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The Dannon Company Awards Second Annual 'Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grants'

The Dannon Company Awards Second Annual 'Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grants'

Published 11-01-07

Submitted by Dannon Company, The

The Dannon Company awarded United Way a grant of $26,100 to fund their Little Bites, Big Steps preschool education program in Fort Worth, Texas.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - November 1, 2007 - The Dannon Company, Inc. has awarded the second annual Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grants to address the need for educating children about healthy eating practices and proper nutrition.

The Dannon Company established the Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grants in 2006 to promote childhood nutrition education and provide total funding of more than $100,000 to four nonprofit organizations that operate in communities where a Dannon facility is located. Each organization developed a program that nurtures healthy eating habits among children in the community and encourages children to develop life-long habits for good nutrition and exercise.

According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, obesity rates have soared among all age groups, more than quadrupling among children ages 6 to 11, during the past four decades. Today, more than 33 percent of children and adolescents -- approximately 25 million kids -- are overweight or obese. Dannon hopes to help curb this trend by supporting youth education programs that provide long-term, grassroots solutions.

Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grants provided needed funding to non-profit organizations in or near White Plains, NY; Minster, OH; Fort Worth, TX; and West Jordan, UT, where Dannon headquarters or production facilities are located.

The 2007 Dannon Next Generation Nutrition grant winners include:

  • Westchester County, NY - Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Westchester County received $19,500 in support of its program, Shake & Bake in partnership with the White Plains Youth Bureau. CCE aims to improve dietary habits and encourage the adoption of fitness into the daily lifestyle of 75 middle school youth in the White Plains area.

  • Ft. Worth, TX - United Way of Tarrant County received $26,100 in support of its Little Bites, Big Steps preschool nutrition education program. United Way and its partner, KERA, will address the national problem of preschool children's health and fitness by helping parents and caregivers understand their role in promoting healthy eating in preschool children through educational programming.

  • Minster, OH - The Ohio State University (OSU) Extension in Auglaize County received $29,900 in support of its program, Team Up for Good Nutrition with OSU Extension. The Dannon grant will expand the nutrition education opportunities it provides to youth in Auglaize County and will provide support to OSU Extension’s programs, such as 4-H in the Classroom, 4-H Food and Nutrition Projects, Kid’s Chef School, Nutrition Essay Contest and Families Walk Across Auglaize County.

  • West Jordan, UT - Utah Food Bank Services received $30,000 in support of its Child Health and Nutrition Education Program. Utah Food Bank Services will host nutrition related classes and activities that will be taught at participating Kids Cafe sites and quarterly health fairs to expose children to health lifestyle concepts through visually engaging and activity promoting lesson plans. The nutrition education program will serve about 1,000 low-income, at-risk children in Salt Lake County.

    "Through the Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grants, Dannon is committed to helping people make informed food choices to improve their nutrition and health," said Gayle Binney, Manager, Corporate Responsibility for The Dannon Company. "This year, Dannon is also celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the Dannon Institute, an independent, non-profit foundation which promotes the relationship between nutrition and health."

    Each grant winner recently received a check at a grant presentation ceremony held by Dannon, where community leaders and public officials also gathered to recognize the programs being awarded and the importance of the Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grant to each community.

    About Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County

    Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County is a dynamic community based educational organization providing unbiased, research-based information to Westchester County residents of all ages, while offering a wide variety of educational programming and assistance to individuals, families, business and communities. CCE has over 35 years of experience in providing nutrition education programs to a wide variety of audiences throughout Westchester County, including working with limited income audiences under the federally funded Expanded Food and Nutrition Program and Eat Smart New York! also known as the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program. For more information on CCE, visit http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/westchester/.

    About the United Way of Tarrant County

    Established in 1922, United Way of Tarrant County is committed to serving individual needs while also making long-term changes in community conditions. In addition to maintaining a safety net of essential services, United Way is creating strategic new partnerships to tackle major community issues, such as childhood obesity, child abuse and neglect, early learning and development, senior isolation and adult literacy. United Way collaborates with other non-profits, businesses, government, schools, and faith-based organizations to make concrete, measurable improvements in Tarrant County. For more information on the United Way, check out http://www.unitedwaytarrant.org/home/index.htm.

    About Ohio State University Extension

    The OSU Extension mission is to engage people to strengthen their lives and communities through research-based educational programming. Throughout its history, OSU has focused on educational programs and materials to help families and individuals strengthen their knowledge of human nutrition so they can make healthy choices about the foods they eat.

    About Utah Food Bank Services

    Utah Food Bank Services provides food to a statewide network of over 240 agencies and community centers. Last fiscal year, Utah Food Bank Services distributed 18 million pounds of food - the equivalent of over 9 million meals - in response to more than 1.6 million requests for emergency food assistance from families and individuals in need. Utah Food Bank Services also operates 16 Kids Cafe sites, 211 Information & Referral and programs that provide service to the low-income elderly and people with disabilities.

    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. The company produces and sells approximately 100 different types of flavors, styles and sizes of cultured fresh dairy products. Dannon is owned by Groupe 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 healthy eating and living. 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.

  • Dannon Company, The logo

    Dannon Company, The

    Dannon Company, The

    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. The company produces and sells approximately 100 different types of flavors, styles and sizes of cultured fresh dairy products. Dannon is owned by Groupe 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 healthy eating and living and strives to innovate with one goal in mind: to create foods for families and individuals with their health and enjoyment in mind. For more information, please visit www.dannon.com

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