Little Kitchen Academy Partners With NBA Icon and Entrepreneur Russell Westbrook to Launch the Changing Lives From Scratch Fund to Benefit Over 10,000 Children and Teens Throughout North America

New charitable partnership will change thousands of lives by giving more kids and teens access to Little Kitchen Academy classes to learn practical life skills while building confidence, independence and food literacy

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 24, 2024 / Little Kitchen Academy (LKA), the leading Montessori-inspired cooking academy for kids ages 3 through 18, is excited to announce the creation of the Changing Lives from Scratch Fund in partnership with NBA Icon, entrepreneur and Little Kitchen Academy investor and advisory board member Russell Westbrook and the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation. This new collaboration will provide grants, scholarships and resources to kids and teens from underserved communities across the United States and Canada so they can experience the life-changing benefits of the Little Kitchen Academy curriculum.

The Changing Lives from Scratch Fund will expand access to LKA's 3-hour cooking classes where children and teens can select their own ingredients from a living food wall powered by Lettuce Grow and well-stocked pantry, create recipes from scratch, and enjoy a meal together around the community table made of 33,334 recycled chopsticks. Through this new charitable initiative, the goal is to give over 10,000 kids and teens the opportunity to experience Little Kitchen Academy in the next year.

Thanks to generous donors, up to $100,000 in initial contributions to the Changing Lives from Scratch Fund will be matched. For every $100 donated, a child or teen will be able to experience a three-hour cooking class at Little Kitchen Academy locations throughout North America. Little Kitchen Academy is partnering with vetted, local charitable organizations in all markets to ensure that children who might not otherwise have access to Little Kitchen Academy classes can experience the transformative benefits. Additionally, Little Kitchen Academy will offer one free class for every group of 10 students receiving classes through the fund.

"We are thrilled to establish the Changing Lives from Scratch Fund in partnership with Russell Westbrook and the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation. Together, our families are committed to truly changing lives from scratch, one student at a time. This powerful collaboration will bring more children and teens into Little Kitchen Academy schools throughout North America to learn life-changing skills while building confidence and independence thanks to the support of family foundations, government grants, corporate giving and committed donors. We are incredibly grateful to Russell and Nina Westbrook, the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation team, LKA Advisory Board Members including "Supermensch" Shep Gordon and Iron Chef Cat Cora and our other generous donors for partnering with us to change thousands of lives from scratch," said Brian Curin, CEO/CMO and Co-Founder of Little Kitchen Academy.

"Nina and I take our kids to Little Kitchen Academy, and we have seen the incredible impact these classes have on children and teens. I am committed to providing access to LKA classes to kids who may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate," said Westbrook. "I'm excited to partner with their team to launch the Changing Lives from Scratch Fund because every child deserves the opportunity to develop practical life skills and learn healthy eating habits. Our goal is to go beyond the traditional classroom and empower children with the essential skills to create their own meals, increase their confidence, and inspire a lifelong love of healthy cooking, setting kids up for success in the kitchen and beyond."

Those interested in contributing to the Changing Lives from Scratch Fund can do so at the links below:

Donate Now! - USA

Donate Now! - CANADA

Charitable organizations in local markets who are interested in collaborating with the Changing Lives from Scratch Fund can contact funding@littlekitchenacademy.com for more information on how to bring LKA to more families in their community.

About Little Kitchen Academy

Little Kitchen Academy is the leading Montessori-inspired cooking academy for kids ages 3-18 providing a safe and empowering environment to learn practical life skills, confidence, independence, and healthy eating habits to last a lifetime. The concept was created with the vision of becoming the global leader in teaching practical life skills and food literacy to children in order to promote a more educated, independent and healthier society. True to its mission, LKA is empowering children to make independent choices, enabling them to change their lives, and those around them. Part of that mission includes empowering students to learn how they can make the world a better place through How Can I Help by Little Kitchen Academy, LKA's signature philanthropic program, supporting Crisis Text Line, Changing Lives From Scratch Fund, Kids Help Phone, and One Tree Planted. In addition to charitable partnerships, LKA has forged strategic global brand partnerships with BIRKENSTOCK, ChefWorks, ChopValue, Emeco, Iron Chef Cat Cora, Küssi, Lettuce Grow, PRISE Inc., Russell Westbrook and The Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation, and Welcome Industries. Little Kitchen Academy's flagship venues are in Los Angeles, Vancouver, B.C., Denver, and Toronto.

For a taste of Little Kitchen Academy, visit littlekitchenacademy.com or join its communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation

Founded in 2012, the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation aims to create pathways of empowerment for the underserved population. The foundation is committed to the perseverance of underserved communities by implementing structured educational opportunities, workforce development and accessible mental health resources. With "Why Not?" being a personal ignition for Russell Westbrook, the foundation looks to instill this mindset in the youth while offering resources to set children and their communities up for continued success. For more information, please visit: https://whynotfoundation.org/

CONTACT:
Caitlin Giles
pr@littlekitchenacademy.com

SOURCE: Little Kitchen Academy