News Type: Press Release

Brighter Bites’ 10th Anniversary Birthday Campaign & Gala Raise Over $741,000

Posted on November 8, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES 10th ANNIVERSARY GALA RAISES OVER $741,467

Money Raised Will Support the Nonprofit’s 10th Birthday Campaign Goal of Reaching $500,000

HOUSTON (November 8, 2022) – Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization delivering fresh fruits and vegetables alongside nutrition education resources directly into families’ hands, hosted its first gala to celebrate its 10th birthday. As part of the celebration, the nonprofit exceeded it’s $500,000 campaign goal by raising $741,467 to support the company’s mission of helping under-resourced communities throughout the U.S. have access to fresh produce and nutrition education.

The gala took place on November 2nd in Houston, Texas at The Revaire, and featured guest speaker Scott McClelland of H-E-B. Additional honorees and sponsors included Sysco, Taylor Farms, SUNSET, Mission Produce, and its generous Board of Directors.

“Throughout my tenure at H-E-B, it has been an honor to work alongside Brighter Bites, and to be included among the board of directors,” said Scott McClelland, President of H-E-B. “I look forward to continuing to see this organization grow and make a lifelong difference with many more families and communities throughout the country.”

All proceeds raised during the 10th Birthday Campaign and Gala will help nourish its families and children and teach lifelong healthy eating habits.

In addition to celebrating its 10th birthday through this milestone gala, Brighter Bites invites you to join its cause to create more equitable communities that foster healthy minds and bodies. Consider making a gift on Giving Tuesday, November 29th, 2022.  To join the cause, readers can donate, volunteer, and/or partner with Brighter Bites through the links provided.

“We’re thankful to all of the sponsors, donors, volunteers, partners and employees who make our program possible,” said Lisa Helfman, Founder and Board Chair of Brighter Bites. “Without your dedication to this cause, we would not be able to celebrate 10 years of providing fresh food to under resourced families across the nation. Your work is building a better future for generations to come.”

Since its founding in 2012, Brighter Bites has shared over 50 million pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables and nutrition education to more than 500,000 individuals across all communities it serves, including: Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, Washington D.C., Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield. The organization also announced at the gala its plans to expand into San Antonio, Texas by the end of the year. This will be Brighter Bites’ tenth city to date – a huge milestone to achieve in the last 10 years of programming.

To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit brighterbites.org, or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or YouTube.

# # #

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 50 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

 

Brighter Bites Partners with Zespri Kiwifruit for 2022-2023 School Year Programming

Posted on August 15, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES PARTNERS WITH ZESPRI KIWIFRUIT FOR 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAMMING

HOUSTON (August 15, 2022) – Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables, nutrition education resources, and culinary tools directly into families’ hands, is excited to be working with Zespri™ Kiwifruit as a key produce partner for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.

Through this partnership, Zespri Kiwifruit will provide product for Brighter Bites’ programming in NYC, Washington DC as well as south and central California, supply kiwi nutrition education, recipes and coupons through the upcoming school season, and support national programming through a monetary donation. In addition, the two organizations will also host a kiwi art challenge for students to participate in for a chance to win prizes.

“Our partnership with Zespri Kiwifuit allows us to offer our families not only more delicious fruit options in their produce boxes, but also a fun, interactive challenge to engage and encourage participation,” said Brighter Bites CEO Rich Dachman. “This creative activity aligns perfectly with our mission, and we look forward to seeing all the creative artwork from students and their families.”

Furthermore, Zespri Kiwifruit will also be a highlighted donor for Brighter Bites’ 10th year birthday celebration, which will honor the nonprofit organization in its efforts to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to communities throughout the country.

“Our purpose is to help people, communities and the environment around the world thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit and being able to help support underserved families with our tasty and nutritious Zespri™ SunGold™ kiwi and encourage healthier habits is a great demonstration of this,” said Jeanne Wilson, Zespri’s head of marketing for the North America market. “We couldn’t be more honored to join the mission of the Brighter Bites organization and look forward to celebrating their anniversary and reflecting on the positive change they’ve helped drive over the last ten years.”

Since 2012, Brighter Bites has grown to serve families and students in food deserts across nine major metropolitan areas and over 50 million pounds of fresh produce. Zespri Kiwi’s partnership will enable the organization to continue providing for underserved communities and expand its programming throughout the country.

To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit brighterbites.org, or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or YouTube.

# # #

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 50 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

About Zespri™ Kiwifruit

Zespri TM is 100 percent owned by current and former kiwifruit growers and has a global team of 850 based in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand and throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. Our purpose is to help people, communities and the environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit, and we work with 2,800 growers in New Zealand and 1,500 growers offshore to provide consumers with fresh, healthy and great-tasting Zespri TM Green, Zespri TM SunGold TM and Zespri TM Organic Kiwifruit. Zespri TM is committed to sustainability, with areas of improvement identified right through the supply chain including our pledge that by 2025 we will use 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging, do more to help the environment, and to become carbon positive by 2035.Please visit zespri.com/en-US.

Brighter Bites Raises Over $56,000 Through Its “Wine for a Cause” Virtual Auction

Posted on August 3, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES RAISES OVER $56,000 THROUGH ‘WINE FOR A CAUSE’ VIRTUAL AUCTION

One Hundred Percent of Proceeds to Provide Underserved Communities Across the Country with Access to Fresh Food

HOUSTON (August 3, 2022) – Last week, Brighter Bites, a Houston-based nonprofit providing under-resourced families with fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrition education, hosted a virtual wine event, Wine for a Cause, as part of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Foodservice Conference held in Monterey, CA.

The organization showcased a virtual wine cellar for tradeshow attendees to bid on items ranging from single bottles and wine cases to winery tours and tastings. All proceeds will be used to provide Brighter Bites with the produce and nutrition educational resources to impact more families across the country.

“To all that donated and purchased wine during our Wine for a Cause event, we thank you for making it such a success,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “Seeing our industry come together at the IFPA Foodservice Conference to help an important cause that we take so seriously encourages and strengthens our mission, and we look forward to the next opportunity to do so again.”

The Wine for a Cause virtual auction included multiple donors resulting in $56,805 total donations. This closing reception and virtual wine auction would not have been made possible without the support from a number of industry leaders, including IFPA and in particular, D’Arrigo New York who generously donated $10,000 for the cause. With the low cost associated with the event, Brighter Bites was able to keep nearly every dollar raised. The event was completely digital and emphasized its free registration and high-end wines and experiences.

This fall, Brighter Bites will be celebrating its 10th year of providing fresh fruits and vegetables along with nutrition education to families throughout the country. Beginning in Houston in 2012, the organization has now grown to serving families and students in food deserts across nine major metropolitan areas with over 50 million pounds of fresh produce.

To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit brighterbites.org, or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or YouTube.

# # #

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 50 million pounds of fresh produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

Brighter Bites Releases 2021 Annual Report, Highlighting Impact and Distribution of Over 5M lbs of Fresh Produce

Posted on June 24, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES RELEASES 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Report Highlights Nonprofit’s Impact and Distribution of Over 5M Pounds of Fresh Food in Schools Throughout the Country

HOUSTON (June 23, 2021) – Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that delivers fresh fruits, vegetables and nutrition education resources directly into families’ hands, today announced the release of its 2021 annual report. Readers can expect to see Brighter Bites’ financials, the number of nutrition education materials the organization distributed, the number of schools and families served, and a general look back at 2021. The nonprofit’s upcoming plans for the 2022-2023 school year are also highlighted.

Key highlights found within the report:

  • 5,139,819 pounds of food were distributed in the seven major metropolitan areas where Brighter Bites served: Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, Washington DC, Salinas, CA., and Southwest Florida,
  • 53,984 nutrition education lessons and activities were taught in classrooms (up from 27,147 in 2020),
  • There were 1,753,203 total family encounters where Brighter Bites staff interacted directly with families at produce distribution centers,
  • The organization received $11,243,176 in-kind produce donations (up from $8,737,417 in 2020).

“We’re honored and thankful to be able to share a report that so greatly reflects the dedication and efforts of our Brighter Bites’ team over the past year,” said Lisa Helfman, co-founder of Brighter Bites. “We are also beyond grateful for all of the partners that have made our work possible and have enabled us to grow into additional regions throughout the country!”

During 2021 Brighter Bites implemented the following activities, strengthening its impact:

  • Re-launched volunteer opportunities that were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
  • Started programming in Salinas, CA and ramped up efforts to launch in Bakersfield, CA in early 2022,
  • Secured SNAP-Ed funding from the state of California for additional growth in the coming years
  • Hosted the Smart in the Kitchen fundraising event,
  • Held its first-ever “Back-to-School” fundraising campaign,
  • Initiated infrastructure for Los Angeles programming with Food Forward as primary partner.

“Thanks to all of our dedicated employees, our sensational business partners, and our generous supporters we were able to overcome all of the obstacles of 2021,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “We not only maintained our program, but we grew into new schools and cities. Our future looks so bright with plans for significant growth in 2022. We are changing lives for the better, and I am thankful to all that help make it happen every day.”

This fall, Brighter Bites will be celebrating its 10th year of providing fresh fruits and vegetables to families throughout the country. Beginning in Houston in 2012, the organization has now grown to serving families and students in food deserts across nine major metropolitan areas, with over 50 million pounds of fresh produce.

Brighter Bites’ 2021 annual report can be downloaded here. To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit brighterbites.org, or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or YouTube.

# # #

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 50 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield. In 2022, Brighter Bites expanded its programming to Los Angeles and Bakersfield, California. To learn more about Brighter Bites learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

Brighter Bites Partners with DoorDash’s “Project Dash” to Deliver Fresh Food to More Families

Posted on June 1, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES PARTNERS WITH DOORDASH’S PROJECT DASH TO DELIVER FRESH FOOD TO MORE FAMILIES

  The Partnership Has Launched in New York City, D.C. & Houston with Plans to Extend Into More Cities in 2022

HOUSTON, TX (June 1, 2022) – Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables along with nutrition education resources directly into families’ hands, announces its partnership with, DoorDash via its Project DASH initiative to increase fresh produce accessibility to children and their families in NYC, Houston, and Washington D.C.

Through this partnership, DoorDash’s Project DASH makes it possible for families facing transportation barriers to participate in the Brighter Bites program. DoorDash drivers will go to select enrolled schools to gather the produce boxes and deliver them directly to families’ doorstep. By using the same technology available to DoorDash’s merchant partners, Brighter Bites can reach families in an innovative way and continue to provide fresh food to those in need.  To date, Project DASH has powered more than 1.8 million deliveries of over 33 million estimated meals across the U.S. and Canada.

“Leveraging logistics that DoorDash has to offer has been a game changer in our work. There is a barrier for families who rely on alternative ways to get to and from school that can hinder their ability to take the fresh produce boxes home.” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “DoorDash’s capability to pick up and drop off the produce boxes directly to families’ doorsteps is monumental. We are thrilled to partner with DoorDash’s Project DASH initiative to better serve our communities!”

At this time, DoorDash is being utilized at select schools in three of the nine cities where Brighter Bites programming takes place, including New York City, Washington D.C., and Houston. The organization plans to extend the partnership to the remaining cities this fall where this type of support is needed the most.

“We are honored to partner with Brighter Bites to broaden food access by delivering fresh food to families in New York City, Washington, DC, and Houston,” said Brittany Graunke, DoorDash Drive Director. “Local delivery has been critical in supporting food banks and other social impact organizations’ provision of food and other essentials while emphasizing convenience and dignity. We’re excited to continue growing this work in a sustainable way for our partners across the country to continue to meet the ongoing need.”

Brighter Bites is dedicated to creating healthy communities by providing produce and nutrition literacy to families in cities throughout the country. The organization works with families in over 120 school settings in nine cities, with each family receiving approximately 25 pounds of fresh, seasonal produce and nutrition education on a weekly basis. Brighter Bites families are actively engaged during the program, with data showing that they consume significantly more fresh produce and talk about nutrition more often in their homes.

To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit brighterbites.org, or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or YouTube.

# # #

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided nearly 50 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield, California. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

About DoorDash:

DoorDash (NYSE: DASH) is a technology company that connects consumers with their favorite businesses across the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and Germany. Founded in 2013, DoorDash enables local businesses to address consumers’ expectations of ease and immediacy and thrive in today’s convenience economy. By building the logistics infrastructure for local commerce, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time.

 

 

 

 

Brighter Bites Announces New Program Launch in Bakersfield, California

Posted on May 10, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES ANNOUNCES NEW PROGRAM LAUNCH IN BAKERSFIELD, CA

BAKERSFIELD, CA (May 10, 2022) – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, has launched its ninth location in Bakersfield, CA.  The nonprofit will partner with Grimmway Farms and CAPK to help improve the health of students and families in the Bakersfield area through nutrition education, access to free and fresh produce weekly, and tips on how to store and cook the fruits and vegetables properly. 

With the support of CalFresh Healthy Living (SNAP-Ed), this is the third location of Brighter Bites programming in California, following Salinas (2021) and Los Angeles (2022), and the organization plans to continue expansion across the country to create more communities of health.

“Grimmway has a long history of investment in our local communities, and we continue to take the responsibility of stewardship very seriously,” shared Dana Brennan, VP of Government and Public Affairs at Grimmway. “It is an honor to partner with and champion an organization like Brighter Bites – who shares our vision of coming alongside the younger generations struggling with food insecurity delivering fresh produce and the tools necessary to create a lifetime of healthy habits.”

Programming will begin with the Vineland School District, which includes Vineland Elementary and Sunset Middle School, and will serve around 150 to 200 families per week. The program will then offer three different produce box pickup sites during the summer season with the expectation of adding at least six more schools for the upcoming fall school year. For the next three years, Grimmway Farms has committed $60,000, along with weekly produce donations, to support this program’s expansion.

“Brighter Bites helps our parents learn about nutritious food and students learn the benefits of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables versus eating a piece of candy,” said Roberto Vasquez Euresti, Vineland School District’s Director of Categorical Programs. “They have an opportunity to make wiser choices early on in life.” 

Since launching in 2012, Brighter Bites has distributed more than 40 million pounds of produce and hundreds of thousands of nutrition education materials to over 500,000 individuals through schools, after school programs and summer camps in the cities in which it serves. Brighter Bites uses a simple formula for introducing healthy lifestyles to families: produce distribution, nutrition education, and a fun food experience that helps to demystify produce and show just how great it can taste. 

“We’ve reached quite the milestone launching three locations in California in less than a year, and we are nowhere near complete.” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “We are very thankful to our partners who make our mission possible and look forward to seeing these programs flourish throughout the year.” 

# # #

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided more than 40 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Salinas, Southwest Florida, and Los Angeles. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

Brighter Bites Provides 500,000 Pounds of Fresh Produce to Students & Families, Participates in SXSW

Posted on March 31, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES PROVIDES 500,000 LBS OF FRESH PRODUCE TO STUDENTS & FAMILIES

Non-profit Participates in SXSW, Raising Funds & Increasing Awareness in Austin, TX

AUSTIN (March 31, 2022) – Brighter Bites, a national non-profit delivering fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, has reached more than 3,500 families and 500 teachers in Austin with approximately 524,000 pounds of fresh produce this school year.

The non-profit provides teachers with Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) online nutrition lessons as well as videos around produce-related activities to teach and encourage healthier lifestyles among students and their families. Its curriculum aligns with Brighter Bites’ mission to distribute fresh food to students in underserved communities.

“Brighter Bites Austin continues to run a very successful school year, serving almost 5,000 elementary school students and their families,” said Rebeca Hernandez Gonzalez, Sr. Program Manager for Brighter Bites’ Austin operations. “We are also so pleased to distribute produce to our amazing teachers and administrators, who are instrumental to our classroom programming.”

Major Austin partners include FreshPoint Dallas providing operational support, as well as a number of other produce suppliers, including: Imperfect Foods, Taylor Farms, B. Catalani Produce, Urban Roots, Chelan Fresh and Dole. Donations have included a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, including beets, cucumbers, apples, salad kits, bell peppers, Bok choy, yellow squash, and pineapples.

In March, Brighter Bites participated in the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Street Farm (#JoyOfFresh) event during Austin’s SXSW festival. The event attracted hundreds of participants, and increased awareness around the importance of bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to communities in need throughout the United States. More than 150 individuals visited Brighter Bites’ booth where they learned more about the non-profit, its mission, and plans to expand to additional cities in the coming months.

Brighter Bites, which is based in Houston, is dedicated to creating healthy communities by providing produce and nutrition literacy to families in cities throughout the country. The organization works with families in 138 school settings in eight cities, with each family receiving about 50 servings of fresh, seasonal produce and nutrition education on a weekly basis. Brighter Bites families are actively engaged during the program, with data showing that they consume significantly more fresh produce and talk about nutrition more often in their homes.

# # #

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 50 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 475,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, and Los Angeles . In February 2022 Brighter Bites expanded its programming to Bakersfield, CA. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

 

 

Brighter Bites Receives $1.5 Million Walmart Foundation Grant to Expand Access to Fresh Produce & Nutritional Education

Posted on March 15, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES RECEIVES $1.5 MILLION WALMART FOUNDATION GRANT TO EXPAND ACCESS TO FRESH PRODUCE & NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION

Houston, TX (March 15, 2022) – Brighter Bites, a Houston-based nonprofit providing under-resourced families with fresh produce and nutrition education, received a $1.5 million grant from the Walmart Foundation to expand programming in communities throughout the country.

The grant will support Brighter Bites’ project, “Build a Better Tomorrow for Our Families,” by creating communities of health through increasing access to fresh food and nutrition education equitably across neighborhoods in participating cities. Currently, Brighter Bites’ serves over 30,000 school children and their families across 148 schools in Houston, Dallas, Austin, the Washington, D.C. metro area, New York City, Salinas, CA, Southwest Florida, and Los Angeles.

Brighter Bites will use the granted funds to establish new partnerships with food banks, community partners, additional local funders, and school districts through the 2023-2024 school year. These will also be utilized to hire staff and other resources necessary for expansions to other cities. By broadening its national scope, Brighter Bites will increase the impact it currently provides among families living in neighborhoods and communities defined as “food deserts.”

Additional investments in technology will be made as well, including an improved data infrastructure that will enhance data collection and maintenance. Brighter Bites will extend teachers and school administrators’ access to digital resources, which will then be applied inside the classroom and at home among families.

Brighter Bites’ goal has always been simple – to impact as many children and families as possible by providing easy access to fruits and vegetables. Each week families, teachers, and administrators participating in the Brighter Bites program receive approximately 50 servings of eight to twelve different produce items, along with nutrition education materials.

“Empowering children and families to make healthier food choices is crucial in strengthening the health and wellbeing of communities,” said Eileen Hyde, senior director community resilience, Walmart.org. “Our support of Brighter Bites over the years has helped communities across the U.S. to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables, and we’re thrilled with the impact their programs are having.”

“Brighter Bites is honored and grateful to be awarded this grant from the Walmart Foundation,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “These funds will allow us to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to even more families around the country as we continue expansion to other cities, creating communities of health and removing barriers to access of fresh food.”

Brighter Bites partners with the UTHealth School of Public Health to demonstrate its impact in terms of improving its families’ long-term health and nutrition. A recent statistic that UTHealth researchers reported states, “As compared to baseline, at two years follow-up after the program, parents reported significant increases in daily intake of vegetables, and combined fruit and vegetables. As compared to the shopping and consumption habits of families at baseline, by the end of the spring participating families reported a significant decrease in the amount of added sugars consumed, as well as a significant increase in eating produce-heavy meals together at home.”

# # #

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 40 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 475,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, and Southwest Florida. In February 2021 Brighter Bites expanded its programming to Salinas, California. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

About Walmart.org:
Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By focusing where the business has unique strengths, Walmart.org works to tackle key social and environmental issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 24 countries, employs more than 2.2 million associates and does business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, advance equity, address hunger, build inclusive economic opportunity for people in supply chains, protect and restore nature, reduce waste and emissions, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit www.walmart.org or connect on Twitter @Walmart.org.

 

Brighter Bites Announces New Program in Los Angeles, with Key Partners Food Forward and CalFresh Healthy Living

Posted on February 22, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES ANNOUNCES NEW PROGRAM LAUNCH IN LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES (February 22, 2022) – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces a new partnership with produce supplier Food Forward to add Los Angeles as the eighth location where the organization will serve students and families. This partnership is made possible through funding from CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California a SNAP-Ed program.

Through this expansion, Brighter Bites aims to improve the health of students and families in the Los Angeles area by providing nutrition education and access to free and fresh produce weekly, along with tips on how to store and cook the fruits and vegetables properly. This will be the second location in California that Brighter Bites serves, following Salinas (2021), with additional programs anticipated to launch later this year.

“We are thrilled to be able to further our reach in California,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “We are extremely thankful for the backing from Food Forward and our other local partners in the greater Los Angeles area along with the produce industry as a whole, and look forward to continuing to grow our reach across the country.”

The arrival of Brighter Bites in this market is made possible through the support of several key partners, including Food Forward, Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, and New Heights Charter School. Food Forward will support these Los Angeles schools through produce procurement of 6,000 to 12,000 pounds of fresh produce per week and provide logistical support.

“The launch of this new partnership with Brighter Bites allows Food Forward to leverage our food and environmental expertise by meeting communities where they are to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to families in underserved areas,” said Rick Nahmias, Founder & CEO of Food Forward. “Through our plant based model, we hope to build awareness on health equity, by educating communities about their own health, along with the environment and economic impact of their food choices.” 

Food Forward uses a mix of staff and volunteer led programs to recover and distribute upwards of 60+ million pounds of fresh produce to community partners that serve people experiencing food insecurity. Since 2009 they have distributed over 225 million pounds of produce that would otherwise have gone to waste and have won multiple awards for their innovation, leadership, and commitment to health equity.

“What I like about the nutrition education is that it’s super easy and accessible. Getting produce into the classroom was really exciting for the kids as well as the teachers!” said Yessenia Rivas-Hernandez, Family Services Coordinator, Camino Nuevo Castellanos Charter Academy. “We’re already seeing Brighter Bites making a positive impact on our community as families are talking about what they are going to make with the produce provided.”

To date, Brighter Bites has partnered with six Los Angeles-based schools which will serve around 900 families with over 144,000 pounds of fresh produce. In addition, the organization has scheduled 120 nutrition education lessons to support the community in its quest for better health decisions. These numbers are expected to grow throughout the year, and beyond.

Since launching in 2012, Brighter Bites has distributed more than 40 million pounds of produce and hundreds of thousands of nutrition education materials to over 500,000 individuals through schools, after school programs and summer camps in the cities in which it serves. Brighter Bites uses a simple formula for introducing healthy lifestyles to families: produce distribution, nutrition education, and a fun food experience that helps to demystify produce and show just how great it can taste. 

# # #

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 40 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 475,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Salinas and Southwest Florida. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

About Food Forward

Food Forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people experiencing food insecurity, and inspiring others to do the same. For more details about Food Forward’s health and environmental work, statistics and more, visit foodforward.org or contact media@foodforward.org.

 

Brighter Bites Appoints Produce Alliance President and Long-Term Produce Executive Melissa Ackerman to Board of Directors

Posted on February 16, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES APPOINTS MELISSA ACKERMAN TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Produce Alliance President & Long-Time Executive To Strengthen Nonprofit’s Alliances With Produce Partners

HOUSTON, TX (February 16, 2022) – Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces Melissa Ackerman as the newest member of its board of directors. Ackerman will develop Brighter Bites’ partnerships with produce companies and organizations throughout the country, further strengthening its ability to distribute fresh produce and nutrition education to students and families. In this role, she will also help guide the organization as it expands beyond the eight cities in which it currently operates. 

Ackerman is currently president of Produce Alliance (PA), a national produce company specializing in consulting and purchasing of produce from field to fork. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, PA was instrumental in delivering fresh food to those in need through the USDA’s “Farmers to Families Food Boxes” program. Ackerman played a pivotal role in the program, which ran during 2020 and 2021, and delivered over 100 million pounds of food in 9 million boxes to Americans. 

“Melissa Ackerman’s experience at PA, and with the “Farmers to Families Food Boxes” program, syncs directly with Brighter Bites’ mission to create communities of health through fresh food,” said Lisa Helfman, founder and board chair of Brighter Bites. “We are thrilled to have her insight as we build stronger relationships within the produce community and expand into more cities around the country.” 

Ackerman joined PA in 2012 and prior to serving as the President, she was Associate General Counsel, VP of Sales, and Executive VP of Sales. Ackerman has been a key player to PA’s growth in size, and its expanded impact within the produce industry. She most recently created the PA Foundation, a philanthropic arm of PA designed to be a first-line responder to emergent humanitarian situations. 

Additionally, Ackerman sits on the Board of Directors for the International Fresh Produce Association where she is the Chair for the Food Service, and she also serves on the Advisory Boards of Freight Farms, The Center for Food Integrity’s Racial Justice, Inclusion and Diversity Initiative and YPO Chicago Chapter. Ackerman was a winner of Produce Business’ 40 Under Forty Best and Brightest in 2018.  

“The evolution of food into mission-based programs that drives food equity and builds viable food ecosystems for all Americans is the heart of my life’s work,” said Ackerman. “I’m excited to bring that passion and experience coupled with Brighter Bites impact in schools and communities to continue shaping food and nutrition security.”

To accomplish the goal of making fresh produce more accessible to families in need and ultimately improving health outcomes, Brighter Bites utilizes three pillars; produce distribution, nutrition education and a fun food experience. To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit brighterbites.org, or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or YouTube. 

# # #

About Brighter Bites

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 40 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 475,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Southwest Florida and Salinas, CA. In January 2022, Brighter Bites expanded its programming to Los Angeles. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.