Wilmington, Del. - On March 17, Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) presented their 2006 National Excellence Awards for outstanding commitment to increasing fruit and vegetable consumption through corporate, employee, and community efforts. The awards were presented at a luncheon sponsored by Syngenta and held in conjunction with PBH’s 2007 Board of Trustees meeting in San Francisco.
Eleven organizations representing a broad range of industries, businesses and educational institutions were recognized for their exemplary contributions to PBH and the promotion of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. PBH congratulates these trailblazers for their exemplary efforts to increase Americans’ fruit and vegetable consumption for better health!
The 2006 National Excellence Award winners include:
Ahold USA
Ahold stores activities are focused to encourage children to eat more fruits and veggies through a new innovative in-store program with PBH & Nickelodeon and through an enhanced school tour program. Ahold has also made it easier for customers to eat more fruits and veggies with actionable information through weekly circular columns, in-store nutritionists, healthy recipes, weekly produce tips, and healthy living booklets.
Alan Shawn Feinstein Community Service Center at Johnson & Wales
The “Veggin’ Out” and “Community Culinary Nutrition Demonstration” programs are civic initiatives offered by the Feinstein Community Service Center staff in Providence, Rhode Island. The Veggin’ Out program is a collaborative project designed to address the nutritional needs of low income families by providing educational opportunities that equip children and adults to prepare culturally appropriate, nutritious recipes that incorporate fresh, locally grown produce. The Community Culinary Nutrition Demonstration Program was designed to bring the message of health and nutrition to the surrounding community year-round. Both encourage the consumption of a variety of fruits & vegetables, as part of a healthy lifestyle.
California 5 a Day—for Better Health! Campaign by the California Department of Health Services, Cancer Prevention and Nutrition Section and the Public Health InstituteThe California 5 a Day- for Better Health! Campaign, established in 1988 and adopted nationally in 1991, is a statewide social marketing initiative led by the California department of Health services and part of the California Nutrition Network for Healthy, Active families. In total, the California 5 a day Campaign actively engaged approximately 1.2 million low-income adults and children in its educational and promotional activities from October 2005 through September 2006, achieving a total of nearly 15 million consumer impressions.
Del Norte Unified School District (Crescent City, CA)
The Del Norte Unified School District’s Nutrition programs work cooperatively with local stores and retailers in communicating their Harvest of the Month program. Flyers and posters featuring the Harvest of the Month fruit or vegetable are made and distributed to grocery stores. Teachers receive samples to share with their students and Nutrition Educators visit these classrooms monthly. School gardens are used weekly as outdoor nutrition education classrooms for over 600 students. As a result of the program’s efforts they have achieved a total of nearly 1.9 million consumer impressions within their community.
Dr. Norman W. Crisp Elementary School
Dr. Crisp Elementary School is an inner city school in Nashua, New Hampshire with just over 400 students in preschool through grade 5. Their Wellness team kicked off the 2004-2005 school year by declaring Dr. Crisp Elementary a “healthy school”. Children regularly read books about eating healthy, classroom learning centers include games based on the food pyramid, and posters of fresh produce are seen throughout the school. As a result, students and parents are excited to share ways that they have improved their lifestyles.
El Paso Gridley C.U.S.D. #11
The Gridley Grade School in El Paso Texas is giving children healthy choices that will allow them to eat and enjoy nutritious foods. They are introducing new and different fruits and veggies to help children broaden their food choices. Their goal is to continue to be creative in cooking and baking, using different ingredients to introduce unusual fruits and veggies for the children to try so that they will learn to enjoy foods they have never tried before.
FOODPLAY
FOODPLAY Productions, an Emmy Award-winning nutrition media company, tours the nation’s schools using live theater, juggling, music, magic, and audience participation to turn kids on to healthy eating and exercise. Their partnership with Hannaford Brothers Supermarkets brought FOODPLAY shows to 200 schools throughout the Northeast. “The FOODPLAY Passport to Fresh Adventures!” has been distributed to 80,000 school children encouraging kids and their families to “travel the world of fresh adventures” by trying new fruits and veggies. Every time a child eats a new one, they get to put a sticker in their passport; when they’ve traveled the world, they go to their neighborhood supermarket for a prize!
Georgia Department of Education
The Georgia Department of Education is a repeat winner of the Excellence Award having won in 2005 as well. They are a state program that provides educational materials, marketing materials and staff to all schools in the sate of Georgia. The Department promotes the Georgia School Nutrition Program and their fruit & vegetable initiative through mass marketing projects that include:
Marietta City Schools (Georgia)
Marietta City Schools’ program is designed to increase fruits, vegetables and whole grains daily at all school meals, outside events and at home. Marietta has a monthly theme nutrition and wellness plan that includes school nutrition staff, a marketing consultant, and the director, as well as new signs displayed in each cafeteria promoting nutritional messages and acting as role models. Giveaways to children include a different item every month from a 5 A Day bracelet, or stickers, to a free pedometer, coloring books or an exercise DVD. As a result, students, employees, and staff are hearing over 180 nutrition messages and more fruits and vegetables are offered daily than ever before.
Monterey County Agricultural Education, Inc.The Monterey County Agricultural Education, Inc. has made a long term commitment to increasing public awareness of the positive benefits of agriculture, partnering with companies and individuals from all aspects of agriculture to achieve this goal such as the Grower Shipper Association, Monterey County farm bureau, and the Monterey County office of Education to name just a few. They created “The Farm Day Experience,” a program that targets 3rd grade students and teachers with a ‘hands on’ introduction to agriculture.
Rodale, Inc.
Rodale Inc. has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to millions of customers worldwide as well as to its employees through a best-in-class Food Services program. Rodale’s Cafés demonstrate to employees and guests that fruit and vegetables can be delicious, beautiful, and chic, while still being good for you. By savoring the same recipes they read about in Rodale’s magazines and books, employees begin to change their food choices at work, try healthier recipes at home, and educate their children on proper nutrition. Through its books, magazines, online interactive sites, employee programs, and community support, Rodale has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the principles of the 5 A Day program.
“I applaud all of the winners and thank each of them for sharing their efforts and successes with us,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of PBH. “Next year’s awards will focus on how organizations take a leadership role in promoting messages associated with our new brand, Fruits & Veggies—More Matters. We look forward to seeing this year’s activities and accomplishments in 2007’s submissions.”
The 2007 National Excellence Awards competition will get underway later this year. Organizations interested in finding out how to nominate their efforts to promote increased fruit and vegetable consumption and PBH support activities for an Excellence Award can contact Theresa Kaufmann, PBH Development Associate, by calling 302-235-2329, ext 325, or visit
www.pbhfoundation.org for more information.
Note to Editors: For high-resolutions photos from this event for your stories, please contact Theresa Kaufmann at
tkaufmann@pbhfoundation.org or call 302-235-2329, ext. 325.
About Produce for Better Health Foundation
Produce for Better Health Foundation is a 15-year old nonprofit organization whose mission is to motivate people to eat more fruits and vegetables for a healthier America. The foundation is co-chair and member of the National Fruit & Vegetable Program, consisting of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and industry working in collaboration to expand nationwide efforts to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables for improved public health.
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