Dole Sunshine Company Expands Nutrition Access Program to Merced, California; Orzse Hodi Comments
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - Dole Sunshine Company (DSC), representing the global interests and combined efforts of Dole Asia Holdings, Dole Worldwide Packaged Foods, and Dole Asia Fresh, is continuing to deliver on the Dole Promise to consumers. Recently, its latest efforts are being focused in Merced, California, where the organization recently launched the Dole Sunshine For All® Cities Program.
“Leveraging our resources and partnerships to support places like Merced is at the heart of our efforts to increase access to sustainable nutrition to 1 billion people by 2025,” shared Orzse Hodi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Americas, Dole Packaged Foods. “We look forward to seeing the program’s continued and lasting impact on communities like Merced, Baltimore, and Jackson.”
Merced is located within the San Joaquin Valley in California, a region known for its rich farmland and fresh crop production. The city will be the third community to host this impactful initiative designed to bring nutrition access to those in need. To commemorate the beginning of the Sunshine For All Cities program, Mayor Matthew Serratto has proclaimed November 3 as Sunshine for All® Day in Merced.
The program has served over 30,000 families to date. To bring Sunshine For All Cities to fruition in Merced, DSC is partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County to serve as the program hub.
Mitchell Vanagten, longtime food access advocate and Executive Chef of Catering at University of California, Merced, will lead the kids’ culinary and nutrition education program. As part of the initiative, noted the release, the Dole Kids Cooking Camp will equip kids to navigate the challenges of food insecurity and nutrition education, with classes covering basic cooking skills, healthy recipe preparation, smart grocery shopping, and meal planning tips. Beyond cooking classes, the program will eventually grow to include pop-up farmers’ markets and Good Stuff Kiosks, a system of freestanding refrigerated food kiosks to be placed at Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the country.
Find out more about this program here. And stick around as ANUK keeps an eye on the wire.
