Gracie Cavnar
Writer, Philanthropist, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Recipe for Success
Gracie Cavnar believes that you can do anything you put your mind to, and she's spent a lifetime proving it.
In 1998, following careers in architecture, hospitality and public relations, Gracie retired to write feature stories for local, regional and national publications. But, after she learned about the childhood obesity epidemic and its astounding effect on American lives and wallets, she spent years researching best practices around the world and then launched Recipe for Success Foundation in 2005 to change the way children understand, appreciate and eat their food.
She has received numerous high profile awards for her work. Celebrating its 10th anniversary year and 30,000+ children taught, Recipe for Success Foundation is the largest initiative of its kind in the country and has attracted attention from many activists, the White House and national press. Its signature Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program, is now available in schools nationwide. Her annual public service campaigns: the VegOut! Challenge and farmers marKIDS days designed to raise awareness, normalize the concept of healthy eating and drive behavioral change are catching fire throughout the country and her vision for Hope Farms and the Rolling Green Market, an urban agricultural project designed to provide affordable produce in food deserts and train a new generation of farmers, is taking root in Sunnyside in south Houston. Gracie's first children's cookbook combined with an adventure story, Eat It! Food Adventures with Marco Polo was published in 2012 and has snared a dozen national awards. She has another installment of that series in the works along with a commemorative book celebrating her foundation's 10th year: We're Cooking Now!
As former Houston Mayor Bill White says, "Gracie Cavnar can get things done."
Gracie married Bob Cavnar in 1996 and they have three children: Justin Hamilton (m. to Lucia Tschen), Robert, Jr. (m. to Kristin Zumo) and Gina (m. to Philip Seibert), and four grandchildren who are all very healthy eaters: Joey Seibert, Vivienne Grace & Lyla Jane Hamilton and Chloe Marie Cavnar; plus three very spoiled canines.
