ORLANDO, Fla. – After a successful launch last year, Produce for Kids is encouraging families nationwide to kick off the school year right by pledging to pack a healthier lunchbox August 3 through September 18 at PowerYourLunchbox.com.
The Power Your Lunchbox Pledge™ website offers tools and tips for families and classrooms on eating healthier lunches, after-school snacks, and weekday dinners with recipes inspired by Eric Carle’s popular literary characters including The Very Hungry Caterpillar™, Brown Bear, The Very Grouchy Ladybug and The Very Busy Spider. Plus, those that take pledge will receive coupons and chances to win prizes throughout the campaign.
For every online pledge, lunchbox-friendly companies supporting Power Your Lunchbox Pledge will make a collective $1 donation to Feeding America® children’s programs such as Kids Café, Backpack program and Child Hunger Corps. Produce for Kids partners for the Power Your Lunchbox Pledge 2015 include: GROW Bananas, Marie’s® Dressings, Crispy Green® and Pero Family Farms® with additional support provided by Bentology™.
Products from partner companies will be featured in registered dietitian (RD) – approved lunchbox recipe ideas on poweryourlunchbox.com, promoted regularly throughout the program to more than 80,000 Produce for Kids social media fans and followers, included in the Produce for Kids consumer e-newsletter and included in blogger and media outreach. The ShopRite location at 178 E. Hanover Ave. Cedar Knolls, NJ will host a back-to-school event around Power Your Lunchbox on August 19, which will include a family cooking class and an appearance by The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
New this year, PowerYourLunchbox.com has a complete teacher resource page that provides teachers in grades K-5 with fun, free nutrition-focused downloadable lesson plans, certificates for their students, take home materials for families, and the ability to take the pledge as a classroom. One lucky classroom will be awarded with a costume character visit from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, from Eric Carle’s well-known children’s book.
“In our second year, we are excited to reach and offer resources to even more families and classrooms across the nation through the Power Your Lunchbox Pledge,” said Trish James, vice president, Produce for Kids. “As a mom of two boys, back-to-school is the most stressful time in my house. I understand the challenges parents face when packing a healthy, nutritious lunch for their children and for themselves. It is so important that a child’s lunchbox is not only packed with food they will eat, but also provides them with the nutrients and energy they need to get through the school day. The Power Your Lunchbox Pledge was designed to help families tackle this universal challenge.”
Here are three ways families and individuals can get involved in the campaign:
Take the pledge. Pledge to pack a healthier lunchbox at PowerYourLunchbox.com. Companies supporting the program will make a donation for every pledge taken. Donations will support children’s programs through Feeding America.
Show off healthy lunchboxes on social media. Produce for Kids’ Instagram and Twitter followers can use the #PowerYourLunchbox hashtag to show off their healthy lunchboxes to be automatically entered to win weekly prizes and have their lunchboxes featured on the Produce for Kids Facebook page. Prizes include Bentology boxes, grocery store gift cards and more.
Party with Produce for Kids on Twitter. Parents looking for even more tips and resources for healthy lunchboxes are invited to join Produce for Kids and partner companies at the #PowerYourLunchbox Twitter party at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 12.
The Power Your Lunchbox Pledge campaign gives parents the resources to achieve a great start back to school, while giving back to other children in-need. In 2014, the campaign raised more than $5,000 for kids health and wellness programs across the country.
For more information, please visit poweryourlunchbox.com.
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About Produce for Kids®
Produce for Kids® is a philanthropically based organization that brings the produce industry together to educate consumers about healthy eating with fresh produce and raises funds for local children’s non-profit organizations. Since its creation in 2002 by Shuman Produce Inc., Produce for Kids has raised more than $5 million to benefit kids. To learn more about Produce for Kids and healthy eating, visit www.produceforkids.com, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.
About Feeding America
Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About The World of Eric Carle™
The World of Eric Carle™ is a design-driven licensing and merchandising program based on the beloved picture books by Eric Carle. A prolific author and artist, Eric Carle has written and illustrated more than seventy books which have sold over 128 million copies worldwide. Like his books, The World of Eric Carle brand draws upon Eric Carle’s approach to creativity, discovery, play and development. Licensing and merchandising programs are ongoing in the US, Japan, UK, Australia and Europe. For more information, please visit: www.Facebook.com/theworldofEricCarle.
Source: Produce for Kids®
