Research shows that when families eat together there is a reduced risk of children smoking, drinking or doing drugs. Many economic and social factors weaken family bonds and compromise children's healthy emotional and physical development.

"Boys & Girls Clubs of America realizes that the family is the foundation on which children build healthy relationships," says Jose Cruz, director, Family Support, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "We created the Family PLUS program to provide parents and caregivers with the resources they need."

Family PLUS stands for Parents Leading, Uniting, Serving. The program helps Boys & Girls Clubs around the country to implement family support activities into their Club's programming.

At the Cook-Off event, five teams of participants engaged in an exciting cook-off. Teams included family members and a media representative. Each team was assigned to a cooking station -- stocked with the same ingredients. The object was for each team to use these ingredients to make the most mouthwatering dish.

The teams had one hour to prepare and cook their dish. A panel of judges sampled each team's dish, with judging based on the presentation, taste and originality of their dish. The team with the most points was the winner.

The event was hosted by Chef Marvin Woods, the creator of Droppin' Knowledge with Chef Marvin Woods, a new Kids & Wellness program (www.marvinwoods.net).

About Family PLUS
Family PLUS (Parents Leading, Uniting, Serving), is a model for Boys & Girls Clubs wanting to implement family support activities into their Club's programming. This model introduces Clubs to factors affecting the family unit and methods of collaborating with community organizations to provide parents and caregivers with resources. The initiative is sponsored by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation with a 5-year, $7 million grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. To learn more about Family PLUS, visit http://familyplus.bgca.org.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has been changing and saving young lives, providing hope and opportunity for kids who need them most. Today, some 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.8 million young people through Club membership and community outreach.

Known as The Positive Place for Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found all across the country and on U.S. military bases throughout the world. Clubs provide young people 6-18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. In communities large and small, Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration; community service; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their life. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.

Contact: Mitch Leff, (404) 861-4769, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it