Superfood Drive

SUPERFOOD DRIVE WORKS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF FOOD-INSECURE POPULATIONS BY SUPPORTING HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS IN PROVIDING HEALTHY FOOD AND RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE IN NEED. SUPERFOOD DRIVE PURSUES A VISION IN WHICH EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD HAS ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR AN ACTIVE AND HEALTHY LIFE.DURING 2016, SUPERFOOD DRIVE DEVELOPED A ROBUST AND SUPPORTIVE PROGRAM TO ASSIST FOOD PANTRIES IN TRANSFORMING INTO NUTRITION PANTRIES. THIS PROGRAM, CALLED THE NUTRITION PANTRY PROGRAM (NPP), WORKS WITH PANTRIES THAT MAKE INTENTIONAL COMMITMENTS TO PROVIDE HEALTHY FOOD AND RESOURCES TO THE CLIENTS THEY SERVE. NPP HAS A VISION THAT WHEREVER FREE FOOD IS PROVIDED TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, THE FOOD IS HEALTHY AND NOURISHING, THE ENVIRONMENT IS SUPPORTIVE OF MAKING HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES, AND THE CLIENTS SERVED ARE CONFIDENT IN PREPARING AND CONSUMING HEALTHIER FOOD. THE NPP TRACKS MEASURABLE CHANGE IN THE PANTRY ENVIRONMENT, CLIENT BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND CLIENT HEALTH. DURING 2016, WE PILOTED THE NPP IN TWO DIFFERENT REGIONS WITHIN CALIFORNIA: SAN DIEGO AND ALAMEDA COUNTIES. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THREE FOOD BANKS AND SIX FOOD PANTRIES, WE SERVED OVER 1,600 HOUSEHOLDS PER MONTH AND 431 UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PER WEEK.BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS PILOT PROGRAM, WE WILL BE EXPANDING THE PROGRAM TO REACH ADDITIONAL VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN 2017.