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Families loosen up in the kitchen and get tight around the dinner table Since 2005, Kimberly-Clark has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to provide support to children and families through the Family PLUS (Parents Leading, Uniting, Serving) initiative. Through Family PLUS, Boys & Girls Clubs are empowering families to participate fully in their children’s lives. Across the country, some 1,300 Boys & Girls Clubs are seeing the benefits of Family PLUS since they have starting incorporating its elements into their core programming.  The Smith Family – Winners of the National Family PLUS Cook-off. To inspire families to spend time together in the kitchen and around the dinner table, the initiative published a cookbook of recipes from Family PLUS participants in Clubs around the U.S. Not only did the cookbook inspire family dinners and meal preparation, it spurred on two years of Boys & Girls Clubs of America/Kimberly-Clark Family PLUS National Cook-off competitions. “The family dinner is the building block of a solid family structure, and has been linked to good grades and less substance abuse among young people,” said Jose Cruz, Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s director, Family Strengthening. “The Family PLUS Program and Family PLUS Cook-offs allow Boys & Girls Clubs to reach beyond the walls to strengthen families to ensure that success is within the reach of our young people.”  From left, Madison family, Rodriguez family, Alvarado family and Smith family members pause for a picture in front of their culinary masterpiece. The second annual National Cook-off, held in November in Dallas, Texas, saw four Club families from Kimberly-Clark hometowns across the U.S. battle it out Iron Chef-style. In the end, the Smith family of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee in Nashville was declared the winner. Their delicious chicken and pasta dish wowed the judges. As prizes, they received a Nintendo Wii, a trip to Disney World and a year’s supply of Scott® paper towels and Kleenex ® dinner napkins for use in their kitchen.  Jenny Lewis and Tom Falk of Kimberly-Clark Corporation with kids from East Dallas Boys & Girls Club. “Families have a major influence on the success of America’s young people," said Tom Falk, Chairman and CEO of Kimberly-Clark Corporation and a member of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national Board of Governors. "Events such as our Family PLUS Cook-off serve as a great way to enable them to spend meaningful time together.” For the competition, each family was teamed with a local community leader and assigned to a cooking station. They were challenged to use the given ingredients to make the best dishes in just one hour. The dishes were judged for their presentation, taste and originality. Judges included Jenny Lewis, vice president of the Kimberly-Clark Foundation; Sharon Van Meter, executive chef for Milestone Culinary Arts Center and The Viking Cooking School; and Scott Murray, president of Murray Media in Dallas. Other cook-off participants who qualified at regional events to reach the national finals represented Boys & Girls Clubs from Virginia Beach, Virginia; Mobile, Alabama; and Bentonville, Arkansas.  From left, ESPN’s Shawn Dodge and Timothy and Ashley Rodriguez work the secret ingredient. Family PLUS activities such as the cook-offs are offered all year long at Boys & Girls Clubs across the U.S., enabling communities to become stronger, one family at a time. |
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