United foundation kicks off fundraising for Project Fresh Start
United foundation kicks off fundraising for Project Fresh Start
During his March 4 keynote speech to attendees of the Southeast Produce Council annual conference and exposition in Fort Lauderdale, FL, United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association President Tom Stenzel announced the launch of a three-year, $1.5 million fundraising campaign for Project Fresh Start, a new nutrition and health policy project of the United Research & Education Foundation.
Mr. Stenzel asked the group of produce industry leaders for their support in launching this targeted program to reshape government policy and drive environmental change to enable America's children to meet the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption.
"Project Fresh Start embodies our commitment to help the next generation of children double their fresh produce consumption to meet today's dietary goals and prevent the development of childhood obesity and other health problems," United Foundation Chairman Stephen Griffin, president of Misionero Vegetables, said in a statement. "Our industry has an unparalleled opportunity today to help usher in a new, healthier generation by increasing the availability and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables in schools, government feeding programs and in kids' environment to stimulate produce consumption. These changes will last a lifetime, meaning improved health for millions of children and significant growth for the produce industry in the years ahead."
Project Fresh Start will focus on achieving tangible and measurable goals:
o Expanding the highly successful School Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program to all states across America.
o Increasing the availability of fruits and vegetables in the Women, Infants & Children nutrition program to help more than 6 million American children and their mothers.
o Working to bring a salad bar to every school, thereby helping to ensure that school meals can meet the new dietary guidelines.
o Increasing the availability of fresh produce to schools through the U.S. Department of Defense Fresh Produce Distribution program.
o Expanding government commitment to the National 5 A Day program with funding through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
To kick off Project Fresh Start, United is making a three- year, $100,000 per year commitment to the program from the association's regular budget.
"The United board of directors believes this is one of the most important initiatives we could undertake on behalf of the membership," United Chairman Nick Tompkins, chief executive officer of Apio Inc., said in a statement.
Beyond this budget allocation, Project Fresh Start has already raised an additional $100,000 in direct corporate and personal contributions from member companies and individuals on the United board.
"With this seed investment, we hope to stimulate other industry members and allies to recognize the health benefits to kids and the economic benefit to the industry that these policy changes would bring," Mr. Tompkins said. "The next several years offer so much potential benefit to both kids and our industry that we can't sit by and miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to truly change the way children in America eat."
Project Fresh Start will seek financial support from partners at funding levels that can meet every company's budget. All contributions to the United foundation are tax- deductible as charitable contributions, and both one-time contributions and three-year program pledges are welcome "It's our goal to generate widespread support for this program across the industry, not just among a few big companies, and thus plan to cap annual contributions at $50,000 per partner," Mr. Griffin said. "We're extremely pleased with the funding thus far from our board leadership, and look forward to welcoming new partners from throughout the industry."
"There's no greater opportunity before our industry today than using public policy to increase the access and availability of high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables in our children's environment," Lorelei DiSogra, vice president for nutrition and health at United and director of Project Fresh Start, said in a statement. "With even minor environmental changes, we can increase both immediate and long-term consumption much more dramatically than even the best classroom education program telling kids what they should eat."
Dr. DiSogra joined United in August to develop Project Fresh Start as a targeted opinion-leader outreach campaign to drive environmental changes that launch children on a lifetime of increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Previously, she served as director of the National Cancer Institute's 5 A Day program. In that role, she served as the lead government official in the public-private 5 A Day partnership, working closely with the lead private-sector partner, Produce for Better Health Foundation. Prior to that, she was vice president of nutrition and health for Dole Food Co. from 1991 to 2001, where she was responsible for all corporate nutrition programs and positioning Dole as a worldwide leader in 5 A Day programs. She helped originate the 5 A Day program in California during her tenure at the California Public Health Foundation from 1987 to 1991.
"We truly appreciate the financial support of all of our partners and look forward to working with them in this important effort," said Mr. Stenzel. "Someday, we will look back and know that we were instrumental in changing the tide of childhood obesity, and starting this next generation off on a lifetime of fresh produce choices that will sustain our industry's growth for years to come. No matter how big or small, I hope everyone in the produce industry can make some contribution to help bring about that new reality."
Mr. Stenzel asked the group of produce industry leaders for their support in launching this targeted program to reshape government policy and drive environmental change to enable America's children to meet the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption.
"Project Fresh Start embodies our commitment to help the next generation of children double their fresh produce consumption to meet today's dietary goals and prevent the development of childhood obesity and other health problems," United Foundation Chairman Stephen Griffin, president of Misionero Vegetables, said in a statement. "Our industry has an unparalleled opportunity today to help usher in a new, healthier generation by increasing the availability and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables in schools, government feeding programs and in kids' environment to stimulate produce consumption. These changes will last a lifetime, meaning improved health for millions of children and significant growth for the produce industry in the years ahead."
Project Fresh Start will focus on achieving tangible and measurable goals:
o Expanding the highly successful School Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program to all states across America.
o Increasing the availability of fruits and vegetables in the Women, Infants & Children nutrition program to help more than 6 million American children and their mothers.
o Working to bring a salad bar to every school, thereby helping to ensure that school meals can meet the new dietary guidelines.
o Increasing the availability of fresh produce to schools through the U.S. Department of Defense Fresh Produce Distribution program.
o Expanding government commitment to the National 5 A Day program with funding through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
To kick off Project Fresh Start, United is making a three- year, $100,000 per year commitment to the program from the association's regular budget.
"The United board of directors believes this is one of the most important initiatives we could undertake on behalf of the membership," United Chairman Nick Tompkins, chief executive officer of Apio Inc., said in a statement.
Beyond this budget allocation, Project Fresh Start has already raised an additional $100,000 in direct corporate and personal contributions from member companies and individuals on the United board.
"With this seed investment, we hope to stimulate other industry members and allies to recognize the health benefits to kids and the economic benefit to the industry that these policy changes would bring," Mr. Tompkins said. "The next several years offer so much potential benefit to both kids and our industry that we can't sit by and miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to truly change the way children in America eat."
Project Fresh Start will seek financial support from partners at funding levels that can meet every company's budget. All contributions to the United foundation are tax- deductible as charitable contributions, and both one-time contributions and three-year program pledges are welcome "It's our goal to generate widespread support for this program across the industry, not just among a few big companies, and thus plan to cap annual contributions at $50,000 per partner," Mr. Griffin said. "We're extremely pleased with the funding thus far from our board leadership, and look forward to welcoming new partners from throughout the industry."
"There's no greater opportunity before our industry today than using public policy to increase the access and availability of high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables in our children's environment," Lorelei DiSogra, vice president for nutrition and health at United and director of Project Fresh Start, said in a statement. "With even minor environmental changes, we can increase both immediate and long-term consumption much more dramatically than even the best classroom education program telling kids what they should eat."
Dr. DiSogra joined United in August to develop Project Fresh Start as a targeted opinion-leader outreach campaign to drive environmental changes that launch children on a lifetime of increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Previously, she served as director of the National Cancer Institute's 5 A Day program. In that role, she served as the lead government official in the public-private 5 A Day partnership, working closely with the lead private-sector partner, Produce for Better Health Foundation. Prior to that, she was vice president of nutrition and health for Dole Food Co. from 1991 to 2001, where she was responsible for all corporate nutrition programs and positioning Dole as a worldwide leader in 5 A Day programs. She helped originate the 5 A Day program in California during her tenure at the California Public Health Foundation from 1987 to 1991.
"We truly appreciate the financial support of all of our partners and look forward to working with them in this important effort," said Mr. Stenzel. "Someday, we will look back and know that we were instrumental in changing the tide of childhood obesity, and starting this next generation off on a lifetime of fresh produce choices that will sustain our industry's growth for years to come. No matter how big or small, I hope everyone in the produce industry can make some contribution to help bring about that new reality."
