Wellness Policy

Wellness Policy

Wellness Committee and Leader:

The Helping Hands Committee meets annually to establish wellness goals, oversee children's health and safety policies, and revise the program by implementing and developing the policy’s yearly updates. 

Committee members include Nathan Stephens (Kitchen Manager/Cook), Janet Stephens (Director of Development), the directorial board, and one of the boys. Nathan Stephens is the designated officer to ensure compliance with the wellness policy.  Our Committee is Nathan Stephens, Kitchen Manager/Cook, Janet Stephens, Director of Development and Daily Operations, the current governing Board of Directors of Helping Hands, and a child that currently resides at Helping Hands of Clemson, Inc. 

Contact 864-646-2941 (office phone) or email us at helpinghandskids@helpinghandsofclemson.org.

• Helping Hands will include an updated (yearly) version of the Wellness Policy on the organization’s website, allowing for public review. 

Record Keeping:

Helping Hands will retain records of the written wellness policy, and the policy will be made available to the public on our website. We will document, review and update the policy annually.

Helping Hands will keep monthly menus on file for 5 years. Helping Hands will continue to have 4 weeks of menus analyzed annually by a Licensed Dietician per our DSS contract.

Food and Beverage Availability:

Helping Hands is committed to serving healthy meals to children placed in our care with plenty of proteins, fruits, vegetables, water, and 1% milk. The Helping Hands meal program aims to help encourage the children placed in our care to try new & different foods and also to encourage the children in our care to eat more heathly options. Helping Hands staff will support healthy choices while accommodating cultural food preferences and special dietary needs.                                                        

Helping Hands of Clemson, Inc. menus are created by Kitchen Manager, Nathan Stephens with input from the children that currently reside at Helping Hands. Menus are accessible to all children placed in our care, will be appealing and attractive to children placed in our care, and will be served in a clean and pleasant family style or buffet setting.

Helping Hands will not use foods or beverages as rewards for academic performance or good behavior. We will not withhold food or beverages as punishment. Snack bar will be stocked with various choices. Alternative options will be posted and available at all times. Meal times will be posted but food will always be readily available for any child in our care that requests anything.

Water is served to promote hydration. Free, safe, unflavored drinking water will be available to all children throughout the day, and during every meal.                                  

Goals for Nutrition Education:

Helping Hands will teach, encourage, and support healthy eating by all children. We promote wellness education through various channels. We will continue to do a hands-on cooking and shopping day for the ones 14 years and over. The child will choose a menu for supper and snacks, make a grocery list of everything they need to purchase, go shop, learn to read labels focusing on calories, fat, sodium, and carbohydrates, then return to Helping Hands as we support them as they prepare the meal.

Physical Education:

The children at Helping Hands go to middle and high schools, and they have Physical Education in school. We do encourage after-school activities outside, ex: basketball, kickball, and skateboarding. With our new indoor activity center we offer more activities, volleyball, football, basketball, air hockey, and a pool table. We have added numerous new exercise equipment. We also offer hiking, swimming, indoor rock climbing as activities when out of school.