Building Healthy Habits with our Nutrition Team
Nutritious foods and healthy habits are essential to good health, and our Nutrition Services team is committed to providing the support, guidance, and access for our community to live their healthiest lives.
Participants in our Developmental Disabilities programs learn vital cooking skills
While the team initially was developed to guide nutrition planning in our Developmental Disabilities residences and day programs, it recently expanded to serve the young people in our Foster Care and Mother Child programs.
Healthy eating and dietary management can be hindered by existing barriers to independence, so our dietitians do essential work to prepare the people we work with to manage their health independently.
Foods are often themed for added fun – such as these Halloween mini-pizzas for the children and adolescents in our Mother Child program!
“We started as a team of one over a decade ago – we’re now a team of five people. With that expanded team we can provide so many other supportive services other than just clinical nutrition and counseling,” shared Madeline Rizzuti, a director in the program. “It’s really a wonderful opportunity to meet somebody where they’re at and address multiple needs at once.”
“I know how to reach people with nutrition,” said Carlye Husserl, Assistance Vice President of Clinical Nutrition and Wellness. “I have a big passion for it – all the people I work with have a big passion for it.”
Our licensed dietitians provide dietary guidance, share recipes, and host hands-on cooking sessions to introduce our participants to new nutrition ideas. The children and adults in our programs enjoy these demonstrations, which cover an array of topics – teaching healthier ways to prepare favorite snacks and sweets, batch cooking for efficient meal prep, simple and quick cooking techniques, and more.
Members of our Nutrition Team provide healthy eating demonstrations throughout our community
It’s because of supporters like you that we can provide and expand health and wellness across New York City. Nutrition is a key aspect of long-term stability – and you can help us continue building this foundation for the young people in our community.