Brain Nutrition for All is a community event bringing together parents, educators, health advocates, retired professional athletes, and community leaders to explore one of the most pressing and underserved topics in human health: the profound impact of nutrition on brain function, cognitive performance, and neurological development at every stage of life.
The event is co-presented by two organizations that together represent the full arc of the conversation: the science of the brain and the community infrastructure required to nourish it.
The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP) — a world-renowned organization with over 70 years of pioneering brain development research.
It Takes a Village to Feed One Child (ITAVTFOC) — a regional nonprofit delivering over 250,000 nutritious meals monthly to children and families across the PA-NJ-DE region.
The connection between what we eat and how our brains develop, perform, and age is well-researched and widely ignored. Brain Nutrition for All puts that connection at the center of a public conversation that reaches across athletes, scientists, families, and community leaders.
U.S. children live in food-insecure households directly linked to lower cognitive indicators, behavioral dysregulation, and developmental delay.
From conception through a child's second birthday: the most critical window for brain growth. Absent nutrients cannot be fully reversed.
Families of children with Autism are 50% more likely to experience food insecurity than neurotypical families.
Up to 89% of autistic children have feeding difficulties; the single strongest predictor of caregiver stress.
Essential nutrients like iron, DHA, folate, and zinc are not optional supplements, they are the biological building blocks of a functioning brain. When these are absent during critical developmental windows, the effects on cognition, behavior, and neurological capacity cannot be fully reversed.
We've gathered an inspiring lineup of experts and advocates who will share their unique perspectives on brain nutrition, from groundbreaking research to real-world impact in the community and professional sports.
Director of The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, leading decades of pioneering research in brain development.
Executive Director of It Takes a Village to Feed One Child, a visionary in community nutrition access and child well-being.
Super Bowl champion and community advocate, discussing the connection between diet, sports, and holistic well-being.
Retired NBA All-Star, offering his experience on how strategic nutrition fuels an elite athlete's career and recovery.
Retired athletes and executives share firsthand accounts of how nutrition shaped their performance, recovery, and cognitive longevity; bridging elite sport and everyday brain health.
A curated lunch by Nexus Collective Kitchens where every dish is intentionally selected for its proven role in nourishing the human brain and every plate comes with the science behind it.
An intimate conversation with Janet Doman & Mark Wainwright reflecting on 70 years of brain development research and what it means for families today.
70+ years of pioneering brain development research
Philadelphia, PA — 11-acre historic campus
International reach — 30,000 families from 100+ countries
Founded in 1955, The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential is an internationally recognized nonprofit headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For over 70 years, IAHP has been guided by one foundational conviction: the brain grows by use.
Under the leadership of Glenn Doman and continued today by his daughter, Director Janet Doman, The Institutes have worked with brain-injured children, well children, and families from around the world developing programs and courses that have transformed how parents, educators, and medical professionals understand the human brain's capacity for growth and recovery.
IAHP's work spans children with cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, and developmental delay, as well as programs supporting well children in achieving their full intellectual, physical, and social potential.
"The brain grows by use." — Glenn Doman, Founder, IAHP
It Takes a Village to Feed One Child (ITAVTFOC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing food insecurity across the PA-NJ-DE region. Each month, ITAVTFOC provides over 250,000 nutritious meals and snacks to more than 100 child, adult, and at-risk centers throughout the tri-state area.
ITAVTFOC operates the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and a Mobile Homeless Food Program delivering hot, high-quality meals daily to childcare centers, Head Start programs, senior centers, and at-risk communities.
In 2025, ITAVTFOC launched the Weekend Meals for Children initiative, working toward providing 5,000 children and seniors with nutritious meals every Saturday and Sunday, addressing the gap that exists when school meal programs are not in session.
Led by Founder and Executive Director Mark Wainwright, whose career has been built around a single conviction: that access to nutritious food is not a privilege. It is a right.
Nutritious meals monthly
Child, adult & at-risk centers served
Children & seniors targeted for weekend meals
PA · NJ · DE tri-state region
Founded in 2025, NEXUS Collective Kitchens operates at the intersection of community nutrition and culinary craft. Their mission: to provide children, adults, and corporations with nutrient-dense foods that impact brain function and overall health.
NEXUS holds strategic partnerships with IAHP and Impact Ark Advisors (IAA), positioning them at the forefront of the brain nutrition movement.
Under the creative direction of IAA, NEXUS will bring IAHP's Brain Boosting Recipes to life for the May 16 dining experience. Every dish is intentionally selected for its proven role in nourishing the human brain and every dish is accompanied by the science behind it.
Every plate curated for maximum brain impact
Each dish paired with the research behind its ingredients
Culinary craft in service of public health
Be part of a conversation that connects science, community, and the table. Brain Nutrition for All is where the research meets real life — and where every seat at the table matters.
Saturday, May 16, 2026
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential
1 Birch Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038
Your generosity directly fuels the work of two organizations committed to brain development and community nutrition. Every contribution makes a difference, whether you're supporting pioneering brain research or ensuring children have access to nutritious meals.
For inquiries regarding the event or our partners, please contact: