More than 1,300 Publix stores join 13 produce brands for Produce for Kids campaign

From May 11 to June 21, the Healthy Family Project Publix Produce for Kids cause marketing campaign raised money to donate 775,000 meals to 35 Feeding America network food banks in the Publix market area.

That’s all with the help of 13 fresh produce companies, according to a news release.

During the campaign, signs were positioned in more than 1,300 Publix stores near participating produce vendors. The signs featured QR codes leading shoppers to a free bilingual downloadable e-cookbook with recipe inspiration and nutrition tips featuring campaign produce partners. Also, those produce products were prominently featured in weekly ads throughout the campaign.

Dwaine Stevens, Publix director of community relations, said in the release that Publix leaders want to improve the communities where they sell food.

“Healthy Family Project’s Produce for Kids campaign aligns with this purpose, and we are proud to collaborate again this year,” Stevens said.

Publix, an employee-owned company, operates 1,345 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 26 consecutive years, the company has been recognized by Fortune as a great place to work.
Produce partners included:

• Acosta Sales and Marketing
• Ayco Farms
• CMI Orchards
• Driscoll’s
• Fresh Express
• GT’s Living Foods
• Sunset, a Mastronardi Produce brand
• Suja Juice
• Marie’s
• Mucci Farms
• Rainier Fruit Co.
• Shuman Farms RealSweet Onions
• Wonderful Pistachio

Healthy Family Project also hosted a Facebook Live cooking class featuring the campaign’s produce partners. Produce suppliers were also highlighted in targeted social media and e-newsletter content throughout May and June.

(Farm Journal)

“We know that hunger is an issue year-round, but particularly through the summer months when kids who usually receive meals at school are home for the summer,” John Shuman, founder of Healthy Family Project and president of Shuman Farms, said in the release. “Together, with our produce partners and Publix, we can make a meaningful difference and create a brighter future for individuals experiencing food insecurity in the communities where our products are sold.”

Feeding America estimates that 22 million children in the U.S. experience hunger each year. Every $1 donated to Feeding America helps secure at least 10 meals on behalf of member food banks.

As a cause marketing organization, Healthy Family Project creates programs, like Produce for Kids, that provide easy, fun and inspiring recipes and healthy ideas. Since its creation in 2002 by Shuman Farms, Healthy Family Project has raised more than $7.5 million to benefit children and families and provided 18 million meals through Feeding America.

Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations and more than 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, Feeding America helped provide 6.6 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need in 2022.

Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in the U.S.; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.