Bayer and Dollar General have partnered on a campaign to help K-12 school districts around the country provide nutritional support for kids and their families outside of traditional school hours.
Through the partnership, students receive a coupon for fresh produce, redeemable at local Dollar General stores that now offer fresh fruit and vegetables, according to a news release.
The collaboration was also developed to coincide with National School Lunch Week, Oct. 9-13, which celebrates the importance of a healthy school lunch and the role of school nutrition professionals to provide well-balanced meals to students throughout the U.S., the release said.
“When we think about children’s nutrition, we recognize that schools and those involved in the daily preparation and delivery of nutritious and delicious meals are the true stars in helping to reduce childhood hunger,” Inci Dannenberg, president of Bayer Vegetable Seeds, said in the release. “We can’t achieve Bayer’s mission of ‘Health for All, Hunger for None’ alone, so partnerships like this are critical to breaking down barriers and helping families, beyond the school, access nutritious choices for their kids.”
Bayer is committed to tending to the communities to help increase access to health and nutrition, the release said.
Bayer and Dollar General are offering families 50% off any one fresh produce item ($5 or less) and $2 off any Bayer Flintstones Vitamins through Nov. 30, the release said.
With approximately 75% of the U.S. population located within 5 miles of a Dollar General store, the company is committed to addressing food insecurity and increasing accessibility to nutritious foods, the release said.
As of the second quarter of 2023, Dollar General offers fruits and vegetables in more than 4,400 stores with plans to offer produce in more than 10,000 total stores over the next several years, with a meaningful number of them in the current USDA-defined food deserts, according to the release.
“Dollar General’s mission is ‘Serving Others,’ and we understand millions of Americans and their families rely on us to provide convenient access to affordable and nutritious foods,” Emily Taylor, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Dollar General, said in the release.. “Through our unique store footprint [Dollar General] is able to make a difference in helping address hunger in our hometown communities.”
Connections to schools giving out the 100,000 coupons were facilitated in collaboration with the International Fresh Produce Association, which works with leading school nutrition programs across the country and advocates for increasing children’s access to fresh fruit and vegetables at school.
School districts and organizations receiving the produce coupons are in Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to the release.
While the health benefits of fruits and vegetables are many, only 1 in 10 adults in the U.S. is getting enough produce in their daily diet, according to the release, which added that across the globe, 60% to 87% of adults are falling short of the recommended daily intake. The World Health Organization recommends adults consume a minimum of 400 grams or five servings of fruits and vegetables per day to lead a healthy and nutritious life.
“We are pleased to be part of this creative collaboration,” Andrew Marshall, wholesaler-distributor relations and external partnerships for IFPA, said in the release. “Together, we’re supporting a new opportunity to make fresh produce more readily available in communities, while also highlighting the important role that schools and school nutrition professionals can play to reach children and families with fresh produce.”
