From the beginning SFC’s The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre® (THK) Six-week Cooking Class Program included innovative features that make the program successful and different from traditional cooking classes:

· THK uses the Social Cognitive Theory Concept of Behavioral Capability to improve knowledge and skills by pairing practical nutrition with hands-on cooking.

· Participants in the six-week series go home with the bag of groceries and the THK cookbook to try the recipe at home and report back on their successes or challenges.

· The Public Health Promotora model is utilized by THK since classes are led by Facilitators who are from the community where they serve. SFC staff train facilitators and provide ongoing feedback, support, and education.

· The series of six-weeks as has been determined effective in public health interventions as an appropriate amount of time for people to begin and document behavior changes.

· THK makes links to SFC’s other proven food-systems resources and classes such as our gardening program, farmers’ markets and food access initiatives. Childcare is provided for parents attending the classes.

· Classes are offered in English and Spanish.

In addition we have been featured in books, national publications and presentations such as:

· Food Rebels, Guerilla Gardeners and Smart Cookin Mamas: http://www.markwinne.com/books-by-mark-winne/

· Food Justice: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/food-justice

· No Más Hambre: “Grow Share Prepare.” http://bit.ly/1U5k1RU

· 2012 Annual American Public Health Association Conference presentation: A Peer-Facilitated Healthy Cooking Class as Part of a Food Systems Approach to Increase Healthy Food Access http://bit.ly/1T2ATav

WhyHunger’s Nation Capacity Building Guide:, Cooking Up Community: Nutrition Education in Emergency Food Programs http://bit.ly/1GKP76Z