Help Support Produce for Kids!

Two of my favorite organizations, Publix and PBS Kids, are partnering for a great cause! From now through October 28th, a portion of sponsored fruits and veggies purchased at Publix supermarkets will be donated to PBS Kids to support the Produce for Kids initiative. Read more about this important cause below!

Do Good When You Shop and Help Educate a Generation of Healthy Kids

Produce for Kids^® and Publix Support PBS KIDS^® Nutrition Programming

ATLANTA, October 5, 2009 — In addition to backpacks, notebooks and pencils, Produce for Kids, a program that teaches families about healthy eating, and Publix stores are encouraging Atlanta-area families to add fruits and vegetables to their back to school shopping lists and support PBS KIDS^® in the process.

From October 1 to 28, a portion of sales of sponsored fruits and veggies at Publix stores will be donated to PBS KIDS to support educational programming, online resources, outreach materials and other health initiatives for kids.

“Obesity is a serious and growing problem among children. With families gearing up for back to school, fall is a great time to stock up on fruits and veggies and make healthy food choices part of the new school year,” said Maria Brous, director of media and community relations for Publix.

A study conducted by The Perishables Group found that only 18 percent of the parents surveyed said their children eat the recommended three or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day.

The Produce for Kids program is designed to educate parents, teachers and children about how to combat these unhealthy trends. This is the third year Publix has partnered with Produce for Kids and helped raise more than $174,000 for PBS KIDS.

The campaign includes an online Eat Smart for a Great Start coloring contest, giving kids the chance to win one of three Nintendo^® Wii Bundles with Wii Fit^TM prize packages; details are available at www.produceforkids.org. Children must have parental consent to enter. Teachers can also get into the fun this fall by entering the Play with Your Produce Classroom Challenge for grades K-6. More information is also available online.

To support the Produce for Kids 2009 fall campaign, shoppers can purchase the following produce items at all Publix stores: Apio, Inc., Guadalupe, Calif. (Eat Smart^® fresh cut vegetables); Amco Produce, Leamington, Ontario (tomatoes on the vine); Coast Tropical, Princeton, Fla. (mangos); Crunch Pak^®, Cashmere, Wa. (sliced apples); Fresh Express^®, Cincinnati, Ohio (packaged salads); Minute Maid^®; Atlanta, Ga. (lemonades & punches); Shuman Produce Inc., Reidsville, Ga. (RealSweet^® Sweet Onions); Ventura Foods, LLC, Brea, Calif. (Marie’s^® salad dressings and dips).

Created in 2002 by Shuman Produce Inc., a leading marketer of RealSweet^® brand sweet onions, Produce for Kids^® brings the fresh produce industry together to raise funds for children's non-profit organizations while educating families about the benefits of healthy eating. To learn more, visit www.produceforkids.org.

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About The Publix Co.

Founded in 1930, Publix Super Markets is the largest and fastest-growing employee-owned supermarket chain in the United States. Publix and their associates excel in community involvement, volunteerism and a commitment to their market areas and beyond. Publix's commitment to diversity has contributed to their success in being a great place to work and shop. For additional information, visit www.publix.com.

About PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO!
PBS KIDS, for preschoolers, and PBS KIDS GO!, for early elementary school kids, are committed to providing the highest quality non-commercial content and learning environment for children across the country. Providing age-appropriate, diverse programming for kids, PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! programs consistently earn more prestigious awards than any other broadcast or cable network. Only PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! have earned the unanimous endorsement of parents, children, industry leaders and teachers. With additional PBS resources to complement its programming, including PBS KIDS online (www.pbskids.org), PBS KIDS GO! online (www.pbskidsgo.org), PBS Parents (www.pbsparents.org), PBS Teachers (www.pbs.org/teachers), PBS Ready To Learn services and literacy events across the country, PBS is providing the tools necessary for positive child development. PBS is a nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation’s 355 public television stations, serving nearly 73 million people each week and reaching 99% of American homes.