SAN ANTONIO, TX - Brighter Bites is on a strong track to achieving its goal of providing under-resourced families with increased access to fresh produce and nutrition education, and other organizations are tapping into that mission in support. Recently, the nonprofit received a $300,000 Empowering Health grant from UnitedHealthcare to expand its programming into San Antonio, Texas, allowing the organization to aid communities with high rates of food insecurity and diet-related diseases through produce-centric strategies.

“We are very grateful to be awarded this grant from UnitedHealthcare,” said Rich Dachman, Chief Executive Officer of Brighter Bites. “These funds along with the support of our various partners will allow us to empower more children and their families in San Antonio to make healthier food choices that will in turn enable the health and wellbeing of its community.”

Since its launch in 2012, Brighter Bites has distributed over 50 million pounds of produce, as well as hundreds of thousands of nutrition education materials to over 500,000 people through schools, after-school programs, and summer camps in the cities in which it serves.

According to a press release, UnitedHealthcare has now invested more than $51 million in grants since establishing its Empowering Health commitment in 2018, reaching over 8 million people through partnerships with community-based organizations across 30 states and the District of Columbia.

“Through our Empowering Health grants and local outreach efforts from UnitedHealthcare, we’re working with local organizations in the state to provide Texans with an interconnected system of clinical and social services that can produce better lifestyle outcomes and make the health system work better for everyone,” said Don Langer, Chief Executive Officer, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas.

What regions will Brighter Bites set its sights on next, and who else will step up to back this ambitious goal? Keep reading AndNowUKnow to find out.

Brighter Bites