CINCINNATI, Ohio – Reps. Jean Schmidt and Steve Driehaus will join Chiquita Brands Chairman & CEO Fernando Aguirre and Cincinnati school officials for the dedication of a salad bar donated as part of the Salad Bar in Every School campaign, which is a national produce industry initiative promoting access to fresh fruits and vegetables in schools.
Reps. Schmidt and Driehaus are cosponsors of the Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Act (H.R. 4333), which supports the adoption of fruit and vegetable salad bars and other strategies to improve nutrition in school meals. The United Fresh Foundation, Chiquita Brands and Cincinnati Public Schools have made possible the donation of a salad bar at the Academy of World Languages and three other schools in the Cincinnati area. Cincinnati Public Schools Food Service Department chose Academy of World Languages to receive one of the district's first salad bars in recognition of their strong commitment to nutritional education for their students, staff and community.
WHO: U.S. Representative Jean Schmidt (OH-2)
U.S. Representative Steve Driehaus (OH-1)
Fernando Aguirre, President, Chairman & CEO, Chiquita Brands
Mary Ronan, Superintendent, Cincinnati Public Schools
Jessica Shelley, Food Services Director, Cincinnati Public Schools
Jackie Rowedder, Principal, Academy of World Languages
Tom Stenzel, President and CEO, United Fresh Produce Association
WHAT: Dedication of salad bars donated to the Academy of World Languages and three other Cincinnati elementary schools
WHEN: Monday, May 10
11:00 a.m. — Media Check-in
11:15 a.m. — Ceremony with Speeches Begin
12:05 p.m. — Ceremonial Dedication in Cafeteria with Students
12:15 p.m. — One-on-One Media Availability with Participants and Students
*Note – Media will be required to check-in and receive a credential prior to participating
WHERE: Academy of World Languages
2030 Fairfax Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45207-1999
VISUALS: Students receiving and enjoying lunch from new salad bars stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables
Members of Congress with students and salad bars
Cincinnati Public School officials with students
Chiquita and United Fresh officials with salad bars
Miss Chiquita Banana interacting with students
* Note – The event will begin with a brief ceremony and then a symbolic dedication
CABLE RUN: 100 feet / Satellite Truck Parking Available
Background on United’s A Salad Bar in Every School campaign:
Launched in February 2010 by the United Fresh Foundation, the Salad Bar in Every School campaign is a philanthropic produce industry initiative to donate salad bars to schools to increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.
Research shows that children significantly increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables when their school has a fruit and vegetable salad bar. Salad Bars provide children with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to try, and this increased access helps them develop personal experiences that can shape their behavior far beyond the school lunch line. The goal is for children to develop a lifetime of healthy eating habits.
“It is important for students to have increased access to fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables,” said United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel. “United Fresh has a long track record of success increasing the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables for children. Alongside the $1 billion federal commitment to national expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable School Snack Program and the launch of more than $750 million annually in fruit and vegetable vouchers for moms and children in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the Salad Bar in Every School campaign truly has the produce industry poised to make a difference.”
Source: United Fresh Produce Association