Keyword/Tag: Southwest Florida

Brighter Bites Awarded Grant From The Naples Children and Education Foundation

Posted on April 4, 2019 by -

On Monday, March 18, Brighter Bites Southwest Florida had the pleasure of attending the 2019 Naples Children and Education Foundation Grant Awards Ceremony as one of 43 local nonprofit organizations receiving funding through NCEF this year.

Earlier this month NCEF awarded Brighter Bites grant funding to support school-based programs in the greater Southwest Florida region to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables for families in underserved communities.

Brighter Bites Southwest Florida Program Director Marcela Romero with Program Coordinator Rosmery Garcia at the awards ceremony held at the Bay Colony Golf Club

Brighter Bites launched our Southwest Florida program in spring of 2018. Since then, we have provided over 100,000 pounds of fresh produce along with nutrition education materials to more than 1,000 families.
We are thrilled to announce this exciting partnership and look forward to working with NCEF in the coming months to bring more fruits and vegetables to families in Collier County!

Partner Highlight: Southern Specialties

Posted on December 18, 2018 by -

Our friends at Southern Specialties,  a South Florida fruit and vegetable grower and shipper, have partnered with Brighter Bites to provide two varieties of produce each week to our Southwest Florida program. We are so excited about this partnership and all the wonderful produce varieties that our families will be introduced to.

“Southern Specialties is very proud of our association with Brighter Bites. Together, we are moving the needle towards greater fruit and vegetable consumption among children and their families,” said Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties. “It is gratifying to see the quantifiable results produced by the Brighter Bites program.”

“With consistent support from Southern Specialties each week of our programming in Southwest Florida, we are sure to be giving our families in Immokalee and other parts of Collier County access to two additional unique items of produce each and every week of the program,” said Brighter Bites Executive Director Samuel Newman. “During this season of gratitude, we are thankful for produce houses like Southern Specialties who understand that exposing Brighter Bites families to fresh food is giving them the gift of health.”

Read more about the collaboration between Southern Specialties and Brighter Bites!
– Southern Specialties gives produce to Brighter Bites program
– South Florida grower partners with local nonprofit
– Southern Specialties Partners for Nutrition

Check out some photos of produce that Southwest Specialties donated to Brighter Bites during the Fall 2018 season.

Brighter Bites Featured in Naples Daily News

Posted on August 17, 2018 by -

The Naples Daily News recently featured Brighter Bites in a report on health disparities in Southwest Florida, where Brighter Bites is working to improve access to fresh produce for low income families. Read the article to learn about Southwest Florida’s food desert issue and how Brighter Bites is fighting back by creating communities of health through fresh food.

“AndNowUKnow” Features Brighter Bites Florida Expansion

Posted on May 1, 2018 by -

AndNowUKnow, an online news media company, reported on Brighter Bites’ partnerships with Lipman Family Farms and the Harry Chapin Food Bank upon our expansion to Southwest Florida. Read their coverage below and click here for the full story.

Fri. April 27th, 2018
By Kayla Webb

FORT MYERS, FL – Lipman Family Farms is setting its sights on what it can do to increase exposure to fresh fruits and vegetables for families in underserved communities. Teaming up with Harry Chapin Food Bank and Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that helps create communities of health through fresh food, Lipman Family Farms is launching school-based programs to encourage healthy eating by providing fresh produce, nutrition education materials, support of in-class education, and healthy recipes to families in South Florida.

Jaime Weisinger, Director of Community Relations and Government Relations, Lipman Family Farms“Over the past couple of years, Lipman Family Farms has donated tomatoes to Brighter Bites programs in Houston, Dallas, and Austin, and we’ve been proud of our association with the program and its impact on so many lives,” said Jaime Weisinger, Director of Community Relations and Government Relations, Lipman Family Farms. “When there was an opportunity to bring the program to Southwest Florida, we jumped at the chance. Brighter Bites fits every part of our philanthropy strategy, and we’re thrilled to be donating even more produce to Brighter Bites right here in our own backyard.”

According to Feeding America, nearly 40,000 individuals in Collier County, 36 percent of whom are children, lack consistent access to nutritionally adequate food. To remedy that, Brighter Bites is running programs this spring and summer that will provide more than 75,000 pounds of produce and thousands of pieces of nutrition education materials to over 600 families and teachers at Lake Trafford Elementary School, Eden Park Elementary School, and the Boys and Girls Club in the Collier County School District. Lipman Family Farms and Harry Chapin Food Bank are supporting the initiative and doing their part by donating thousands of pounds of fresh fruits and veggies, warehousing, and transportation services.

Samuel Newman, Executive Director, Brighter Bites“Local partnerships are critical to the success of our organization and the impact we have on the communities where we work,” said Samuel Newman, Executive Director of Brighter Bites. “We could not be happier to be partnering with two of the most trusted organizations in the region.”

Within the initiative, a simple formula is used to introduce healthy lifestyles to families that includes produce distribution, nutrition education, and encouraging families to sample delicious and fun recipes. Parents and community volunteers also pack bags of fresh fruits and veggies for families and teachers to take home each week over the course of three eight-week sessions. Each free two-bag set contains approximately 50 servings of 12 different produce items.

Richard LeBer, President and CEO, Harry Chapin Food Bank“Many hungry families struggle to eat healthy food on a budget. Teaching them how to do that is an important priority for us,” said Richard LeBer, President and CEO of Harry Chapin Food Bank. “That’s why we’re very excited to bring Brighter Bites’ effective programs to Southwest Florida.”

According to a press release, research shows the Brighter Bites model provides consistent opportunities for children and their families to practice healthier behaviors in school and at home, with 98 percent of parents reporting their children eating more fruits and vegetables thanks to the Brighter Bites program and 74 percent maintaining that increased level of consumption after the program ends. Children and parents participating in Brighter Bites also reported:

  • Significant increase in the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed
  • Significant increase in serving more fruits and vegetables as snacks
  • Two-fold increase in cooking meals from scratch, and a significant increase in eating meals together and serving more produce as part of those meals
  • Two-fold increase in using nutrition labels to guide grocery purchases
  • A significant decrease in added sugars consumed among children

Since launching in 2012, Brighter Bites has distributed more than 16 million pounds of produce and over 100,000 nutrition education materials to 40,000 familiesthrough elementary schools, preschools, and summer camps. Southwest Florida is the sixth Brighter Bites program to launch after Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

For more news like this, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.

Partner Spotlight: Harry Chapin Food Bank and Lipman Family Farms

Posted on April 26, 2018 by -

Brighter Bites is so excited about our expansion to Southwest Florida, where we are currently creating communities of health through fresh food in two Collier County elementary schools. But no Brighter Bites community would be complete without our amazing local partners, and we have two of them in Southwest Florida to celebrate today: Lipman Family Farms and Harry Chapin Food Bank!

Lipman Family Farms is America’s largest field tomato grower and a trusted staple in the Southwest Florida community. Lipman Family Farms was founded under a different name in the 1930’s, but its dedication to building lasting relationships with its customers and being responsible for the natural environment and the health of the families it works with has stayed the same. Brighter Bites has been friends with Lipman for years, previously receiving tomatoes for our families in Houston, Dallas, and Austin. We’re so excited to now be working with Lipman in their own backyard!

The Harry Chapin Food Bank‘s mission is to lead its community in the fight to end hunger. With Brighter Bites, it is able to support its priority of emphasizing the importance of healthy choices for the families it serves. The Harry Chapin Food Bank was founded in 1983 and serves five Southwest Florida counties. Every week, the Harry Chapin Food Bank provides food for over 28,000 individuals. We are so excited to be working with such an important organization for Southwest Florida families.

We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Brighter Bites with our new partners. We know that it will certainly be brighter with these folks by our side!

WINK News Covers Brighter Bites’ Launch in Southwest Florida

Posted on April 26, 2018 by -

Brighter Bites’ official launch in Southwest Florida was covered by WINK News, the CBS Naples, FL affiliate station. Read their coverage below.

Brighter Bites provides free and healthy food to Immokalee families

A new partnership is fighting “food deserts” in parts of Southwest Florida that were hit by Hurricane Irma.

“Food deserts are defined as parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas,” according to the USDA. “This is largely due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and healthy food providers.”

Immokalee is one area where children don’t always see healthy food on their plates. 99 percent of students in the area qualify for free lunch, according to school officials.

Hurricane Irma ravaged the Immokalee community which was already struggling.

That’s where Brighter Bites comes to the rescue.

“Not only are we getting them food but we’re giving them education and teaching them how to use it,” said Lisa Helfman, founder of Brighter Bites.

Brighter Bites is teaming up with Harry Chapin and Lipman Farms to help families access and learn about free healthy produce.

The free produce saves families about $35 a week.

Sponsors brought the group in from Texas. Helfman says these meals aren’t just a temporary fix. The program is built to form habits and children are eager to get their fruits and veggies each week.

“It’s fun and it’s becoming a part of the fabric of their lives,” said Helfman.”

In fact, 94 percent of families report that they eat all of the produce provided weekly.

The program will expand to more schools and the Boys and Girls Club summer camp.

To register for those camps, you can visit the Boys and Girls Club website.”

Watch WINK’s video coverage here.

Press Release: Brighter Bites Expands to Southwest Florida

Posted on April 25, 2018 by -

Media Contact:
Stefanie Cousins
Stefanie.Cousins@brighterbites.org
919-360-4156

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Southwest Florida’s Largest Food Bank Teams Up with Nutrition Education Nonprofit to Improve Access to Healthy Food for Students and Their Families  

Harry Chapin Food Bank and Lipman Family Farms help bring more fresh fruits and vegetables to families in Collier County through a new partnership with Brighter Bites

Fort Myers (April 26, 2018) – Harry Chapin Food Bank and Lipman Family Farms today announced a partnership with Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that helps create communities of health through fresh food, to launch school-based programs designed to increase exposure to fresh fruits and vegetables for families in underserved communities in Southwest Florida.

Nearly 40,000 individuals in Collier County, 36 percent of whom are children, lack consistent access to nutritionally adequate food, according to Feeding America. The new program aims to encourage healthy behaviors by providing low-income children and their families with fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as nutrition education materials, support of in-class health education, and healthy recipes.

“Many hungry families struggle to eat healthy food on a budget. Teaching them how to do that is an important priority for us,” Richard LeBer, president and CEO, Harry Chapin Food Bank said. “That’s why we’re very excited to bring Brighter Bites’ effective programs to Southwest Florida.”

Brighter Bites is running programs this spring and summer that will provide more than 75,000 pounds of produce and thousands of pieces of nutrition education materials to over 600 families and teachers at Lake Trafford Elementary School, Eden Park Elementary School, and the Boys and Girls Club in the Collier County School District. Brighter Bites plans to grow its presence to serve even more elementary schools and summer programs in the greater Southwest Florida region in the coming years.

As part of the initiative, Harry Chapin Food Bank and Lipman Family Farms will donate thousands of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, warehousing, and transportation services to support the initiative.

“Over the past couple of years, Lipman Family Farms has donated tomatoes to Brighter Bites programs in Houston, Dallas, and Austin, and we’ve been proud of our association with the program and its impact on so many lives,” said Jaime Weisinger, Director of Community Relations and Government Relations, Lipman Family Farms. “When there was an opportunity to bring the program to Southwest Florida, we jumped at the chance. Brighter Bites fits every part of our philanthropy strategy and we’re thrilled to be donating even more produce to Brighter Bites right here in our own backyard.”

Since launching in 2012, Brighter Bites has distributed more than 16 million pounds of produce and 100,000s of nutrition education materials to 40,000 families through elementary schools, preschools, and summer camps. Brighter Bites uses a simple formula for introducing healthy lifestyles to families: produce distribution, nutrition education, and a fun food experience that includes sampling a recipe of the week to see just how great produce can taste. Parents and community volunteers pack bags of fresh fruits and veggies for families and teachers to take home each week during three eight-week sessions. Each free two-bag set contains approximately 50 servings of eight to 12 different produce items.

“Local partnerships are critical to the success of our organization and the impact we have on the communities where we work, said Samuel Newman, Executive Director of Brighter Bites. “We could not be happier to be partnering with two of the most trusted organizations in the region.”

Brighter Bites measures the outcomes of its program to determine impact. Research shows the Brighter Bites model provides consistent opportunities for children and their families to practice healthier behaviors in school and at home:

  • 98% of Brighter Bites parents report their children eating more fruits and vegetables while participating in the Brighter Bites program.
  • Of those, 74% said they maintained that increased level of consumption after Brighter Bites ended.

Children and parents participating in Brighter Bites reported a:

  • significant increase in the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed;
  • significant increase in serving more fruits and vegetables as snacks;
  • two-fold increase in cooking meals from scratch, and a significant increase in eating meals together and serving more produce as part of those meals;
  • two-fold increase in using nutrition labels to guide grocery purchases;
  • and a significant decrease in added sugars consumed among children.

Southwest Florida is the sixth Brighter Bites program to launch after Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

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 16 million pounds of produce and 100,000s of nutrition education materials to more than 40,000 families and teachers in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, and Southwest Florida. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.

About Lipman Family Farms

Lipman Family Farms is the largest field tomato grower in North America. From seed to shelf, Lipman’s total supply chain control – research & development, farming, processing, repacking, logistics to marketing – delivers the consistency and quality that has made Lipman Family Farms North America’s most dependable source of fresh tomatoes and vegetables.

About Harry Chapin Food Bank

Founded in 1983, the mission of the Harry Chapin Food Bank is to lead our community in the fight to end hunger. Serving five counties in Southwest Florida: Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties, the food bank rescues, inspects, transports and distributes donated food and other grocery products to more than 150 partner agencies that provide direct services to those in need. Our partner agencies include church food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, disaster relief agencies and more. The food bank provides food for about 28,000 individuals each week. During fiscal year 2016-2017, we distributed 22.3 million pounds of food, which equates to 18.6 million meals, a total value of $37.3 million.