Fuel Up to Play 60 and Chelan Fresh Collaborate to Help Increase Student Access to Nutritious Food Choices in Schools

LYNNWOOD, Wash., Sept. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Fuel Up to Play 60 and Chelan Fresh are increasing student access to more nutritious food choices in schools. Chelan Fresh, one of Washington state's largest suppliers of apples and pears and the nation's largest provider of fresh cherries, will provide Fuel Up to Play 60, the nation's leading in-school wellness program, portable breakfast/salad bar carts to be used in 15 Fuel Up to Play 60 schools in 11 states across the country.

In the United States, more than 13 million students come from food insecure households that lack the means to get enough nutritious food on a regular basisⁱ. The portable breakfast/salad bar carts are an innovative solution generously donated by Chelan Fresh to Fuel Up to Play 60 schools and will reach nearly 9,000 students, serving an estimated 1.3 million meals annually.

Finding new ways to serve nutritious options in schools (like low-fat and fat-free dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) can make a difference in helping provide all students with the nutrition they need to fuel their full potential. The rolling carts from Chelan Fresh will provide easy solutions to school nutrition and meal service teams, allowing them the opportunity to position the cart in areas that provide students easy access to nutritious foodsⁱⁱ. Cooling trays and assets on the portable cart also provide easy serving opportunities reducing the need for ice and other resources needed to keep food cool, as well as help provide easy clean-up for school food service and maintenance staff.

The portable breakfast/salad bar carts will be provided to recipient schools in Arizona, California, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, South Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington in time for the 2018-2019 school year.

This effort marks Chelan Fresh's support of Fuel Up to Play 60 for the seventh consecutive year, reinforcing the companies' ongoing commitment to help K-12 schools improve or expand their nutrition and physical activity programs through Fuel Up to Play 60.

"As one of the original supporters of the Fuel Up to Play 60 team, Chelan Fresh has been a leader in the produce industry ensuring kids try and continue to choose nutritious food items at school and at home," said Mac Riggan, Director of Marketing at Chelan Fresh.

The company began its support of the Fuel Up to Play 60 program in 2011, and since that time has provided more than $750,000 in funding and in-kind resources to support increasing student's access across the country to nutritious foods including fruit, vegetables, dairy and whole grains.

"On behalf of National Dairy Council, dairy farmers and the dairy community, we're thankful to continue our longstanding relationship with Chelan Fresh and their growers, and to have their support in nourishing schools and communities through the Fuel Up to Play 60 program," said Jean Ragalie-Carr, RDN, LDN, FAND, president, National Dairy Council. "The joint effort from Chelan Fresh and Fuel Up to Play 60 will provide more students across the country with access to nutritious meals in a convenient, on-the-go setting, providing them the nourishment that students need to help fuel greatness."    

To learn more and keep up with Fuel Up to Play 60 and Chelan Fresh, visit FuelUpToPlay60.com and ChelanFresh.com.

About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), which was founded by America's dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. The program additionally encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. As a result of the program, 14 million students are making better food choices and 18 million are more physically active. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association/Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.

About Chelan Fresh
Chelan Fresh is a fruit marketing company representing over 300 family owned farms who are committed to growing premium apples, pears, cherries and several stone fruit varieties for demanding domestic and international markets.  Our fruit is grown in Central Washington where ample sunshine, gentle mountain slopes, fertile valleys and cool crisp air combine with the waters of the mighty Columbia River for ideal growing conditions.

About National Dairy Council
National Dairy Council® (NDC), the non-profit organization funded by the national dairy checkoff program, is committed to nutrition education and research-based communications. NDC provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier nation, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Established in 1915, NDC comprises a staff of registered dietitians and nutrition research and communications experts across the country. NDC has taken a leadership role in promoting child health and wellness through programs such as Fuel Up to Play 60. Developed by NDC and the National Football League (NFL), Fuel Up to Play 60 encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. For more information, visit www.NationalDairyCouncil.org.

About NFL PLAY 60
For more than a decade, NFL PLAY 60 has brought together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations to increase physical activity among youth. Since the program was launched in 2007, the NFL has committed more than $350 million to youth health and fitness through programming, grants, and media time for public service announcements. The NFL and its teams have constructed more than 250 NFL Youth Fitness Zones and integrated programs into 73,000 schools since the campaign launched. NFL PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit NFL.com/PLAY60.

ⁱ No Kid Hungry, https://www.nokidhungry.org/who-we-are/hunger-facts.
ⁱⁱ Food Research & Action Center, School Breakfast: Making it Work in Large Districts; http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/school-breakfast-large-school-districts-sy-2015-2016.pdf.

SOURCE Fuel Up to Play 60