PFK breaks $1 million mark for Children's Miracle Network
PFK breaks $1 million mark for Children's Miracle Network
HOUSTON -- Since 2002, the Produce for Kids retail-supplier fundraising partnership has raised $1,187,707 for Children's Miracle Network, benefiting and saving the lives of countless children, John Shuman, president of Reidsville, GA-based sweet onion handler Shuman Produce Inc. and founder of PFK, told the audience gathered here to celebrate the success of the program.
According to the PFK web site, CMN "is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals across North America. Each year the 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind."
The PFK promotion raises money for CMN through partnerships between suppliers and retailers. When a consumer purchases a participating supplier's product from a participating retailer during the promotional period, a donation is made to the program, 100 percent of which goes to CMN and 100 percent of which remains in the local community.
"We have gone well beyond a promotion in the produce department," said Heidi McIntyre, who was recently promoted to PFK's executive director. The campaign now additionally has a focus on educating children about healthy eating. Ms. McIntyre added, "We can be your resource on ... marketing produce to kids" and parents.
And a new partnership between PFK and the Public Broadcasting Service will help PFK better access children to spread the nutritional message. "We have partnered with PBS Kids," Ms. McIntyre said, which "is going to help us take the nutritional message directly to kids.
Ms. McIntyre was joined at the podium by Jessica Bricker, senior associate for consumer products at PBS, who discussed her organization's Eat Smart for a Great Start campaign, which is run through the PBS Kids and PBS for Parents web sites and which is tied to the PFK program. The PBS Kids web site receives over 5 million unique visitors per month, so it is an outstanding platform from which PFK can distribute its message.
At the event, Jim Spilka, vice president of produce for Meijer, was presented with PFK's Pioneer Award for his exceptional service to the organization. PFK spring retail partners and the amounts they raised for the program were: Harris Teeter ($32,729.90), Price Chopper ($33,402.45), Kroger Southwest ($35,552), Giant/Tops ($45,557.05), Acme ($48,566), Meijer ($70,941.30) and Publix ($140,514.50).
More retailers have signed on to the program since the spring, including Supervalu, which has pledged a $20,000 donation for an upcoming PFK golf tournament fundraiser.
Participating spring supplier partners were Chelan Fresh, Chiquita, Family Tree Farms, Custom Pak Inc., Shuman Produce, Stemilt Growers Inc., Dole, Green Giant, Santa Sweets, T. Marzetti, Country Fresh, Fresh Express, Apio Inc., the National Mango Board, Country Fresh Mushrooms, Olivia's Organics, Tropicana, Pacific Trellis Fruit, the Oppenheimer Group, Domex Superfresh Growers, Del Monte, Driscoll's, Desert Glory, The Nunes Co. Inc., Masser Potato Farms, Paramount Farms, Summeripe Worldwide, Cal Organic Farms, Mann Packing, Michigan Apple Committee, Crunch Pak, Sunkist, Verdelli Farms, Village Farms, Aurora Products, Cohen Produce Marketing, Litehouse, Thomas Colace Co. and the Hass Avocado Board.
According to the PFK web site, CMN "is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals across North America. Each year the 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind."
The PFK promotion raises money for CMN through partnerships between suppliers and retailers. When a consumer purchases a participating supplier's product from a participating retailer during the promotional period, a donation is made to the program, 100 percent of which goes to CMN and 100 percent of which remains in the local community.
"We have gone well beyond a promotion in the produce department," said Heidi McIntyre, who was recently promoted to PFK's executive director. The campaign now additionally has a focus on educating children about healthy eating. Ms. McIntyre added, "We can be your resource on ... marketing produce to kids" and parents.
And a new partnership between PFK and the Public Broadcasting Service will help PFK better access children to spread the nutritional message. "We have partnered with PBS Kids," Ms. McIntyre said, which "is going to help us take the nutritional message directly to kids.
Ms. McIntyre was joined at the podium by Jessica Bricker, senior associate for consumer products at PBS, who discussed her organization's Eat Smart for a Great Start campaign, which is run through the PBS Kids and PBS for Parents web sites and which is tied to the PFK program. The PBS Kids web site receives over 5 million unique visitors per month, so it is an outstanding platform from which PFK can distribute its message.
At the event, Jim Spilka, vice president of produce for Meijer, was presented with PFK's Pioneer Award for his exceptional service to the organization. PFK spring retail partners and the amounts they raised for the program were: Harris Teeter ($32,729.90), Price Chopper ($33,402.45), Kroger Southwest ($35,552), Giant/Tops ($45,557.05), Acme ($48,566), Meijer ($70,941.30) and Publix ($140,514.50).
More retailers have signed on to the program since the spring, including Supervalu, which has pledged a $20,000 donation for an upcoming PFK golf tournament fundraiser.
Participating spring supplier partners were Chelan Fresh, Chiquita, Family Tree Farms, Custom Pak Inc., Shuman Produce, Stemilt Growers Inc., Dole, Green Giant, Santa Sweets, T. Marzetti, Country Fresh, Fresh Express, Apio Inc., the National Mango Board, Country Fresh Mushrooms, Olivia's Organics, Tropicana, Pacific Trellis Fruit, the Oppenheimer Group, Domex Superfresh Growers, Del Monte, Driscoll's, Desert Glory, The Nunes Co. Inc., Masser Potato Farms, Paramount Farms, Summeripe Worldwide, Cal Organic Farms, Mann Packing, Michigan Apple Committee, Crunch Pak, Sunkist, Verdelli Farms, Village Farms, Aurora Products, Cohen Produce Marketing, Litehouse, Thomas Colace Co. and the Hass Avocado Board.
