Received the following via email.
CSX and the Conservation Fund Team Up with West Virginia Families and Farms to
Facilitate Healthy Eating
Healthy Food Coupons, Mobile
Markets And Hands-On Nutritional Education Available
ARLINGTON, Va. (September 3, 2015) - CSX and The
Conservation Fund have teamed up for a second year with the West Virginia's
Department of Agriculture and local organizations to promote healthy eating
habits and increased access to local produce for hundreds of children and
families in McDowell, Roane and Mingo counties.
The program is providing coupons to help make locally-grown
fresh foods more convenient for purchase, financial assistance for mobile and
school-based farmers markets, and nutrition and healthy eating classes. New
this year, classes will also be held on vendor recruitment, customer service
and basic accounting to assist with the long-term viability of the farmers
markets.
Throughout the summer and fall, children and their parents
in McDowell and Roane
County can shop for local
produce using "Kids Koupons" and participate in food tastings and
nutritional demonstrations at farmers market events at their local schools.
Families with children who use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
dollars will receive double the amount of healthy food vouchers for every
dollar spent at the markets on healthy food. Around 250 children from each
county will receive the vouchers.
Through additional program funds, farmers markets will team
up with the federal SNAP to provide cooking demonstrations and distribute
recipes and information on cooking, storing and preparing fresh, seasonal food.
This will provide opportunities for kids to sample and become familiar with how
to prepare new foods, so that the families can learn healthy recipes and
incorporate them into their normal eating habits. Mobile markets in Mingo County
will also bring fresh fruits and vegetables to residents in eight communities
through Farm Fresh 4U.
"This summer we have already reached over 100 families
in Mingo County with our Farm Fresh 4U Voucher
program," said Maria Arnot, Director of Community Agriculture with Mingo
County Diabetes Coalition. "Also this year, we have started a double bucks
incentive program that will encourage families to use their SNAP benefits at
our mobile farmers markets. By matching what they spend up to $10, we hope to
gain and retain customers."
The Conservation Fund works with West
Virginians by protecting natural resources, which in turn support local
economies and business owners and improve the lives of residents.
"The overall health and well-being of our children is
directly affected by what they eat, and for many low income families in food
deserts, healthy options are oftentimes simply out of reach," said Kris
Hoellen, Senior Vice President of Sustainable Programs for The Conservation
Fund. "By expanding access to fresh produce and giving children
opportunities to shop, taste and learn how food goes from the farm to the
table, we're creating markets for local farmers, and most importantly giving
children and their families the opportunity for a long-term healthy lifestyle.
We're proud to partner with CSX in this important and impactful program."
As one of the nation's premier transportation companies,
with an important role in transporting agricultural and food-service products,
CSX recognizes that there are communities across its network that lack the
fresh foods that are essential for human health.
"Our partnership with The Conservation Fund has helped
us create actionable, solution oriented programs - like the Kids Koupons - to
address the critical issues facing the communities where we live and
work," said Randy Cheetham, regional vice president for state government
and community affairs, CSX. "West
Virginia is an important piece of the CSX network, so
we're especially proud to be able to have programs like this to give back to
the state that has supported our success with its businesses and skilled
employees."
This program is part of a broader effort between CSX and The
Conservation Fund to improve Americans' access to fresh, healthy food. The
partnership also created The Grant Program for Transporting Healthy Food, which
aims to help improve delivery capabilities of fresh produce and perishable food
to farmers markets and communities in need. Charitable entities in 22 states
can apply for a grant through September 18. More information is available at
http://www.conservationfund.org/partner-with-us/business/csx. A video on the
program can also be viewed here:
About CSX
CSX, based in
Jacksonville,
Florida, is a premier
transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck
transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets,
including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer
products. For nearly 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's
economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major
metropolitan area in the eastern
United States, where nearly
two-thirds of the nation's population resides. It also links more than 240
short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major
population centers and farming towns alike.
More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available
at
www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (
http://facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and
follow us on Twitter (
http://twitter.com/CSX).
About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund, we make conservation work for
America. By
creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are
re-defining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future
prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all
50 states since 1985 to protect more than 7.5 million acres of land.
www.conservationfund.org
Contacts:
Kaitlyn Barrett
CSX Corporate Communications
904-359-1037
Ann Simonelli
The Conservation Fund
703-908-5809
