The American Heart Association, Chattanooga Area Food Bank and Helping Hands Ending Hunger announce a partnership to improve the health of North Georgia communities through Healthy Pantries, Healthy Hearts initiative.
With support from the Frank P. Pierce Foundation, The American Heart Association will improve the mental and physical wellbeing and nutrition security of children in 19 schools in low-income, food-insecure communities throughout North Georgia.
The goal of the Healthy Pantries, Healthy Hearts partnership is to integrate a healthy food pantry initiative, working with school food pantries and the community to encourage the healthier choice, the easier choice.
With the help of community partners, Helping Hands Ending Hunger and The Chattanooga Area Food Bank, monthly produce drop offs will be provided to 10 school pantries, along with pantry equipment upgrades and nutrition education for staff and families.
Through this partnership, pantries will be added to six additional North Georgia schools and educational materials will be provided to 21 other schools that don't currently have pantries.
“The American Heart Association is committed to equitable health for all by fighting alongside our community partners so that everyone can eat healthy no matter where they live or the circumstances they’re in. We are grateful for this opportunity to work with likeminded organizations to make healthier choices easier choices for families and students," said Emily Niespodziany, American Heart Association executive director, Development & Community Health Chattanooga & Georgia Communities.
"Helping Hands Ending Hunger and the Chattanooga Area Food Bank play a pivotal role in the initiative, directly facilitating produce drop offs, providing reusable grocery bags, heart healthy recipes, and upgrading pantry equipment," officials said.
"This important collaboration is leveraging collective resources to address food insecurity and health in a really creative way. Pooling our respective expertise, we are able to magnify our impact on children who struggle with hunger and ill health. Bringing educational components to the table broadens our outreach to the families as well. We are thrilled to develop this partnership and look forward to sharing the great outcomes that are sure to follow," says Carla Harward, CEO Helping Hands Ending Hunger, Inc.
“We are so excited to expand on our partnerships with Helping Hands Ending Hunger and the American Heart Association in our Northwest Georgia communities. All of our organizations share a common goal: to ensure our children have the nourishing food they need to thrive in school. We are committed to addressing food insecurity from all sides, from its root causes to its chronic effects, and to finding innovative, sustainable solutions. Each team is bringing their own expertise, and we’re all learning from one another. That’s what this partnership is all about,” said Melissa Blevins, president and CEO, Chattanooga Area Food Bank.
"This life-changing initiative and partnership would not have been possible without the support of the Frank P. Pierce Foundation," officials said. "Their support ensures continued funding of cardiovascular research, enabling all three organizations to provide critical resources to
schools and inspire thousands of students and families to make lasting changes for their heart health.
“Frank Pierce was committed to the North Georgia community during his lifetime and created the Frank P. Pierce Foundation to continue this commitment to support charitable causes after his death. In keeping with Mr. Pierce's desire to assist and elevate the North Georgia community, the Frank P. Pierce Foundation is proud to partner with the American Heart Association to make available to the children and families of North Georgia both healthy food options and nutrition education,” said Lee Ann Adams, member, Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon, PLLC.