Chompie’s and Playworks team up to stop bullying on Phoenix area playgrounds

Donations from the new Chompie’s kids menu sales provide funding to run this much-needed program for cash strapped schools.

According to elementary school age kids, bullying occurs most often during recess. Teachers and principals explain that the transition from recess to classroom teaching time is often the most difficult and wasted time portion of each day. That’s why Chompie’s, Arizona’s New York Deli, through its “Chompie’s Cares” program, has teamed up with the nonprofit Playworks Arizona to put an end to bullying and increase teaching time in area schools.

Chompie’s and Playworks collaborated to make a new kids menu for Chompie’s that helps teach kids how to solve conflicts and promote inclusion within schools and on the recess yard. Chompie’s is making a donation to Playworks for every kids meal purchased from the new kids menu to help schools run much-needed programs that teach kids to be inclusive and boost self-confidence.

The new interactive and educational kids menu at Chompie’s offers 19 different breakfast, lunch and dinner kids meals and introduces a new gluten-free friendly section with menu items such as waffles, macaroni and cheese and flatbread cheese pizza. The regular kids meals include all-time favorites like chicken fingers, French toast and cheeseburgers, plus a selection of sliders. The new menu also includes fun interactive learning games that teach sharing, inclusion and conflict resolution.

“This partnership with Chompie’s is the first of its kind in the nation for our organization,” said Chuck Warshaver, Executive Director of Playworks Arizona. “Chompie’s not only is making a donation for each kids meal purchased, but they allowed us to help design the menus to include games and activities focused on our core values of inclusion. We couldn’t ask for a more effective partnership to talk to kids and parents to help reduce bullying, increase teaching time and increase physical activity in our schools.”

“We visited some of the schools using the Playworks program and were overwhelmed by the response from principals, teachers and students as to how successful the program is at reducing bullying and increasing teaching time for teachers thanks to fewer students being sent to the office for bad behavior and how the transition from recess to class time dramatically improved,” said Neal Borenstein, owner of Chompie’s. “We sought to create a new kids menu that encompassed the core values that Playworks teaches on the recess yard, and based on early responses from our guests we know we succeeded.” To view the menu and activities online visit: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chompies/FullKidsMenu.pdf

For more information about Chompie’s Cares and Playworks go to http://chompies.com/ccares.php