Learn more about the
Too Good programs.
About Us
Doing good work for the health and well being of our children is nothing new for the Mendez Foundation. Our commitment to prevention education began in the late nineteen seventies when we recognized the need for drug prevention education to address the growing and debilitating drug abuse epidemic facing our country's youth.
We responded with the development and implementation of innovative sixth grade drug prevention programming for the classroom designed to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors related to the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD). Through a partnership with the Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, Florida we took our new programming to school and have been delivering the 6th, 7th, 8th and High School programs there with our own team of Prevention Specialists ever since. That sixth grade curriculum was expanded into a comprehensive kindergarten through high school program that is now delivered and recognized nationwide.
Successful drug prevention education was followed by the development of proven effective character education programming promoting a caring approach to violence prevention - conflict resolution, anger management, respect for self and others, and effective communication. To date, more than 3000 school districts in 50 states have chosen the nationally recognized and award winning Too Good for Drugs K-8, Too Good for Violence K-8, Too Good for Drugs & Violence High School, and Too Good for Drugs & Violence After-School programs. In addition, thousands of parents have received our parent education through PTAs, community organizations, and businesses.
We are a strong advocate in our community. The Too Good for Drugs Walk and Kidfest presented by the Mendez Foundation and the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance is held every year to kick off Red Ribbon Week and brings thousands of children and families together to demonstrate their commitment to stay drug-free. The Too Good for Drugs Junior Gasparilla Distance Classic attracts toddlers to teens to take a day to run for fun and show they can have a good time without drugs.
Because healthy kids are our mission, we continue our commitment to leading the way in prevention education with the development and implementation of Seeds of Nutrition, a research-based whole foods nutrition program centered in hands-on learning experiences in the garden, kitchen, classroom and beyond. Our sights are set on making Seeds of Nutrition available to schools nationwide by 2011. As prevention educators, we have a professional commitment to the careful development, rigorous testing, and on-going refinement of the Too Good and Seeds of Nutrition programs. As an organization, we have a time honored commitment to fostering the healthy development of individuals, schools, families and communities in leading healthy, happy lives. It's our purpose and our passion.
- Prevention Specialists deliver Too Good in Hillsborough County, FL.
- Too Good for Drugs Walk & KidFest, October 2, 2010.
- Theatre brings the prevention message to life for kids.
- Essential life skills – that's what the Too Good programs teach.
- Cultivating a relationship to real food, from the ground up.
