Keyword/Tag: Washington D.C.

Brighter Bites Announces Expansion to Additional Schools in Washington, D.C.

Posted on November 30, 2022 by -

BRIGHTER BITES ANNOUNCES EXPANSION IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Brighter Bites Expects to Impact Over 250 Additional Families in the D.C. Area

Washington, D.C. (November 30, 2022) – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit organization that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces further expansion within the Washington, D.C. area.

Brighter Bites has served families in Prince George’s County, Maryland since 2017, and is now expanding its reach to hundreds of more families in the D.C. Public Schools District. This year, the organization is serving sixteen schools in Prince George’s County and two in D.C., including Browne Education Campus and Wheatley Education Campus both located in Ward 5 of Washington, D.C.

“My students are over-the-moon when Brighter Bites comes to our school! They love being able to interact with and learn about a variety of fruits and vegetables in engaging and creative ways,” said Mariah Meads, kindergarten teacher at Browne Education Campus. “Brighter Bites intentionally curates meaningful learning opportunities to educate and teach students how to have a healthy relationship with the food they put in their bodies, and we couldn’t be happier our students are able to learn this firsthand.”

Brighter Bites’ expansion in this region is made possible through key partners including 4P Foods, a weekly grocery delivery service in the communities of Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.

“We believe that fresh, healthy, delicious food should be the norm, not the exception – a right, not a privilege. Working together with Brighter Bites allows us to build towards that mission with every single delivery,” said Tom McDougall, Founder & CEO of 4P Foods. “This program not only provides wonderful food to families that might not otherwise have access to it, but it is showing what’s possible when we rethink what the future food system must look like. It is an opportunity to work with a large network of community leaders, families, farmers, educators, children, and others to build towards a better food system. One that is regional, regenerative, equitable, and delicious. We’re honored to be a part of it.”

Since launching in 2012, Brighter Bites has distributed more than 50 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.

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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, preschools, 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 50 million pounds of produce and hundreds of thousands of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Austin, Dallas, New York City, Washington, D.C., Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org and follow on social media @brighterbites.

 

 

Brighter Bites Distributes Over 600,000 Pounds of Fresh Produce and Nutrition Resources to Washington, D.C. Schools

Posted on August 3, 2021 by -

Brighter Bites Distributes Over 600,000 Pounds of Fresh Produce and Nutrition Resources To Washington, D.C. – Area Schools During 2020-2021 School Year

Prince George’s County, MD (August 3, 2021) – Brighter Bites, a nonprofit program working to provide children with nutrition resources and fresh produce, completed a successful 2020-2021 school year in the Washington, D.C./Prince George’s County areas by providing 2,872 families boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables along with hundreds of nutrition education resources.

The boxes totaled 616,218 pounds and on average, contained 8 to 10 unique produce items. Area programming took place at 10 sites, including elementary schools in Adelphi, Capitol Heights, Glenarden, Hyattsville, Landover, Landover Hills, and Riverdale, and was strengthened by key partner relationships.

“The Brighter Bites program was instrumental in educating our school communities about good nutrition, encouraging families to try new foods, and keeping our community fed, especially during the pandemic when finances and other resources were quite limited for many,” said Valerie Brooks, educator at Cool Spring Elementary School in Adelphi. “Brighter Bites was a blessing to many families here at Cool Spring.”

To additionally benefit teachers and school communities, Brighter Bites provided teachers with CATCH online nutrition lessons, as well as videos around produce-related activities for ease of sharing with students. CATCH, which stands for Coordinated Approach to Child Health, encourages children and their communities to adopt healthier lifestyles, and aligns with Brighter Bites’ mission to distribute fresh food to students in under-resourced communities.

“Brighter Bites in Prince George’s County had a very successful school year despite the logistical challenges due to COVID-19,” said Carolina Moppett, Sr. Program Manager for Brighter Bites’ Washington, D.C.-area operations. “We were so pleased to serve over 2,800 families this year, and to receive such enthusiastic feedback from our participating teachers.”

Major D.C.-area partners include the Capital Area Food Bank and Coastal Sunbelt Produce, which from the start of the program have consistently provided produce and and arranged deliveries to the schools.

“As the Prince George’s County Council Member representing many Brighter Bites families, I am so pleased with the impact the organization is making in our communities,” said Prince George’s County Council Member Dannielle M. Glaros (D-District 3). “The fruits and vegetables, as well as the nutrition education materials that have been distributed, have been so well received and appreciated by all.”

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.

Staff Spotlight: Tara McNerney

Posted on May 3, 2018 by -

Meet Tara!

Tara McNerney is the Program Director for Brighter Bites Washington, D.C. Tara joined Brighter Bites in November 2017, inspired by the mission of Brighter Bites, its evidence-based and proven model, and the passion of all the Brighter Bites staff members she spoke to prior to joining the team!

Tara’s favorite part of the job is getting to work with so many different actors in the Brighter Bites system, including the Capital Area Food Bank, school administrators, families, and students. She also loves collaborating with other cities’ Brighter Bites program directors to learn from their experiences in other parts of the county.

Tara grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts, where she enjoyed competing in volleyball and track and field, and reading as many books as she could. After college, Tara moved to Sweden to complete her master’s degree in strategic leadership toward sustainability. She loved observing the Swedish culture and enjoying both Sweden’s beautiful countryside and sustainable cities.

Having lived in DC for a few years, Tara loves being surrounded by so many passionate and mission-driven people. She notes that DC is an ideal place to work if you want to change the world!

When she’s not on the job, you’ll most likely find Tara going for a run, playing volleyball, or working in her garden. If you’re in the area, she recommends checking out The Red Hen to try their fresh pasta or Busboys and Poets, a bookstore and cafe that supports and reflects the wonderful diversity of the DC community!

We are so excited to have Tara on our team and hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know her as much as we have!

Press Release: Brighter Bites Expands to Washington, D.C. and Metro Area

Posted on May 1, 2018 by -

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.