A Message from Lynne Kunins |
|
Happy June, Friends of FLIPANY!
So much is happening this month you might be distracted from those simple health goals you set back in January… And how might I be so insightful about this? Well, let’s just say my bike is showing some rust. But let’s turn this around with some summer inspiration!
June is National Great Outdoors Month, which has only been a full month of celebration since 2019. I think we need to draw attention to the joys of being outdoors because we are living our lives more and more in indoor spaces with artificial light and little movement. A walk around the block or a visit to a park—let’s celebrate!
I know we have a lot of parks and preserves in our corner of South Florida, but I wanted to know just how many. Here are the results of my research:
-
Palm Beach County, 110
-
Broward County, 123
-
Miami-Dade County, 147
That’s a lot of investment in outdoor space for the public’s enjoyment. Check them out, people! Hats, sunscreen, and re-usable water bottles all around.
June is also Pride Month, and at FLIPANY, we are always happy to celebrate the rainbow of human diversity. Just as everyone deserves the chance to live a healthy life, everyone deserves the chance to be seen and heard.
June 18th Father’s Day--a great opportunity to pack a healthy picnic and get those dads to a park for some outdoor relaxation and appreciation.
The very next day, Monday, is Juneteenth. I wrote last year about how shocked I was to find myself so uninformed about such an important event in US history and how I vowed to keep learning more. This year, I want to share a deep dive into the specific, complicated Texas history of Juneteenth, told by Peniel Joseph, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Texas is where the story of Juneteenth begins. It’s a long read, but well worth it.
Wait, there’s more…June is National Fruit and Vegetable month! At FLIPANY, we are always talking about fruits and vegetables, and, unlike much of the rest of the country, June marks the end of Florida’s growing season for orchard and garden crops. So how do we celebrate? Make the most of what is still in season (strawberries for one) and save money by making produce last longer by storing it properly. I did some research on this, but it got complicated! The basic rule seems to be to keep each fruit or vegetable bunch separate from the others. (Did you know potatoes spoil faster in the fridge than in the pantry? Now you do. Me too.)
I hope you enjoy the special features in this month’s newsletter: interviews with two senior staffers on how FLIPANY’s Healthy Meals program and FLIPANY’s Health Education programs increase their impact when they serve the same sites. The positive effects of two programs together is not always easy to describe; Rose and Brandi help us see it for ourselves.
And, last but never least, June is a big step in preparing for our Chefs Up Front fundraisers, and this month I am so happy to share with you an interview with a longtime Friend of FLIPANY, Chef Brian Nasajon of Beaker and Gray, one of the best restaurants and craft cocktail bars in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood. It boggles the mind how someone so warm and down-to-earth can create such out-of-this-world cuisine! See for yourself.
Get on that bike! Go for that walk! We can do it, people! Let’s GO!
Thank you, as always, for supporting FLIPANY’s work in the neighborhoods with the greatest needs.
|
|
STAFF SPOTLIGHT:
ROSE SHIN & BRANDI MURRAY
|
|
Rose: Contracts for our nutrition and physical education programs are separate from contracts for healthy meals, so we rely on each other to identify sites that need meals or sites that need education.
Brandi: We train our afterschool program site staff in the basics of nutrition education to support a well-run meal service, and at times, we can provide some take-home family activities, but the education team takes it to a higher level.
I saw this for myself during the summer when meal delivery was paired with education for as many sites as we could afford. Not only were the kids engaged with movement and language, but I saw the staff raising themselves to a healthier standard—like, “I’m going to try not to drink soda after 6 pm every night.” FLIPANY education programs are a consciousness-raising experience.
Rose: And throughout the year, I see how our education programs solidify the relationship between the site and FLIPANY. The kids begin to recognize FLIPANY Instructors as their personal health coaches, playing soccer, learning to prepare meals, understanding nutrition and ingredients, and having healthy meals every day. Our education program touches the lives of families directly in their community. They recognize FLIPANY as an organization that cares about not only their health, but also their wellness. Through our programs, we hope to impact the youth and community to make at least one choice that is healthier than before they met us.
Brandi: One part of my job is to keep track of all of our healthy meals sites and our program monitors. We have a site/staff retention record of 93% year after year, which is amazing! I think a big part of why our partners stick with us is that we make both education and nutrition easy and accessible.
Rose: Also, I know the Healthy Meals team works hard to bring the meals that the kids will really enjoy. We worked together on recipes for Haitian Spaghetti, Ropa Vieja, and Jerk Chicken. And Haitian mac and cheese! It’s pink because they put beets in it; I love that.
We asked Brandi and Rose to tell us how their programs work to prevent food wasting, particularly milk.
Brandi: All of our healthy meal sites are trained to create and use a “share table” so that kids can place unopened food items for others to have. Some days a child is just not that hungry; some days a child is hungry enough for multiple servings.
Rose: We focus on the five food groups and how to creatively use any ingredient to prepare a fun and tasty treat. While we don’t focus on milk specifically, we do focus on how good nutrition makes us feel good, and that helps kids think twice about wasting food. We explore recipes that help them transform a food item into something they want to eat. Learning to make smoothies is a great way to prevent milk waste.
When we asked them to share their favorite moments of their jobs, they both said it was when they heard kids say things like this:

|
|
In closing, we asked what it would take for every FLIPANY Healthy Meals site to receive FLIPANY nutrition and physical activity classes every year. The answer is simple—more funding.
FLIPANY is disrupting the way health and wellness support is offered in communities. We serve nutritious food, encourage healthy eating and get people to move – no matter what zip code they call home. Help us bring more FLIPANY programs to the communities of South Florida, DONATE TODAY!
If you have an afterschool program, email us to see if you are eligible for free meals for the kids you serve; email meals@flipany.org for more information.
|
|
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT:
AWA SUMMER CAMP
|
|
|
|
What does FLIPANY's AWA summer program stand for?
ARTS, WELLNESS, and ACADEMICS.
Awesome, right? This summer, FLIPANY is hosting a 9-week summer camp for 60 Florida City kids, Kindergarten through 5th Grade. In addition to fun and inspired activities exploring the arts, wellness education, and academic support, campers participate in Field Trip Fridays, weekly trips to the pool, gardening experiences, and soccer for success!
Thanks to funding from The Children's Trust and The Batchelor Foundation, this 9-week program is free to families other than a $55 registration fee. This will be a summer to remember for 60 fabulous Florida city youngsters. Thank you to The Children's Trust and The Batchelor Foundation.
|
|
CHEF HIGHLIGHT:
BRIAN NASAJON, CHEF & CO-OWNER OF BEAKER AND GRAY
|
|
|
|
We are delighted to share with you some highlights of our recent conversation with Chef Brian Nasajon, a Chefs Up Front FLIPANY partner since 2011.
FLIPANY: Tell us about your menu for FLIPANY’s Taste and Toast event (August 29).
Chef Brian: If I told you today what I am thinking about, you might not recognize it by the time the event is happening! I am always pushing new ways to create and present our dishes. There is a lot of experimentation that goes into a menu, and it gets perfected right up to the last minute. [Readers, check out the special Chinese Take Out Dinner menu to get an idea of where Chef Brian is going with food!]
FLIPANY: You have been a long-time FLIPANY partner. What motivates you to give your time to FLIPANY?
Chef Brian: It all comes down to health. I see what FLIPANY is doing to meet the nutritional needs of kids and I want to be a part of that. If you have your health, you have everything. If you don’t have your health, you suffer and bring your family members along with you. My grandfather had diabetes, and I remember the last years of his life were pretty terrible. He suffered so much, and it crushed our family in many ways. When my daughter was born, those memories came back to me and I swore I would do everything I could to support her health and the health of our family. We eat very simply at home—whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and simple proteins.
FLIPANY: Wow, that is a huge contrast between basic, simple foods at home and the rich culinary dishes you serve at Beaker and Gray! How do you navigate between these two worlds?
Chef Brian: I love the creation of dishes that are flavor adventures and celebrations for our customers who come for that elevated experience. But, as you know, being a chef requires long days of non-stop activity; so during the work day, I eat for fuel—a smoothie for breakfast, a plain chicken breast with greens and a grain for lunch/dinner. There is so much tasting I do throughout the day that I don’t need big flavor for my workday meals. But at home, it is a little different. My wife, Patricia, and I prepare a wide variety of foods within those same basic categories (complex carbs, protein, veg) and we pay more attention to delicious preparations. We shop online together and love to choose new fruits and vegetables to prepare.
FLIPANY: You mentioned your daughter and your strong commitment to protecting her health. How are you living that commitment?
Chef Brian: My wife and I agreed from the beginning that we would introduce her to the healthiest of baby foods, and we experimented endlessly with what was wholesome and what Dakota liked. This was during the pandemic, so I was home and we had time to explore every aspect of baby food preparation, tasting, and storage. We almost started a baby food company, but then the restaurant opened back up. As Dakota has grown, we have engaged her in food preparation, like pancakes, which really makes her want to eat what she helped make.
FLIPANY: Tell us about Dakota’s pancakes…
Chef Brian: Sure! We like to use buckwheat flour, but other flour is fine too. Start with about a cup of flour and mash half of a ripe banana into the flour. The ripe banana has a lot of natural sugar. We add one tablespoon of cocoa powder for more deliciousness, a tiny pinch of salt, one egg, about a half teaspoon of monk fruit powder, and enough plant milk (we like oat milk) to form a batter—about two tablespoons. We mix it all in one bowl. Dakota can do this mixing herself. We cook it in a Teflon-free pan (we like Hexclad), sometimes making fun shapes. The batter stores easily in single portion sizes in the freezer. (Try silicone cupcake forms.) From this basic recipe, we often make savory dinner pancakes with vegetables. She’s almost 4 and is a great pancake eater. I am looking forward to all the next stages of her food experience.
Food is what draws family together, and food is the foundation of health. This is the center of my universe.
FLIPANY: We couldn’t agree more. Thank you, and see you August 29th for Toast and Taste at Beaker and Gray!
|
|
SUMMER RECIPE:
STRAWBERRY POPSICLES
|
|
|
|
June marks the end of the first strawberry harvest, so put the last berries of the season to good use by making a freezer full of strawberry popsicles!
This recipe uses yogurt to add creaminess to your popsicle, but Chef Brian also recommends using ripe bananas to make a creamy base for frozen desserts. He also mentioned that adding ground nuts (especially cashews) to your fruit pops will add creaminess and flavor.
|
|
Chefs Up Front is an intimate, individualized gourmet dining experience featuring a locally celebrated chef who prepares an exclusive five-course dinner with wine pairings. All proceeds earned from this “over the top” sit-down dinner and auction generate the necessary funds for FLIPANY to continue providing health and wellness programs in South Florida.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: September 29, 2023 at the Hilton West Palm Beach Hotel
|
|
FOLLOW US ON YouTube @FLIPANY |
|
FLIPANY can be found on YouTube! Explore our channel to discover exciting events, engaging programs, and delicious recipes! |
|
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL @FLIPANY |
|
Know someone that would benefit from FLIPANY updates?
Forward this email and/or add recipients
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌