Kids In Nutrition (KIN)

Mission: Kids In Nutrition (KIN) is dedicated to enhancing food equity, promoting sustainable systems, and improving health for at-risk youth and families through food literacy and food access. Recognizing that children form lifelong habits by age nine, KIN's mission is to cultivate nutrition knowledge and foster positive food preferences during their formative years. Our primary focus is on marginalized communities, where educational and health disparities in low-income areas contribute to a disproportionate risk of chronic diseases. Early food literacy plays a pivotal role in instilling healthy and sustainable dietary habits that carry into adulthood, establishing a foundation for preventing chronic disease, advancing health equity, and preserving the environment. Initiative: Founded in 2014 by UC Santa Barbara students Michelle Nicolet and Angela Shields, KIN was created to address the absence of childhood nutrition education in schools. Today, KIN operates as a cost-effective, scalable, and student-led model that mobilizes university students to inspire healthy and sustainable eating habits in youth, both inside and outside the classroom. Our three-pillar approach—education, food access, and family engagement—works holistically to provide children and their families with the resources and knowledge needed to make informed dietary choices. By leveraging existing resources and driving grassroots change, KIN empowers individuals to create lasting impacts on themselves, their peers, their communities, and future generations. Chapters: KIN operates chapters at: UC Santa Barbara (CA) UC Los Angeles (CA) UC Davis (CA) UC Berkeley (CA) Indiana University, Bloomington (IN) Butler University (IN) Tufts University (MA) Northeastern University (MA) UNC Chapel Hill (NC) About Us: Kids In Nutrition is an official program of Sustainability and Community Health Initiative (SACHI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations to support our mission are tax-deductible.