The Andrew James Cherpak III Wellness Sponsorship
The Andrew James Cherpak III Wellness Sponsorship is designed to educate families in need how to eat healthy on a budget. Each year we select a family who is struggling financially to receive the guidance of a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified International Health Coach, and Yoga Instructor. The sponsored family is educated on how to eat locally and seasonally to maximize their dollars spent on healthy food, and provided with meal planning support to create flavorful meals that nourish the human spirit and body. To complement nutritional support, the family is introduced to the mind-body practice of yoga to bring balance to their life, thereby nourishing family members on multiple levels. Andrew was always concerned that everyone be welcome to a table of plentiful, healthy food and was an advocate of the mind-body connection to lead to capable beings. As a little boy, he willingly parted with and gave his lollipop to a homeless man on the Street of NYC so that he could have something to eat. This was a profound moment of human connection, and the homeless man commented how he had never been given such a meaningful gift. In a moment of childlike purity, Andrew demonstrated how the impact of giving is not based on monetary volume, but on authentic love for one another or what Mother Teresa proclaimed, "[l]ittle things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing." Knowing that a nourished body is the foundation for productivity, this sponsorship will help families in need share in the benefits of healthy living so that they, too, can share in the ripple effect of making our world a happier and healthier place to live.