US: Duda Farm Fresh donate salad bars to schools

Duda Farm Fresh Foods announces that it has donated eight salad bars to the Seminole County Public School District as part of the United Fresh Produce Association Foundation and first lady Michelle Obama’s "Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools" initiative. The salad bars will be available to more than 16,000 school children and will offer a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits as part of their school lunch program. Duda is also leading an effort to encourage others to contribute to this important initiative with the goal of placing salad bars in every school in the Seminole County Public School District.

A ceremony was held at Oviedo High School on Tuesday April 3, 2012 to officially inaugurate the Duda-sponsored salad bars. Students and school officials hosted David Duda, President and CEO of A. Duda and Sons; Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam; Oviedo Mayor Dominic Persampiere; and representatives from the United Fresh Produce Association.

"By supporting United Fresh’s 'Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools' initiative, we are extending our commitment to help reduce childhood obesity," said David Duda. "The salad bars will give the children in our own community additional healthy choices every day at lunchtime."

United Fresh is a founding partner of "Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools," which has a goal of donating salad bars to 6,000 schools nationwide. "The donation of salad bars by Duda Farm Fresh Foods is an excellent example of how produce industry leaders are contributing to a healthy future for our nation’s children," said United Fresh Produce Association’s President and CEO Tom Stenzel. "United Fresh’s 'Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools' program has helped facilitate the donation of more than 1400 salad bars to schools across the country and we are thrilled that the donation of these salad bars to Seminole Country schools will benefit thousands of kids for many years to come," continued Stenzel.

The donation of salad bars is one project in Duda Farm Fresh Foods’ ongoing initiative to help ensure that children and families in Florida have the nutritional benefits of fresh produce. At the end of 2011, Duda donated 40,000 pounds of fresh produce to Seminole County Public Schools’ Families in Transition (FIT) program. Recently Duda was accepted as a National Strategic Partner of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition Communicator’s Network. As a partner, Duda has conducted promotional activities in support of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate messages. In addition, Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) named Duda as a "Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Role Model and Champion for 2011" in recognition of their support for the More Matters national public health campaign and for PBH.

The schools receiving the salad bars are: Oviedo High School; Hagerty High School; Lake Brantley High School; Lyman High School; Lake Howell High School; Seminole High School; Red Bug Elementary School; and Rainbow Elementary School.

For more information please visit www.unitedfresh.org or www.saladbars2schools.org.