Families in Houston, Chicago Join Aramark, American Heart Association Pilot for Healthy Eating

Pilot program is part of the Healthy for Life® 20 by 20 initiative, aiming to change attitudes and behaviors around food and health in local communities
Jun 8, 2016 5:15 PM ET

Aramark and the American Heart Association (AHA) recognize that educating parents and heads of households about making healthy choices for their families is key to reversing an alarming trend toward obesity in both children and adults.

Together they created a new community health engagement program in Houston, Chicago and Philadelphia in partnership with 5 local community centers. The pilot program is designed to change attitudes and behaviors around food and health by equipping individuals with new skills for healthy living. This program is part of Aramark and the AHA’s Healthy for Life® 20 by 20 commitment to improve Americans’ diets and health by 20% by 2020.

During the 12-week program, Aramark and the American Heart Association hosted a series of healthy eating classes at Neighborhood Centers Inc., Houston; Casa Central, Chicago; and Congreso, The Federation of Neighborhood Centers and Episcopal Community Services in Philadelphia. The goal is to impact the attitudes and behaviors of single-parent families when it comes to food and family meal decisions. Classes covered a variety of topics including knowing your "health numbers", basic cooking skills, grocery shopping on a budget and more.