Saturday, January 10th 2009

Healthy Meal Cook-a-Thon with Heather Mills, The Bronx, New York

Heather Mills hosted a healthy cooking day for the families of the Bronx, continuing commitment of her $1 million donation in vegan food to the Hunts Point Alliance for Children (HPAC)

A great day was had by all that attended The “Healthy Meal Cook-A-Thon” in the Bronx on Saturday. Heather, along with Alexis 12, Britney 14 & Kianne 10 donned their chef’s hats and cooked up a meatless meat feast. The healthy nutritious food went down a storm with kids and parents alike, all commenting on how good everything tasted.  The Hunts point area has New York City’s worst rates of obesity, diabetes and asthma. Heather along with HPAC hopes this drive to eating healthily can begin to make a real difference to the community.  Things are looking good if appetites on the day are taken as an indication of the future success of this project that is for certain.  Eating healthy has never tasted so good.

Busy Heather was teaching the children and the families of John V. Lindsay Charter School how to prepare healthy vegan meals, which will now be served at the “No Beef Teen Cafes” to be run by the Hunts point alliance for Children (HPAC) and other community organisations.

This event followed the appointment of Heather last summer as Honorary Chairwoman of the Hunts Point Alliance for Children (click here for further information).  Congressman Jose Serrano then awarded Heather a Congressional Certificate of Merit for her work with the children of Hunts Point, which is the food distribution centre of the Northeast.

Heather knows what it’s like to go without, having had a difficult upbringing herself and is relishing the opportunity of putting her knowledge of the wonders of a plant based food diet to good use in such a practical ground level way where it is needed most.  After the success of Saturday’s event the potential to improve the well being of this community was clear, with good education and ongoing support as the key to instigating lasting change and inspirational results.

Adds Maryann Hedaa, managing director of the Hunts Point Alliance for Children: “Heather has been a galvanizing force of the neighbourhood. Her generous donation of food and time has brought people together in unheard of ways. The minute this cooking event was announced it was filled to capacity, all the families in the neighbourhood wanted to come.”

“As a mother I see firsthand the benefits of healthy eating and I’m thrilled the families of Hunts Point are embracing these delicious vegan foods that I’ve loved for so many years” said Heather. “Working with these children here is truly rewarding and a lot of fun.”

"She wants to help us" said Tiana. Tammy Tadua 37, was thrilled that someone was introducing healthy food options into the area, among the poorest congressional districts in the country. "We need more people like Heather around here" said Tammy.

Heather was over joyed at the success of the day. She said “I am always made so welcome and get to meet some truly great people.  Such a warm friendly community spirit, I love the Bronx, I love New York”.

Heather's recipes of the day are available by clicking here.

To follow the latest news on Heather & the Hunts Point Alliance, click here.

Heather Mills has joined the Board of Directors of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food. To read more about The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food (NYCHSF) click here. Please join us in supporting their important work.

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