Del Monte Foods Announces Year 1 Progress With Nonprofit Partner Healthier Generation to Nourish the Wellness of Youth and Communities
Nourishing Families, Nourishing Schools Program: 1 Million+ Served for Youth and Community Well-Being
Recently, Del Monte Foods shared a progress update on the first year of its “Nourishing Families by Nourishing Schools” program, a groundbreaking initiative launched in partnership with the nonprofit Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Healthier Generation). This commitment was made in support of the company’s Growers of Good™ purpose to grow a healthier and more hopeful tomorrow by making nutritious foods more accessible to all.
Del Monte Foods’ and Healthier Generation’s partnership was announced at the 2022 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) meeting. The program is dedicated to enhancing the physical, mental, and social-emotional well-being of children, with a strong commitment to reaching 75 percent of students representing Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) populations.
One Year of Progress
In year one, the partnership has:
- Reached 1.25 million families with family-oriented nutritious and easy recipes and activities to foster community and connection through meals.
- Engaged more than two million children at nearly 4,700 K-12 schools with program content.
- Ensured inclusive reach with 67 percent of the students and families reached to date representing BIPOC populations and 75 percent of schools and districts reached serving under-resourced communities through Title I funding.
Our commitment to accessible and high-quality nutrition for families and schools extends beyond financial support,” said Greg Longstreet, President and CEO of Del Monte Foods. “We are proud to share the milestones we’ve achieved in improving the health and well-being of youth across the country. Our progress demonstrates our dedication as Growers of Good to making a tangible difference in the lives of students and families.”
Kathy Higgins, CEO of Healthier Generation, added, “The positive impact of this initiative on students and communities is evident in the reach that we’ve had in the past year. We are proud of the progress we’ve achieved in partnership with Del Monte Foods, and we remain dedicated to our mission of enhancing whole child health for current and future generations.”
This year’s programming included the launch of four impactful multimedia campaigns to promote nutrition education and access:
- Leading into the holiday season, Healthier Generation and Del Monte Foods provided virtual resources and content for families to help bring joy to mealtimes for their holiday campaign, including nutritious, fun and affordable recipes with some spins on holiday classics.
- Through the Choose Good, Do Good campaign in January and February, customers could purchase Del Monte Foods products at a discounted rate at participating retailers and a portion of the sales would go to Healthier Generation’s programs to support children and families.
- For National Nutrition Month in March, the partnership provided families with resources to encourage physical activity and family mealtime bonding with affordable, nutritious meals.
- Amidst the busy back-to-school season, the organizations teamed up to provide quick and easy nutritious recipes for parents and hosted an engaging cooking segment with a celebrity chef.
Year Two and Beyond
Looking ahead, Del Monte Foods and Healthier Generation are committed to furthering their impact in year two and beyond. Del Monte Foods is an official sponsor of the Improving Nutrition & Food Access distinction for the 2024 America’s Healthiest Schools – Healthier Generation’s signature annual recognition program that celebrates schools across the nation for their achievements in advancing the physical, mental, and social-emotional health of students, staff and families. Del Monte Foods will collaborate with Healthier Generation to support schools in meeting these criteria within the food and nutrition topic through resources and programs.
Del Monte Foods and Healthier Generation will also continue to prioritize developing resources for educators and families that help them combat food insecurity and boost nutrition through emphasizing the value of school meals, teaching how to recognize the signs of food insecurity in children, finding ways for families to come together at mealtimes, and more.
For more information on Del Monte Foods’ commitment to fostering goodness for people, communities, and the planet, please refer to its Sustainability Report.
