Produce For Kids & Meijer Campaign Provides 27 Local Schools With Nutrition Education Shows

Orlando, FL – The world’s only rock & roll nutrition show Jump with Jill is currently rocking schools across the Midwest thanks to the fall 2014 Produce for Kids campaign that took place across all Meijer stores August 31 – September 27. The donations made by participating produce suppliers during the fall campaign totaled $60,000 and allowed the Jump with Jill program to take place in 27 schools in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

“In partnering with Produce for Kids, we’re able to help educate our customers about the importance of making healthy food choices,” said Shari Steinbach, lead dietitian and Healthy Living Manager for Meijer. “Through the Produce for Kids campaign, we’re extending our reach further to educate students in schools by supporting Jump with Jill and its mission to teach nutrition to kids.”

Jump with Jill is a familiar initiative to families in the Midwest, armed with catchy songs, upbeat dance moves, and a hip wardrobe to engage kids on the subject of health and leave them empowered to eat better. Mejier makes it a point to offer a diverse selection of fruits and vegetables making it easier for families to live out what they learned from Jump with Jill in the produce department of their local grocery store.

“It is tremendous to see the funds from the Meijer campaign utilized in this way,” said John Shuman, president Produce for Kids. “It was my original vision that Produce for Kids serve as a conduit for the produce industry to give back to local communities, and this is the perfect example of those funds at work.”

Suppliers who made this possible include Bolthouse® Farms – Carrots & Juices; DOLE® Salads; Highline® Mushrooms – Fresh Mushrooms; Mariani Packing Company – Mariani® Premium Dried Fruit; Michigan Apple Committee – Michigan Apples; Potandon Produce – Green Giant® Fresh Klondike Rose® & Red Potatoes; Stemilt Growers – Lil Snappers® Gala Apples & Bartlett Pears; SUNSET® Campari® Brand Cocktail Tomatoes; T. Marzetti® Company – Marzetti® Caramel Dip; Westmoreland Sales – TopLine Farms Seedless Cucumbers; POM Wonderful® – Pomegranate Juice & Juice Blends.

Jump with Jill performances in schools are closed to the public but are open to the media. For performance times and locations, contact Jill Jayne at jill@jumpwithjill dot com or (800)531-0760 x 3.

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 raise 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.

About Jump with Jill

The world’s only rock & roll nutrition show Jump with Jill uses music and dance to celebrate healthy habits by transforming nutrition education into a live concert. Created by a Registered Dietitian and professional musician, the show uses singable anthems guaranteed to get students moving and learning about healthy habits. Find this press release and high resolution images at www.jumpwithjill.com/meijer-press.

About Meijer

Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer that operates 213 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. As a pioneer of the “one-stop shopping” concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, garden centers and electronic offerings. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/meijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

Source: Produce for Kids®