Campbell Soup working toward cutting Camden's childhood obesity rate
In an effort to cut childhood obesity by half in Camden, Campbell Soup launched a 10-year $10 million affordable, healthy foods plan in 2011. The company announced results of the first year of the program.
In an effort to cut childhood obesity by half in Camden, Campbell Soup launched a 10-year $10 million affordable, healthy foods plan in 2011.
The goal of the Campbell Healthy Communities program is to reduce Camden's 40 percent childhood obesity rate and hunger by increasing access to healthy yet affordable foods, getting children to be more physically active and increasing nutrition and health education.
The Camden company released its results after the first year of the Campbell Healthy Communities program. Here are some of the programs' accomplishments in its first year:
It funded events and activities that spurred 108,000 hours of physical activity for 1,400 Camden children.
It created more than two dozen healthy food sites, including mobile farmer's market and fresh produce displays in various corner stores.
It provided cooking classes for more than 100 Camden teachers and close to 400 children and their families.
It started "Community Conversations at Campbell," a series of five meetings in which community members and Campbell employees discuss ways to improve food access in Camden.
On Tuesday, Campbell President and CEO Denise Morrison helped with cooking activities and read the book Chicks and Salsa to a group of children at Center for Family Services Head Start, as part of the company's week of service.