PBH Weighs in On FLOTUS Let’s Move Campaign
Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) was among several members of the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance that met with several key advisers and senior staff members of the First Lady’s “Let’s Move!” initiative at the White House last week.
“We had two main interests going into the meeting: to encourage Let’s Move to work with the alliance to help achieve our collective objective of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption through policy and community initiatives, and to encourage Let’s Move to be publicly supportive of existing Fruits & Veggies-More Matters resources,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, president and CEO of Hockessin, Del.-based PBH and co-chair of the alliance.
“Fruits & Veggies-More Matters is an existing public face for the fruit and vegetable category, with extensive education materials, a large network of messengers, and a Web site that literally pushes suggestions to mothers,” added Pivonka. “Making sure that Let’s Move was aware of what currently exists was important. The First Lady is already supportive of fruits and vegetables to help reduce childhood obesity; a closer alignment with the Alliance and Fruits & Veggies-More Matters would be that much more helpful in our efforts.”
The National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance (NFVA) is an extensive network of federal and state government agencies, nonprofit organizations and fruit/vegetable industry members that work collaboratively and synergistically to achieve increased nationwide access and demand for all forms of fruits and vegetables for improved public health. Produce for Better Health Foundation and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention co-chair the Alliance.
In addition to Produce for Better Health Foundation, other members of the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance present at the meeting included the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, the California Department of Health, the National Alliance for Nutrition & Activity, the National Council of Fruit & Vegetable Nutrition Coordinators, and associations representing all forms of fruits and vegetables, among them the American Frozen Food Institute, the Canned Food Alliance, the Produce Marketing Association and the United Fresh Produce Association.
“We had two main interests going into the meeting: to encourage Let’s Move to work with the alliance to help achieve our collective objective of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption through policy and community initiatives, and to encourage Let’s Move to be publicly supportive of existing Fruits & Veggies-More Matters resources,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, president and CEO of Hockessin, Del.-based PBH and co-chair of the alliance.
“Fruits & Veggies-More Matters is an existing public face for the fruit and vegetable category, with extensive education materials, a large network of messengers, and a Web site that literally pushes suggestions to mothers,” added Pivonka. “Making sure that Let’s Move was aware of what currently exists was important. The First Lady is already supportive of fruits and vegetables to help reduce childhood obesity; a closer alignment with the Alliance and Fruits & Veggies-More Matters would be that much more helpful in our efforts.”
The National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance (NFVA) is an extensive network of federal and state government agencies, nonprofit organizations and fruit/vegetable industry members that work collaboratively and synergistically to achieve increased nationwide access and demand for all forms of fruits and vegetables for improved public health. Produce for Better Health Foundation and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention co-chair the Alliance.
In addition to Produce for Better Health Foundation, other members of the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance present at the meeting included the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, the California Department of Health, the National Alliance for Nutrition & Activity, the National Council of Fruit & Vegetable Nutrition Coordinators, and associations representing all forms of fruits and vegetables, among them the American Frozen Food Institute, the Canned Food Alliance, the Produce Marketing Association and the United Fresh Produce Association.