Plum Organics® Tackles Food Insecurity In America; Launches Social Impact Program: The Full Effect™

EMERYVILLE, Calif., April 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- With a mission of nourishing babies and toddlers to ensure brighter futures, Plum Organics® - the leading premium, organic kids nutrition company– today officially launched its social impact program, The Full Effect™, dedicated to nourishing food insecure babies and toddlers across the United States. More than 16 million children in the U.S. are food insecure, with serious long-term implications to their health. To launch The Full Effect™, Plum has announced the release of a new Super Smoothie essential nutrition pouch designed for donation to babies and toddlers in need, and has committed to giving away half a million of the pouches in 2013.

The Plum Organics Super Smoothie, specifically designed to address the nutritional deficiencies found in food insecure babies and toddlers in the United States, was developed in partnership with Plum's pediatric advisor Dr. Alan Greene and with input from the non-profit community. Packaged in a BPA-free spouted pouch, the Super Smoothie is packed with accessible super foods including spinach, carrots, apples, white beans, oats, and chia, providing a nutritionally dense, produce-based alternative to the carbohydrate, sodium, and fat-filled foods most commonly found in a food insecure diet.

Following a successful joint campaign to launch "A Place at the Table", the critically acclaimed documentary on hunger in America, Plum and Participant Media have teamed up again to ask the public to lend their social media voice to the issue of food insecurity and hunger in the U.S.  Starting April 10^th, people can get involved by visiting PlumOrganics.com/TheFullEffect to receive targeted messages for posting on their Twitter® and Facebook® profiles.  These localized messages are powered by Participant Media's social action platform, Take Your Place.

"Plum was started to improve the health of our little ones from the very first bite. The Full Effect™ is our way of extending our everyday mission to the babies and tots in our country who are in need.  We believe every little one, no matter her circumstance, deserves the nutrients she needs to grow into her full potential," said Plum Organics Co-founder & CEO Neil Grimmer.

"This is not one parent's challenge or even one company's challenge, as Americans, it's our collective challenge.  Our nation's health hinges on the health of the next generation; we should be feeding every little one like our future depends on it, because it does."

Food Insecurity in the U.S.: A Nutrition Crisis, Not a Calorie Crisis

• 1 out of 5 American children are food insecure, stemming from poverty[i]
• The #1 "vegetable" fed to toddlers in the U.S. is the French fry[ii]
• 1 out of 3 babies are overweight or obese by nine-month-old[iii]

"Food insecurity and obesity are two sides of the same coin in America. Hunger here is not only about an inadequate access to calories, but more commonly, a lack of proper nutrients.  Access to the right balance of micronutrients is especially important during the developmentally critical first three years of a child's life," said Plum Organics' pediatric advisor Dr. Alan Greene. "Without proper nutrition during this critical developmental window, we see long-term implications on a child's physical and mental health as well as academic achievements."

To learn more and lend your voice to this issue visit PlumOrganics.com/TheFullEffect on April 10, 2013. 

ABOUT PLUM ORGANICS
Plum Organics® is a pioneer and global provider of premium, nutritious organic baby food, toddler and kid snack food products. Recognized for their unique, culinary-inspired recipes and a modern approach to family nutrition, Plum is the only brand that offers a complete line of organic products that ensure healthy eating from the highchair to the lunchbox™. Plum has dedicated its social mission to delivering nutrient rich, organic food into the hands of little ones in need across America. Forbes magazine named Plum #19 on its 2013 list of "America's Most Promising Companies." For more information about Plum please visit: http://www.plumorganics.com.

[i] Share Our Strength
[ii] Journal of the American Dietetic Association: March 2009
[iii] Brian G. Moss and William H. Yeaton (2011) Young Children's Weight Trajectories and Associated Risk Factors: results From the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. American Journal of Health Promotion: January/February 2011, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 190-198

SOURCE Plum Organics