ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CSX and The
Conservation Fund have teamed up for a second year with the
West Virginia's Department of
Agriculture and local organizations to promote healthy eating
habits and increased access to local produce for hundreds of
children and families in McDowell,
Roane and Mingo counties.
The program is providing coupons to help make locally-grown
fresh foods more convenient for purchase, financial assistance for
mobile and school-based farmers markets, and nutrition and healthy
eating classes. New this year, classes will also be held on vendor
recruitment, customer service and basic accounting to assist with
the long-term viability of the farmers markets.
Throughout the summer and fall, children and their parents in
McDowell and Roane County can shop for local produce using
"Kids Koupons" and participate in food tastings and nutritional
demonstrations at farmers market events at their local schools.
Families with children who use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) dollars will receive double the amount of healthy
food vouchers for every dollar spent at the markets on healthy
food. Around 250 children from each county will receive the
vouchers.
Through additional program funds, farmers markets will team up
with the federal SNAP to provide cooking demonstrations and
distribute recipes and information on cooking, storing and
preparing fresh, seasonal food. This will provide opportunities for
kids to sample and become familiar with how to prepare new foods,
so that the families can learn healthy recipes and incorporate them
into their normal eating habits. Mobile markets in Mingo County will also bring fresh fruits and
vegetables to residents in eight communities through Farm Fresh
4U.
"This summer we have already reached over 100 families in
Mingo County with our Farm Fresh
4U Voucher program," said Maria
Arnot, Director of Community Agriculture with Mingo County
Diabetes Coalition. "Also this year, we have started a double bucks
incentive program that will encourage families to use their SNAP
benefits at our mobile farmers markets. By matching what they spend
up to $10, we hope to gain and retain
customers."
The Conservation Fund works with West Virginians by protecting
natural resources, which in turn support local economies and
business owners and improve the lives of residents.
"The overall health and well-being of our children is directly
affected by what they eat, and for many low income families in food
deserts, healthy options are oftentimes simply out of reach," said
Kris Hoellen, Senior Vice President
of Sustainable Programs for The Conservation Fund. "By expanding
access to fresh produce and giving children opportunities to shop,
taste and learn how food goes from the farm to the table, we're
creating markets for local farmers, and most importantly giving
children and their families the opportunity for a long-term healthy
lifestyle. We're proud to partner with CSX in this important and
impactful program."
As one of the nation's premier transportation companies, with an
important role in transporting agricultural and food-service
products, CSX recognizes that there are communities across its
network that lack the fresh foods that are essential for human
health.
"Our partnership with The Conservation Fund has helped us create
actionable, solution oriented programs – like the Kids Koupons – to
address the critical issues facing the communities where we live
and work," said Randy Cheetham,
regional vice president for state government and community affairs,
CSX. "West Virginia is an
important piece of the CSX network, so we're especially proud to be
able to have programs like this to give back to the state that has
supported our success with its businesses and skilled
employees."
This program is part of a broader effort between CSX and The
Conservation Fund to improve Americans' access to fresh, healthy
food. The partnership also created The Grant Program for
Transporting Healthy Food, which aims to help improve delivery
capabilities of fresh produce and perishable food to farmers
markets and communities in need. Charitable entities in 22 states
can apply for a grant through September
18. More information is available at
http://www.conservationfund.org/partner-with-us/business/csx. A
video on the program can also be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylHWcX70hWY&feature=youtu.be
About CSX
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier
transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and
rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across
a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial,
construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For nearly 190
years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic
expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every
major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the
nation's population resides. It also links more than 240 short-line
railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major
population centers and farming towns alike. More information
about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at
www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/OfficialCSX)
and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).
About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund,
we make conservation work for America. By creating solutions that
make environmental and economic sense, we are re-defining
conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future
prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have
worked in all 50 states since 1985 to protect more than 7.5 million
acres of land. www.conservationfund.org
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SOURCE CSX Corporation; The Conservation Fund