Yesterday morning, I did a 30-minute interview over Skype™ with a reporter from Chile in South America. Believe it or not, he had heard about our “Let’s Move Salad Bars to California Schools” Campaign (I wrote about it back in October 2012). He was intrigued with our success in getting the produce industry to rally around such a unique cause.
A quick refresher: Last July, I joined three fellow produce industry leaders and we asked companies and individuals to invest in kids through our salad bar program. We asked anyone and everyone who would listen to invest $2,625.00 for each portable salad bar unit that could be installed in school cafeterias. This would allow schools to offer a “make your own salad” option for students.
Our original goal was to fund 350 school salad bars in California. But more schools continued to apply for salad bars, so we kept increasing our goal.
Our campaign concluded last week with a press conference in San Diego at an annual produce industry convention. It was standing room only! Attendees included school foodservice directors from around California; the Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, Walter Robb (their Whole Kids Foundation donated more than 200 salad bars); the Superintendent of California Schools, Tom Torlakson; plus over 20 elementary and high school students who wanted to share the impact salad bars have made on their lives.
We revealed our final results to a breathless crowd: We collected more than $1.1 million in donations, funding 436 school salad bars!
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| That’s me in the purple revealing our results! |
Why were we so committed? Because we learned when school-aged kids are given the opportunity to choose their own foods for lunch, like fresh salad, we can create healthy eating habits which will impact them for the rest of their life!
Here is the video of the salad bar press conference. It starts at 0:29. Please use and share!
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Be Inspired,
Karen