The Dannon Company Awards Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County the Fifth Annual Dannon Next Generation Nutrition® Grant

MINSTER, Ohio, July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dannon Company, Inc. awarded Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County (BBBS) the fifth annual Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grant. Dannon presented BBBS with a $30,000 check during the organization's nutrition kick-off picnic. The grant will help fund BBBS's Healthy Living for a Lifetime nutrition education program.

Healthy Living for a Lifetime will consist of a comprehensive health education curriculum aimed to help children learn how to make important decisions about nutrition, physical activity and other areas of health.

"Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County is thrilled to introduce a nutrition education program into our organization," said Lisa Brown, executive director. "Healthy Living for a Lifetime program will reach children of all ages, parents and mentors, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to live healthier lives."

"Childhood obesity has become a nationally recognized problem and I'm thankful that Big Brothers Big Sisters' program, supported by Dannon, is helping the community address this issue through education," said State Representative John Adams. 

The alarming epidemic of obesity among children and adolescents throughout the nation is jeopardizing the future health of our youth. According to the most recent available data from the Ohio Department of Health, 17 percent of Ohio third graders are classified as obese and an additional 18 percent are overweight.

"Dannon is excited to be supporting the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County's Healthy Living for a Lifetime nutrition education program," said Gayle Binney, Dannon's corporate responsibility manager. "Big Brothers Big Sisters is the perfect organization to help the community embrace lifelong healthy habits and this program will reach over 600 children and their families as well as the organization's mentors."  

Today's grant ceremony, held during a picnic at Fort Loramie State Park in Minster, OH was attended by State Representative John Adams. Also in attendance were Lisa Brown, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sister of Shelby & Darke County; Gayle Binney, Dannon's  corporate responsibility manager; Didier Menu, Dannon's Minster plant manager and Philippe Caradec, Dannon's vice president for regulatory and corporate affairs.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest, largest and most effective national youth mentoring organization in the United States. The goal of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to facilitate mentoring relationships for adults and youth to learn and grow together in a one-on-one trusting relationship. Ohio has approximately 32 affiliates in the state.  Shelby County Big Brothers Big Sisters has been in existence since 1975 with Darke since the early 1990s. Nearly 75 percent of the children who we serve are from low-income families and are considered to be at risk.

About The Dannon Company, Inc.

The Dannon Company is America's founding national yogurt company and continually leverages its expertise to develop and market innovative cultured fresh dairy products in the United States.  Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Dannon has plants in Minster, OH, Fort Worth, TX, and West Jordan, UT and produces approximately 100 different types of flavors, styles and sizes of cultured fresh dairy products.  Dannon is a subsidiary of Danone, one of the world's leading producers of packaged foods and beverages, and Dannon is the top-selling brand of yogurt products worldwide, sold under the names Dannon and Danone.

With a strong commitment to high-quality, wholesome, nutritious and innovative products, The Dannon Company is committed to encouraging people to eat a balanced diet and live a healthy lifestyle.  In 2009, for the ninth year in a row, Danone was listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, a worldwide reference for socially responsible businesses.  Danone is a recognized leader for its contributions to nutrition and health and was ranked best in class in a 2008 JPMorgan & Insight Investment study about the response of the world's largest food companies to obesity and health-related concerns. This commitment is also illustrated through The Dannon Company's support of the Dannon Institute, an independent, non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting research, education, and communication about the links between nutrition, diet and health.  For more information, please visit www.dannon.com.

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SOURCE The Dannon Company, Inc.