Earlier this month, Steven Cota-Robles, Founder and Executive Director of The Tucson Family Food Project (TTFFP), announced the inception of the “Feed the Kids” campaign.
It’s important to note that daily childhood food insecurity exists for approximately 46,000 children in Tucson. TTFFP currently provides meal kits and kitchen training videos to 113 Tucson middle schoolers. In fall 2023, the program will grow to 280 kids with the intent to eventually expand to provide services to every child in need in Tucson.
To get things going, TTFFP has assembled a group of local businesses, community leaders, and influencers to shine a light on the heartbreaking reality that thousands of Tucson’s children aren’t getting enough to eat.
“Now that we’ve finished our first full school year, providing meal kits to 113 Tucson children and families, I can definitively say that our program works,” said Steven Cota-Robles, founder and executive director of The Tucson Family Food Project. “I’m so passionate about our Feed the Kids campaign because it’s a call to action for the community to join our movement and help us grow our program throughout Tucson — feeding as many kids as possible. It’s also really exciting because it’s our way of letting the public know that ending childhood food insecurity in Tucson isn’t only possible, it’s already happening.”
Studies have shown that a basic lack of nutrition can have catastrophic effects on a child’s educational experience and, ultimately, impact their adult life. Therefore, those who suffer from food insecurity are more likely to be “suspended, held back a grade, have higher absence rates, and perform worse on standardized testing.”
The goal of The Tucson Family Food Project is to break this hurtful cycle.
Each week, TTFFP teaches kids how to cook a new recipe independently by using fresh, local, and seasonal produce. Through instructional YouTube videos and easy-to-follow instructions, TTFFP is giving kids vital life skills needed to make food for themselves and their families — giving them a chance of living a happy and healthy life.
“Feed the Kids” will be an ongoing awareness and fundraising campaign with the long-term goal of expanding the program into every middle school and junior high school in the greater Tucson area.
“The Tucson Family Food Project has taught me how to cook,” said Bruce, a sixth grader. “It has also given me food. Overall, it is a good program and I think they should keep it for future kids. Steven works hard to deliver us food. It has changed me because now I can cook. And whenever I am alone I can cook.”
By utilizing one of the most accessible and popular entertainment platforms around, TTFFP teaches its students a new recipe every week that they make and share with their families.
For more information, about the “Feed the Kids” campaign and The Tucson Family Food Project, visit thetucsonfamilyfoodproject.org.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
