kids learn how to plant, care for, and harvest fresh vegetables.

O'Brien teaches a class at Crossroads North on nutrition, through a partnership with a registered dietitian, and a cooking class at the South Brunswick Senior Center.

While it currently lacks a major funding source, O'Brien said the long term goal of the GSCK is to account for the majority of lunches, dinners, and snacks consumed by up to 10 families per week, while also providing long-term life skills.

The organization is currently working with South Brunswick Social Services to find families living on a fixed income, but the program is open to all.

"We don't turn anyone away, but there is a positive correlation between socio-economic status and problems with obesity," O'Brien said. 

A study last year by Rice University found that children living in poorer neighborhoods have a 28 percent higher chance of developing obesity, while those in middle-class neighborhoods have a 17 percent higher chance, compared to kids who live in affluent neighborhoods.

O'Brien hopes to eventually raise enough money to where the GSCK has a physical location to help provide healthy alternatives for kids struggling with their weight.

"Ultimately I'd like to open up our own location where we can run all of our classes out of, but that's a five to ten-year plan to raise the funds to support that kind of thing," she noted. "I hope to run the classes from May to November, and then spend the rest of the year fundraising for the organization."

As a charity in its infancy working on a local level, the GSCK faces funding issues, especially in this turbulent economic era. The entire organization is run by volunteers who also have separate jobs, but O'Brien said she looks at the GSCK as a long-term project.

"Fundraising has gone okay so far and these times are not the best for non-profits, but I'm not a big fan of grants," she said. "With the time it takes writing and following up to secure the grant, it takes away from being able to have time to work with the families. I don't take a salary, so I support myself working on the side to have breathing room while I run the program so it's at no cost to our participants."

Even as those who run the program sacrifice their own time to give back to the community, what they gain in return is entirely more satisfying than a paycheck.

"I hope the families come away from the program empowered by the lessons they learn and that they implement them," O'Brien said. "Every family gets a binder with tips for gardening, fitness and cooking, and it helps them keep a record of what they're doing. It also has recipes and meal plans that they can use forever, which I really hope they do."

The GSCK is looking for teen and adult volunteers to help out in the various classes, and are also in need of gardening and kitchen materials. For more information email O'Brien at allieobrien@gmail.com. 

The GSCK also offers personal chef and catering services for healthy eating, traveling healthy cooking classes, and nutrition workshops for schools and organizations.

For more information on the GSCK, to donate or volunteer, visit their web site by clicking here.