HOUSTON – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces the release of its 2022 annual report. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has served 500,000+ families, taught 150,000+ nutrition education lessons, and distributed 50+ million pounds of fresh produce.
This year, readers will get a closer look at Brighter Bites’ financials, the number of nutrition education materials distributed, number of schools and families served, and a general look back at 2022. The annual report also includes information on their new Produce RX program created in partnership with UT Physicians Pediatric Clinics.
Key highlights found within the report include:
- In addition to 2022 marking the 10-year milestone of programming and expansion in the U.S., it also was a fruitful year with an overall growth in school sites of 38%.
- 7,134,405 pounds of food were distributed in the nine areas across the country which Brighter Bites serves: Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield
- 8,411 nutrition education lessons and activities were taught in classrooms across the country.
- There were 2,1675,626 total family and classroom encounters where Brighter Bites staff interacted directly with families and students at produce distribution sites (up 24% from 1,753,203 in 2021).
- The organization received $6,459,160 in-kind donations from food banks and produce industry partners in 2022.
“Over the past ten years, we’ve been committed to creating communities of health through fresh food by providing resources for families to live and create healthier lifestyles,” said Lisa Helfman, founder of Brighter Bites. “With the support of our dedicated donors and volunteers, we’ve been able to achieve great things and make a positive impact on the communities we serve. That’s something worth celebrating!”
In 2022, Brighter Bites implemented the following activities, strengthening its impact:
- The organization’s first gala was held in November 2022 which celebrated 10 years of programing and raised over $700,000 in donations.
- Opened programming in Bakersfield and Los Angeles, as well as laid groundwork for its tenth city opening in San Antonio in 2023.
- Coordinated over 21,996 hours of volunteer work to ensure Brighter Bites families were supplied with food and nutrition education.
“I am moved by our donors, partners, and staff who have risen to the occasion to overcome obstacles this past year, demonstrating resilience and an uncompromising dedication
to the communities we serve,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “I want to also thank our extraordinary employees and wonderful board of directors who constantly prioritize our Brighter Bites families in doing whatever it takes to provide them with fresh produce and educational materials.”
Brighter Bites’ 2022 annual report can be downloaded here. To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit brighterbites.org, or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or YouTube.
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 50 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and San Antonio. To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit www.brighterbites.org.
