20 Michigan schools to receive salad bars from United Fresh Start Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield
A partnership between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the United Fresh Start Foundation will deliver 20 salad bars to six Michigan school districts as part of the national Salad Bars to Schools initiative.
New this year, school food service staff will also receive a commercial-grade sectionizer-slicer to easily and quickly prepare a variety of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables for stocking the salad bars, according to a news release.
Since 2015, over 100 salad bars have been placed in Michigan schools to benefit more than 50,000 students, with support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, according to the release.
“Blue Cross is proud to support salad bars in Michigan schools to increase access to a variety of healthy options during school meals to thousands of students across Michigan,” Ken Hayward, vice president and special assistant to the president for community relations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, said in the release. "Healthy, nutrient-rich food choices are a critical component to helping children and adolescents lead healthier lifestyles and maintain well-being."
Over the past ten years, Salad Bars to Schools has delivered nearly 6,000 salad bars to schools across the country, including more than 400 salad bars to schools in Michigan.
“This partnership is so valuable, not just to the schools who are benefitting, but also for what this collaboration represents,” Andrew Marshall, director of foodservice and foundation partnerships at the United Fresh Produce Association, said in the release. “Both of our organizations understand how critically important it is that children have access to meals at school that include a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. With childhood obesity, and rates of diabetes, continuing to rise, along with the reality that those with diet-related conditions are at a much greater health risk, there’s never been a more important time to prioritize healthy eating, both for our children and families.”
