The Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) expects a new partnership with nonprofit Brighter Bites will help empower healthy families, cut food waste and boost produce consumption.

In a release, PMA CEO Cathy Burns said the new alliance with the group, focused on nutrition education and bringing a fun food experience directly to families in underserved communities, aligned with a vision for the produce industry to "grow a healthier world".

"Being able to grow healthier families while reducing food waste through this grass-roots, community-based program helps PMA and our members bring that vision to life," Burns said.

"We are excited to partner with Brighter Bites to provide them with strategic insights, financial resources and partners throughout the industry that will enable them to take their multi-state program to a larger national scale."

Brighter Bites was inspired and created by a mother who successfully changed her children’s eating habits and wanted to take this success one big step further - creating the same change in underserved communities by channeling surplus produce to families at school and summer programs.

Parents and other volunteers pack bags of fresh, seasonal produce for families to pick up and take home each week during two eight-week sessions during the school year and an additional eight-week session during the summer. These two bags of fresh produce contain about 50 servings of eight to 12 different produce items.

Since its inception in 2012, the nonprofit has delivered more than 15 million pounds of fresh produce to over 30,000 families.

“Brighter Bites has grown because our program works, but also because we have incredible partners who help keep our data-proven program going across the U.S.," said Brighter Bites founder and board chair Lisa Helfman.

"Between local food banks, growers, suppliers, and distributors, the produce industry has bent over backwards to ensure we have enough product to meet our required 50 servings of produce per family each week.

"We know Brighter Bites is making a difference in people’s lives and we are thrilled that the produce industry has decided to help us create long-term change in the underserved communities where we currently operate with an eye for future growth."

She said strategy helped to change school and home environments simultaneously by changing the conversation about produce at every point in a child's day.

"That is encouraging families to choose fresh food instead of the alternative,” Helfman said.

"We started in one city in Texas, expanded to three, and have started our national expansion with growth to the East Coast, launching operations in Washington, D.C., and New York City, and moving into southwest Florida next."

Burns noted that it was a PMA member that first alerted her to the program, and once she saw the short-term food security solution and the long-term impact on families, she was hooked.

“I could see right away that we needed to get behind Brighter Bites and help wherever we can,” she said.

“I’m humbled, but not surprised, by the response from the produce community as they work to provide fruits, vegetables, distribution logistics, and financial resources to Brighter Bites.

"Making connections is at the heart of PMA’s work, and we’re thrilled to be able to help bring our members together with Brighter Bites wherever it moves next.”

Research proves it works

A two-year, peer-reviewed research study by UTHealth School of Public Health demonstrates that families ate most or all of the produce provided by Brighter Bites, which amounted to an average of 57 servings of fruits and vegetables each week.

In addition, the research shows that once families have completed the program, their consumption of fruits and vegetables remains high – 74% of the families are maintaining the same levels of consumptions as when they were getting the free weekly bags of produce.

“This is one of the reasons we are so enthusiastic about supporting Brighter Bites,” Burns said.

“The research shows the program works on several levels. There is the immediate benefit of providing fresh fruits and vegetables to those who don’t have access to it or may not be able to afford it.

"Through its recipes and other educational materials, Brighter Bites teaches these families how to choose and use fresh food, empowering them to buy and cook with fresh produce in the future. Brighter Bites models delicious and healthy eating habits at school and at home. And the residual effect of increased consumption outside the program is exactly what we want to see – a program that builds consumers for life."

www.freshfruitportal.com