SNACC Receives $80,000 Ford Foundation Good Neighbor Committee Grant to Advance Food Education and Youth Development Across New York City

Support will help SNACC continue using food as both nourishment and a powerful tool for building skills, confidence, independence, and connection among New York City youth

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SNACC, a New York City nonprofit that uses hands-on food education to build health, life skills, and opportunity for young people, has received an $80,000 Good Neighbor Committee Grant from the Ford Foundation. The funding will help SNACC expand a growing model that reaches youth across multiple environments- during the school day, after school, at home with their families, and through leadership and workforce-readiness experiences. As schools and families face intersecting challenges around food access, youth engagement, and access to high-quality enrichment, SNACC uses food as an entry point to address all three.

SNACC delivers experiential programming in schools and family settings, bringing together food education, cooking, youth development, and meaningful opportunities for connection. Rather than simply learning about nutrition or preparing a recipe, students use food as a hands-on vehicle for learning and growth. They practice problem-solving, teamwork, decision-making, communication, perseverance, and other skills that help them become more confident and capable in the kitchen, classroom, home, and beyond.

"Food is one of the most basic needs we all share, but it is also one of the most powerful ways we connect," said Danielle Cohen, Founder and Executive Director of SNACC. "We gather around food. We talk, laugh, share stories, and build relationships over it. For young people, creating something with their own hands and seeing someone else enjoy what they made builds pride and a sense of capability. SNACC uses those moments to do something bigger: meet immediate food needs, build practical life skills, and give young people experiences that show them they can take on challenges and succeed. We are incredibly grateful to the Ford Foundation's Good Neighbor Committee for investing in this work and helping us reach more young people."

During the 2025–2026 program year, SNACC reached nearly 2,000 young people and family members through 17 partner organizations, including Bronx Lacrosse, PS/MS 108 School of the Authors, and K664 Brooklyn Environmental Exploration School, and prepared and shared more than 14,000 meals through hands-on food education and youth development programming.

SNACC's continued growth reflects a simple but powerful idea: when young people are given the opportunity to cook, create, lead, and contribute, food can become a starting point for something much bigger. The organization also expanded its school partnerships and developed new opportunities for older students through leadership, career exploration, and workforce-readiness programming, which included bringing high school students to McKinsey & Company for a career exposure and professional-development experience. The $80,000 Good Neighbor Committee Grant will help SNACC continue strengthening and expanding this work during the 2026–2027 school year and beyond, including its in-school food education, after-school programming, family-based initiatives, and youth leadership opportunities.

About SNACC
SNACC (Sustainable Nutrition and Community Connection) is a New York City-based nonprofit that empowers young people and families through food education, hands-on cooking, youth development, and community connection. Working in partnership with schools and community organizations, SNACC uses food to meet immediate needs while creating opportunities for young people to build practical life skills, confidence, independence, healthy habits, and meaningful relationships that support their long-term well-being. SNACC currently works with youth and families across Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.
For more information, visit snaccprogram.org.

Media Contact:
Danielle Cohen
Founder & Executive Director
610-585-5138
[email protected]
www.snaccprogram.org 

SOURCE SNACC