Murrieta, CA – As part of the company’s West Pak Cares committee community involvement program, West Pak Avocado of Murrieta, California, has donated a load of 134,500 avocados to Brighter Bites – a Houston-based nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands. The organization has provided more than 50 million pounds of produce and hundreds of thousands of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals in Texas, California, Florida, New York, and Washington DC.
“Doing good is in our DNA,” said West Pak Avocado CEO Mario Pacheco. “As a produce company, we recognize that it is our responsibility to help support initiatives that increase food and nutrition security. That’s why we are thrilled to donate healthy avocados to Brighter Bites’ nutritional program and help ensure those in need can access the high-quality nutrition they deserve.”
“While there are people in need of nutrition, no food should ever go to waste,” Pacheco continued. “Whenever a produce company has an excess of product, it makes good sense to make the most of the abundance and donate to worthy food banks and hunger relief non-profits.”
As part of its ongoing sustainability efforts, West Pak is dedicated to making a positive difference in the community and doing its part to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to thrive. The company’s donation of fruit will bespread throughout South Texas amongst 33,600 families in need during the holidays.
“Every family deserves healthy fruit, especially for growing kids,” adds West Pak Avocado Vice President of Sales and Business Development Joe Nava. “Avocados are a nutrient-dense food, a good source of folate, and provide vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that help support a healthy diet. But it’s the great taste and versatility that makes the avocado so popular with families with kids. We’re proud to spread some of that goodness with our premium avocados this holiday season.”
In response to West Pak’s donation, Megan Hall, Brighter Bites Regional Program Director in Texas stated: “We are so grateful for the donation of avocados to our Texas families. Brighter Bites was happy to offer the additional variety to the produce bags and boxes. The kids and families were so excited to receive this fun and nutritious fruit!”
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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 more than 50 million pounds of produce and hundreds of thousands of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Austin, Dallas, New York City, Washington, D.C., Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield. To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit www.brighterbites.org.
About West Pak Avocado
West Pak Avocado is a family owned and operated company with 40 years of experience growing, packing, shipping, and distributing premium avocados. Their commitment to quality represents not only the produce they sell and how they respect the land but also how business is conducted. A leading force in the avocado industry, West Pak Avocado is devoted to upholding the highest ethical trading practices and proudly takes an active role in ensuring the vitality of the produce business. For more information, please visit www.westpakavocado.com/.
