Where young people learn the joys of healthful seasonal eating.
We offer garden-to-table nutrition education year-round in our downtown Manhattan (SoHo) Children’s Learning Kitchen and in classrooms all over New York City. From May through October, we host school and camp groups at beautiful Katchkie Farm, in Kinderhook, NY.

Our Mission
The Sylvia Center is a 501 (c) (3) dedicated to introducing children to the life-giving pleasures of fresh food from the farm. We inspire young people—predominantly in underserved communities—to discover good nutrition through joyful, delicious experiences with healthful, seasonal fruits and vegetables, in the garden and in the kitchen.

Nutrition education has always been important, but today the need is paramount. America’s young people face a health crisis. Juvenile obesity is epidemic, bringing with it a surge in disorders once considered rare in children, including Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and atherosclerosis. Obesity in youngsters is known to catalyze asthma, sleep apnea, early menarche, and depression. Critically overweight children, because they tend to stay overweight as they grow up, face a shorter-than-average lifespan marred by chronic illness.

• What we believe, and what we propose, is refreshingly simple.
  * The best way to help children eat right is to tap into their natural curiosity about gardening and cooking.
  
  * Discovering fresh flavor from the farm is the first step in establishing good eating habits.

Our most fundamental goal is to put young people in touch with the ultimate source of life and wellness—sun, soil, and seeds.

NEW YORK CITY
Sylvia Center SoHo
The Children’s Learning Kitchen is a bright, farm-themed classroom designed with kids’ safety and learning needs in mind.
information about SoHo programs

Sylvia Center in the Classroom
With our plug-in cooktops and ovens, any classroom, common room, or cafeteria can be a Sylvia Center learning space.
information about Sylvia Center in the Classroom

KINDERHOOK, NY
Sylvia Center at Katchkie Farm
With 10 acres of organic vegetable beds, five acres of rolling lawn, and 15 acres of hiking trails, Katchkie is a spectacular place to pass a day of learning, exploration, and play.
information about Katchkie Farm programs
Katchkie Farm website

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