Keyword/Tag: Lisa Helfman

Brighter Bites celebrates community stewardship event

Posted on December 23, 2024 by -

We held our second annual Monterey Holiday Event on December 11th for a larger conversation on creating communities of health through fresh food.

This event highlighted the importance and need of local and national collaboration to help Brighter Bites reach success in changing behavior among children and families through their model of fresh produce and nutrition education. The event welcomed 100 guests and community leaders who attended the event, including Vic Smith of JV Smith and Companies, Steve Church of Church Brothers, Bruce Taylor of Taylor Farms, Jim Loewer of Wonderful Citrus, and Soren Bjorn of Driscoll’s.

“Having recently confirmed our three-year commitment to Brighter Bites in Monterey County and Watsonville, we were thrilled to celebrate the incredible impact of this organization at their Holiday Event in Salinas,” said Soren Bjorn, CEO at Driscoll’s. “This partnership helps serve over 5,000 children and their families, ensuring access to fresh, nutritious food and empowering communities to embrace healthier lifestyles.”

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Brighter Bites Partners with Bright Side Snacks – Every Snack Sold Will Donate to Brighter Bites Families

Posted on December 11, 2024 by -

HOUSTON (December 4, 2024) – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, partners with Bright Side Snacks, a new snack food company – offering delicious, cracker-like crisps made from upcycled fruits and vegetables – committed to reducing food waste and promoting healthier eating habits.

For every snack bag sold, we will donate a portion to Brighter Bites – supporting the nonprofit’s mission of creating communities of health through fresh food and nutrition education.

“We are so excited to launch this new brand and provide a healthier snack option for everyone to enjoy. It’s an approachable snack that can be a part of any diet,” said Lisa Helfman, co-founder of Bright Side Snacks and Brighter Bites. “Thirteen years ago, Brighter Bites started on the concept of providing healthier food options to families to improve their health, and Bright Side Snacks is an extension of just that – a healthy, on-the-go, delicious snack made with fresh fruits and vegetables!”

Bright Side Snacks are a new kind of fruit crisp cracker made simply with fruit and vegetable pulp. All flavors are made with only one or two ingredients: just pineapple, pineapple and beet, pineapple and kale, pineapple and cinnamon. Furthermore, the product offers a sustainable solution by utilizing pineapple pulp and other pulp that would otherwise be thrown out after the fruit or vegetable is juiced.

“Not only is it in the name, but Bright Side Snacks aligns beautifully with Brighter Bites and its goal to bring fresher, healthier options to consumers,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “We are thankful for the brand’s contribution to our mission and look forward to seeing them grow within the market.”

Bright Side Snacks are currently being sold online and at select H-E-B stores. If retailers are interested in learning more, please contact Lee Haverman at Lee@brightsidesnacks.com.

 

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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 65 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than one million individuals (including teachers) in Austin, Bakersfield, Dallas, Houston, Las Cruces, Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York City, Salinas, San Antonio, Southwest Florida, and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

About Bright Side Snacks
Bright Side Snacks is a fresh and fun startup food company dedicated to making snacking healthier and more sustainable. Its flagship product, Bright Side Crisps, is crafted from upcycled fruit and vegetable pulp, turning juicing byproducts into delicious, crunchy snacks. With a focus on simplicity, each crisp is made with just one or two ingredients, providing a clean-label alternative to traditional snacks. Bright Side Snacks is committed to reducing food waste and promoting sustainable habits, partnering with Brighter Bites to support healthier communities through access to fresh food. To learn more, visit BrightSideSnacks.com.

 

Brighter Bites featured in Harvard Agribusiness Seminar

Posted on February 20, 2024 by -

Brighter Bites recently participated in the Harvard Agribusiness Seminar as one of 12 case studies presented. Around 185 executives of food system-related firms from around the world attended to learn more about trends, challenges, demands and opportunities within the current food system.

“We are thankful to Harvard Business School faculty and business leaders who provided invaluable input to strengthen our business model and achieve greater impact,” said Shreela V Sharma, Brighter Bites co-founder.

As a case study participant, Brighter Bites was able to gather insight from various business professionals from around the world to help further its mission. Furthermore, attendees were educated and informed on Brighter Bites’ program and commitment to building communities of health nationwide.

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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.

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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 Raises $40,000 with Virtual Fundraising Event, Get Smart in the Kitchen

Posted on April 15, 2021 by -

Brighter Bites Raises $40,000 with Virtual Fundraising Event, Get Smart in the Kitchen

Cooking Segment with Chef Marcia Smart Raised Funds for Brighter Bites’ Programming and Continued Expansion

 Houston, TX (April 15, 2021) – Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that delivers fresh fruits, vegetables and nutrition education resources directly into families’ hands, hosted a virtual fundraising event – Get Smart in the Kitchen – on Sunday, April 11.

The event featured Marcia Smart, developer and chef of Smart in the Kitchen, who prepared three simple and nutritious meals using fresh ingredients that can be found in Brighter Bites’ produce boxes. Also engaged on screen were Brighter Bites’ Founder and Board Chair, Lisa Helfman, Brighter Bites’ Board Member and President of H-E-B Food/Drug Scott McClelland, and Houston Life Co-Host Courtney Zavala.

“The Get Smart in the Kitchen virtual event featured healthy and delicious recipes that incorporated the same produce being distributed to our students and families this spring,” said Lisa Helfman, Founder and Board Chair of Brighter Bites. “This fundraiser provided an ideal opportunity to not only engage our existing Brighter Bites community but also increase awareness around our organization and mission among new audiences.”

Brighter Bites was honored to have the support of three major donors, Cadence Bank, Memorial Hermann, and philanthropist Regina Rogers as well as the support of over 100 individual donors/participants. In total, the event raised approximately $40,000.

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 over 120 schools in seven cities, providing approximately 25 pounds of fresh, seasonal produce and nutrition education on a weekly basis to each family. Brighter Bites families are actively engaged in the program, with data proving they consume significantly more fresh produce and are talking about nutrition more often in their homes, too.

During the early days of the COVID-19 crisis, Brighter Bites stayed committed to providing fresh produce to the 25,000 families enrolled in its programming. The organization also reached much further into its cities by opening produce distributions to full communities and offering nutrition education via its newly developed app. Since its founding in 2012 the nonprofit has provided over 40 million pounds of produce. Brighter Bites currently operates in schools, camps, and after-school programs in Houston, Dallas, Austin, Southwest Florida, New York City, the Washington, D.C. metro area, and Salinas, California.

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 475,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, and Southwest Florida. In 2021 Brighter Bites expanded its programming to Salinas, California. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

 

The Regina Rogers donation was given with admiration and love in honor of the extraordinary Lisa Helfman.