Empowering people to transform their health!

Mission:Wellness Foundation teaches nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits to kids and adults and works with educators to create healthy schools where kids thrive.

Wellness Foundation’s Advisory Council is made up of the biggest names in evidence-based nutrition—including Neil Barnard, M.D; T. Colin Campbell, PhD; Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr, MD—and its three highly acclaimed programs address all chronic disease risk factors outlined by the Lancet Medical Journal.

A trusted leader in the community with endorsements from parents, teachers, businesses and healthcare professionals, Wellness Foundation is implementing a plan that will deepen its local community wellness effort and distribute its lifechanging lessons to individuals across the nation.

Doug Mercer established Wellness Foundation after being inspired by students at East Hampton Middle School who were boycotting unhealthy school lunches. His vision for the Foundation was to introduce key lifestyle changes—particularly healthy eating—to thousands of school children and their families, and ultimately, become a model of community wellness for other cities.

For over a decade, Wellness Foundation has been leading a grassroots revolution on the East End of Long Island inspiring over 25,000 children and adults to transform their health and wellbeing through its WKids School Wellness, Wellness Challenge and Wellness Zone programs.

“In May of 2014, Michele Sacconaghi succeeded me as President & CEO of Wellness Foundation. Our Board evaluates her performance in one word—exemplary. Michele has both a passion for wellness and the characteristics of a great leader. We couldn’t be more confident in Michele’s ability to transform our vision into reality!”

– Douglas D. Mercer, Board Chair & Founder of Wellness Foundation

Executive Summary

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1 in 2 East End public school students who receive our programs are considered to be at or below the state poverty level and qualify for free and reduced lunch. These students come from families whose attention is necessarily focused on meeting basicneeds, and they do not always have the time or budget to apply to making healthy meals. Wellness Foundation Chef Christina Cassel teaches healthy, budget-friendly cooking to kids and their families at the WKids in the Kitchen program.

And because America’s healthcare system is focused on addressing symptoms rather than the root cause of disease, the vast majority of Americans remain unaware that chronic disease is preventable and reversible through diet and lifestyle changes.

The solution to the crisis is simple but transformative. Wellness Foundation empowers children and adults to be proactive about their health so that the physical and emotional pain from chronic disease may be prevented or reversed altogether.

In the last century, a rise in the consumption of unhealthy food and drink has triggered a chronic disease crisis: today, chronic disease—such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and obesity—are among the most common health problems. And while the human cost is enormous, the economic burden is also dramatic.

Today, 90% of the nation’s $3.3 trillion in annual health care expenditures are for people with chronic disease. Annual reduced economic productivity from missed workdays, lower productivity on the job and premature death is estimated to be as much as two to five times that number.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”-- Hippocrates, Father of Western Medicine (466 BC – 370 BC)

The solution to America’s growing chronic disease crisis lies in diet and lifestyle changes.

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1 in 2 American adults suffer from at least one chronic

disease (163 million people)

1 in 3 American children are overweight or obese(1 in 2 Hispanic children)

of the nation’s $3.3 trillion in annual health care expenditures are for

people with chronic disease

90%

Highly Acclaimed Programs

Building healthy lifestyle habits during youth: Our six- to ten-week programs provide groundbreaking nutrition

and wellness education to children and their families through interactive lessons, cooking demonstrations,

physical activity and mindfulness activities. Lessons are presented by a certified WKids Educator and occur in the

classroom, in the kitchen and on the farm. Our School Wellness Zone Campaigns and School Wellness

Conferences empower school educators to build a culture of wellness and create lasting school-wide change.

Diet and lifestyle changes in adults: During our seven-week Wellness Challenge 360, adult participants gain

the experience and support to follow a plant-based—primarily consisting of fruits, vegetables and whole grains—

and healthy lifestyle. Lessons and interactive demonstrations are taught by a certified Wellness Challenge

Facilitator, and bloodwork is taken pre- and post-challenge to measure results.

Community-based prevention and reversal: Wellness Foundation partners with schools, healthcare practices,

businesses, farms, restaurants, exercise studios and other community organizations to offer lifestyle programs,

academic panel discussions and healthier food and drink options to the broader community.

Wellness Foundation teaches plant-based nutrition and healthy habits to children and adults.

From Southampton to Montauk, Wellness Foundation’s highly acclaimed WKids School Wellness, Wellness Challenge and Wellness Zone programs have proven effective in preventing and reversing chronic disease in children and adults (see results below).

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Plant-based nutrition as a primary intervention for chronic disease is now recognized by local healthcare practices, including the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation and Stony Brook Hampton Hospital, and the Wellness Challenge is recommended by family doctors to their patients.

THE LANCET MEDICAL JOURNAL Five Chronic Disease Risk Factors

WELLNESS CHALLENGE Adult Results in 7 Weeks

High BMI 10 lbs. average weight loss, 2 inches average decrease in waist size, 35 pts. average cholesterol reduction

High blood pressure Reduced medications for high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes

Physical inactivity Increased energy levels, reduced chronic pain and experience to follow an exercise program

Diets low in fruits and vegetables and high in sodium and saturated fats Experience and support to follow a plant-based diet

Tobacco and alcohol use Reduced stress and improved positive attitude about life

“Wellness Foundation’s commitment to preventing and reversing disease, primarily through plant-based nutrition, has made a tremendous difference in the health of our community.”-- Bob Chaloner, Chief Administration Officer Stony Brook Southampton Hospital

students and families from 11 schools in 8

districts have participated in our WKids School Wellness Programs.

are armed with cutting edge health information and are fitter, stronger and less prone to chronic disease.

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One healthy individual can spark a chain reaction, which inspires entire families, friends and communities to take charge of their health.

“By changing my diet to a 95% plant-based diet with occasional meat for 11 months, I have completely turned my health around and am on my way to a much healthier and happier life!”

-- Robert Colavito, Wellness Challenge Participant

“I do not want to have heart disease or type 2 diabetes when I grow up, so I pledge to lead a healthier life. This program has changed my life.”

-- Student at East Hampton Middle School

1,800+Wellness Challenge Participants

15,000+

in family consumption of whole foods after

participating in the program

78% Increase

Countless community residents are more informed and are expressing their desire for healthy food and drink through their purchases.100+ Wellness Zone partners—including schools, healthcare practices, restaurants and other businesses—are responding with healthier offerings.

Wellness Foundation is a proud forerunner in the national grassroots revolution to healthy eating.

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“Dinner times are now full of conversation about whole foods and my daughter loves telling her brother about them.”

-- Parent at John M. Marshall Elementary School in East Hampton

“Wellness Foundation is an incredible organization! Every community in America could benefit from their programs.”

-- T Colin Campbell, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus Of Cornell University, Author of “The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, And Long-term Health”

Help us continue to change lives in our community!

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Wellness Foundation’s three year plan calls for hiring additional staff to meet programming demand on the East End and implement strategies for expansion. Success in doing so will allow Wellness Foundation to:

EMPOWER 2X AS MANY CHILDREN AND ADULTS: Deliver our children and adult programs more frequently and to a larger audience on the East End. Implement a high school program to ensure healthy habits are made for life.

TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY: Broaden the reach of the School Wellness Conference and expand community partnerships so that making healthy choices is easier and more accessible to all.

BUILD AWARENESS: Enable individuals across America to become certified in teaching the WKids School Wellness Programs and Wellness Challenge 360 through online training webinars. Host the Wellness Challenge online so teenagers and adults across the country can benefit.

PHILANTHROPY REQUIRED

Wellness Foundation is seeking to raise $3.9 million over three years to make all of this possible. Like-minded partners are rallying to support children and adults in leading happier, healthier lives; In the first 18 months, Wellness Foundation raised $2.5 million leaving $1.4 million to be raised by June 2020.

• Two years: Expand our Founder’s Circle with gifts of $25,000 and greater per annum with an emphasis on three year commitments.

• Future years: Reduce reliance on philanthropy with income or donations from beneficiaries of our work, including government, companies and individuals.

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE MEMBERS

Jon BrooksJoe M. CrossDaniel and Daun Dees Peter DubensJames MarverDouglas and Patricia MercerGeorge L. Ohrstrom, Jr. FoundationJoseph and Amy PerellaAntonio and Michele SacconaghiJeffrey SofferWINPLUS NORTH AMERICA

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Stuart D. BakerJoe M. Cross, Vice Board Chair Douglas D. Mercer, Board Chair & FounderRobert J. MurphyMichele C. Sacconaghi, President & CEO

“I couldn’t be more proud to be part of the Advisory Council of Wellness Foundation. They’re doing benchmark and laudatory work and are a leader in the seismic healthcare revolution in this country.”-- Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D., Former surgeon, author of “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease”

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ADVISORY COUNCIL

Neal Barnard, MDT. Colin Campbell, PhDAntonia Demas, PhDCaldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. MDRip EsselstynJoel Fuhrman, MDRobyn O’BrienPam Popper, PhD, ND

WELLNESS FOUNDATION STAFF

Molly Bishop, Development DirectorSamantha Christie, WKids Educator and WC360 CoordinatorKristen Dehler, WKids Educator Tina Guglielmo, Office AssistantBarbara Kinnier, Community Outreach DirectorBrianna Kinnier, Administrative Assistant Zoë Klein, Associate Director for Education & ProgramsPeggy Kraus, Wellness Challenge Facilitator Ashley Martin, Associate Development DirectorDouglas D. Mercer, Board Chair & FounderCasey McGowin, Nurse Practitioner & WC FacilitatorMichele C. Sacconaghi, President & CEOJennifer L. Taylor, VP & ED for Education & Programs

34 BAY STREET SAG HARBOR NY I 631.329.2590 I WFEH.ORGWellness Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity.

What would the elimination of chronic disease mean to you and your loved ones?