We showed you what it takes to operate Brighter Bites in NYC, but what about in our nation’s capital? Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at our program in the Washington, D.C. area!
Learn all about Brighter Bites in the Washington, D.C. area!
Keyword/Tag: The Coastal Companies Foundation
Partner Spotlight: The Coastal Companies Foundation
Brighter Bites is fortunate to work with incredible produce partners around the country, and today we’d like to introduce you to a unique partner that is an integral part of our Washington, D.C. program: The Coastal Companies Foundation.
The Coastal Companies Foundation (Coastal) is a major mid-Atlantic distributor of fresh produce and dairy and a leading regional processor of fruits and vegetables through its three operating businesses: Coastal Sunbelt Produce, East Coast Fresh, and Cold Chain Logistics. Coastal was established in 2012 with the mission of nourishing its community through nutrition, education, and good corporate citizenship. “Our partnership with Brighter Bites further helps us accomplish that mission by directing produce and education to children and their families right here in our backyard,” said Micah Brown, president of East Coast Fresh and executive director of The Coastal Companies Foundation. “We are thrilled to be able to positively influence the eating habits of our surrounding community through the Brighter Bites program and give back in a truly meaningful way.”
We are equally thrilled to partner with Coastal, who has put their full-support behind Brighter Bites and mobilized their network of regional growers to introduce our families to an incredible variety of produce.
Jaci Daly, a Coastal Sunbelt Produce buyer, explains the process of gathering produce donations from suppliers:
“We seek support primarily through direct donations, but also by looking for opportunities when market supply exceeds demand. Our goal is to provide four unique items per week and, when possible, look to source retail packed products for two main reason: so families can recognize the brands when they are shopping on their own and to make it easier for volunteers packing the bags.”
Coastal’s dedication to sourcing produce from their incredible network of vendors has resulted in Coastal supporting half of our produce donations in Washington, D.C. Past Coastal produce donations have included unusual and exciting items like persimmons, celery root, Asian pears, and even edible flowers!
“Our vendors are proud to join us in supporting Brighter Bites, because they share our belief in the mission of creating communities of health through fresh food,” said Daly.
“We’re thrilled that Brighter Bites is empowering families with the knowledge to choose healthy, fresh produce, and we look forward to continuing to partner with them through Coastal,” said Josh Curland of BrightFarms, a Coastal vendor.
Brown put it best when he described the communal effort of the produce industry to create communities of health:
“While I’m not surprised by the impact of the program in Prince George’s County, I have been so impressed and humbled by the produce industry as a whole as it has come together to support this great cause, both here in the D.C. metro area and across the nation. Without the amazing support of our vendors and suppliers, none of this would be possible. And I can say personally that seeing the joy and genuine gratitude on the faces of those we are able to serve each week through this program makes it all worthwhile.”
We are so humbled by the hard work and generosity of The Coastal Companies Foundation and their dedicated vendors, and thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their incredible partnership over the last two years. We can’t wait to keep creating communities of health with you!
Check out a few snaps of our students saying thank you to Coastal’s amazing vendors!
Flower Power
At Brighter Bites, we love trying new fruits, vegetables, and…flowers?
That’s right…flowers! Thanks to our friends at Little Wild Things Farm, a local urban farm in Washington, D.C., many of our D.C. students tried edible flowers for the first time. Their donation allowed our students to learn about the great variety of edible plants that nourish our bodies and taste great too!
Whether garnishing a salad or topping a dessert, bright and beautiful flowers make excellent mealtime additions and can add a pop of color, flavor, and spice to any meal. But before adding flowers to your plate, make sure you’re familiar with which flowers are edible and which should be avoided.
For more flower inspiration, check out Little Wild Things Farm’s blog for tips on adding edible flowers and microgreens to your meals.
Big thanks to Little Wild Things Farm, Capital Area Food Bank, and The Coastal Companies Foundation for making this flower-power adventure possible!
Brighter Bites Goes to Washington!
We are so excited to announce that Brighter Bites is now creating communities of health through fresh food in the Washington, D.C. metro area!
Press Release: Brighter Bites Expands to Washington, D.C. and Metro Area
Media Contact:
Stefanie Cousins
Stefanie.Cousins@brighterbites.org
919-360-4156
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington D.C. Area’s Food Bank Teams Up with Nutrition Education Nonprofit to Improve Access to Healthy Food for Students and Their Families
Capital Area Food Bank and The Coastal Companies Foundation help bring more fresh fruits and vegetables to families in Prince George’s County through a new partnership with Brighter Bites
Washington, D.C. (May 2, 2018) – Capital Area Food Bank and The Coastal Companies Foundation 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 Prince George’s County, MD.
Nearly 130,000 individuals in Prince George’s County, 22 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.
“We know that food habits form early, and that those habits can impact health and well-being for life,” said Radha Muthiah, President and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank. “We’re committed to working with our community’s schools to get good food – especially fruits and vegetables – into the hands of kids and families, which is why we’re excited by the Brighter Bites model and eager to see the impact that this partnership will have in Prince George’s County and beyond.”
Brighter Bites will run programs this spring and summer that will provide 80,000 pounds of produce and thousands of pieces of nutrition education materials to approximately 500 families and teachers at William Paca Elementary School, Cool Spring Elementary, and selected summer camps in Prince George’s County. Brighter Bites plans to grow its presence to serve even more elementary schools and summer programs in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area in the coming years.
As part of the initiative, Capital Area Food Bank and The Coastal Companies Foundation will supply thousands of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, warehousing, and transportation services to support the initiative.
“When we learned that Brighter Bites was coming to the Washington DC area, we knew right away it would be the ideal partnership for The Coastal Companies Foundation,” said Micah Brown, President, East Coast Fresh & Executive Director at The Coastal Companies Foundation. “Brighter Bites’ desire to provide kids and families with access to fresh, healthy food aligns perfectly with our Foundation’s mission to nourish our community. We are excited to see a transformation in the eating habits of the next generation and are thrilled to help make such a powerful impact.”
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.
Prince George’s County is the sixth Brighter Bites program to launch after Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, and Southwest Florida.
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 Capital Area Food Bank
The Capital Area Food Bank is the largest organization in the Washington metro area working to solve hunger and its companion problems: chronic undernutrition, heart disease, and obesity. By partnering with 444 community organizations in DC, MD, and VA, as well as delivering food directly into hard to reach areas, the CAFB is helping 540,000 people each year get access to good, healthy food. That’s 12% of our region’s mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, and grandparents.
About The Coastal Companies Foundation
In 2012, The Coastal Companies and its operating businesses, Coastal Sunbelt Produce, East Coast Fresh, and Cold Chain Logistics, established a foundation to coordinate all giving. The mission of The Coastal Companies Foundation is to “nourish our community” through nutrition, education, and good corporate citizenship. The Coastal Companies Foundation accomplishes its mission by building community partnerships, sponsoring innovative service projects, and investing in people.