Brighter Bites held its inaugural Bakersfield Celebration of Community Collaboration & Impact with presenting partner Grimmway Farms. The event brought together more than 100 guests and community leaders for a larger conversation on creating communities of health through fresh food.

The celebration raised over $85,000 and highlighted the importance, need and growing success of collaboration, both locally and nationally. This helps Brighter Bites change behaviors among children and families through its proven model of fresh produce, nutrition education and fun food experiences.

“This event is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when a community and the produce industry come together,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “Every contribution helps us deliver fresh, nutritious produce to children who need it most. It’s not just about food — it’s about giving kids the foundation to grow, learn and thrive. We’re deeply thankful to everyone who supported this event and have joined us in our mission to create healthier futures for kids in Bakersfield and beyond.”

Despite Kern County being one of the nation’s leading agriculture producers, one in five children within the county remains food insecure, which affects learning, health and long-term potential. Brighter Bites launched its Bakersfield program in April of 2022 to address this urgent issue. The program provides 20 pounds of fresh produce and nutrition education each week to underserved elementary school families and now serves more than 5,000 children, families and teachers across six schools.

“Brighter Bite’s initiative is the perfect addition to the Community Resource Center that provides families in the area with holistic services and resources,” said Jose Quintero, director of the Fairfax School District Community Resource Center. “We’ve been able to create a single point where families can access Brighter Bites fresh produce while also connecting to English classes, mobile health clinics, nutritional education and more to best support our community.”

With support from healthcare systems, foundations, growers and individuals, Brighter Bites is working harder than ever to expand to more schools and empower families to make healthy choices that lead to lasting behavior change.

“We are thrilled to see such an outpouring of support for Brighter Bites here in Kern County. More than 100 people came together at this event, not only to celebrate the incredible progress Brighter Bites has made in just four years, but to commit to its future,” said Dana Brennan, vice president of Grimmway Farms. “Food insecurity is a real challenge in our community, and Brighter Bites provides a proven solution — delivering fresh produce, nutrition education and healthier futures for local families.”

The following local and industry partners sponsored the event and joined the conversation on food insecurity: Cal-Organic/Grimmway Farms, Dignity Health, Blue Zones Project, Adventist Health, Wonderful Orchards, Wonderful Citrus, Proforma Solutions, Kern Energy, Kya, Bank of America and Jim Burke Ford Lincoln. Key partners also attended: Sunkist Growers, Berry Corporation, IFPA, Fairfax School District, Kern Medical, Kern County Farm Bureau and WN Citrus.