FPFC luncheon raises thousands for hurricane victims
FPFC luncheon raises thousands for hurricane victims
OAKLAND, CA An impromptu outpouring of generosity resulted in nearly $10,000 being raised for hurricane victims at the Northern California luncheon meeting of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council held Sept. 13, here, at the Oakland Airport Hilton.
FPFC Chair-elect Jack Gyben of Progressive Marketing Group in Los Angeles told The Produce News that Dick Spezzano of Spezzano Consulting and a member of the FPFC executive committee got the ball rolling with a challenge donation.
"Dick Spezzano offered to donate $500 to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and challenged executive committee members to do the same," said Mr. Gyben.
Mr. Gyben said that the challenge was met by a couple of other people in the crowd, and soon many attendees of the luncheon offered to participate as the proverbial hat was passed through the crowd. By the end of the luncheon, nearly $10,000 was collected, which the FPFC staff quickly forwarded to the American Red Cross.
The luncheon featured a healthy message as Sonia Kuar of the California 5 A Day program and Maile Shanahan Geise of the Buy California marketing program shared featured-speaker status.
Ms. Kuar discussed the efforts of the state to entice its citizens, especially those in disadvantaged groups, to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. The state targets its message toward many different communities including African-Americans, Latinos and women with children.
Ms. Kuar is specifically involved in the retail effort that helps the state's supermarkets advance the program. The California program is funded through the USDA food stamp program, which puts an average of $90 a month into the hands of 19 million low-income people in the United States. She said that this group is comprised of ready-made consumers for fresh produce, but rarely are they targeted. She suggested using in-store demos, specific information for handling and storing fresh fruits and vegetables, and coupons that enable food stamp users to stretch their dollars.
Ms. Shanahan focused on the retail efforts of the Buy California marketing program. She said that the program offers radio advertising, point-of-sale material and even in-store promotion stands in return for the placement of the California Grown logo in weekly newspaper ads. She said that research has shown that the four-year-old program is succeeding in its efforts to convince Californians to ask for and purchase locally produced products.
(Additional photos from this event appear in the Sept. 19 issue of The Produce News.)
FPFC Chair-elect Jack Gyben of Progressive Marketing Group in Los Angeles told The Produce News that Dick Spezzano of Spezzano Consulting and a member of the FPFC executive committee got the ball rolling with a challenge donation.
"Dick Spezzano offered to donate $500 to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and challenged executive committee members to do the same," said Mr. Gyben.
Mr. Gyben said that the challenge was met by a couple of other people in the crowd, and soon many attendees of the luncheon offered to participate as the proverbial hat was passed through the crowd. By the end of the luncheon, nearly $10,000 was collected, which the FPFC staff quickly forwarded to the American Red Cross.
The luncheon featured a healthy message as Sonia Kuar of the California 5 A Day program and Maile Shanahan Geise of the Buy California marketing program shared featured-speaker status.
Ms. Kuar discussed the efforts of the state to entice its citizens, especially those in disadvantaged groups, to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. The state targets its message toward many different communities including African-Americans, Latinos and women with children.
Ms. Kuar is specifically involved in the retail effort that helps the state's supermarkets advance the program. The California program is funded through the USDA food stamp program, which puts an average of $90 a month into the hands of 19 million low-income people in the United States. She said that this group is comprised of ready-made consumers for fresh produce, but rarely are they targeted. She suggested using in-store demos, specific information for handling and storing fresh fruits and vegetables, and coupons that enable food stamp users to stretch their dollars.
Ms. Shanahan focused on the retail efforts of the Buy California marketing program. She said that the program offers radio advertising, point-of-sale material and even in-store promotion stands in return for the placement of the California Grown logo in weekly newspaper ads. She said that research has shown that the four-year-old program is succeeding in its efforts to convince Californians to ask for and purchase locally produced products.
(Additional photos from this event appear in the Sept. 19 issue of The Produce News.)
