HARLINGEN – Valley Baptist-Harlingen and Valley Baptist-Brownsville have teamed up with the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley to help provide the most important meal of the day to the area’s needy families.
During the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive, scheduled to run from May 30 – June 9, Valley Baptist Health System employees will be leading the charge to collect and donate boxes of cereal, which will be given to the RGV Food Bank for distribution throughout the Valley.
Stephen Hill, Chief Nursing Officer for Valley Baptist-Harlingen, said the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive is another opportunity for Valley Baptist employees to give back to the community they care so much about.
“During the drive, our staff really go all out. They create fun collection boxes and each year it seems like the students of the Valley Baptist School of Vocational Nursing really lead the charge,” he said. “Our staff has always been generous, and this is just one more example of how we strive to serve and support our community.”
Marisa Aguilar, Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Nursing Officer for Valley Baptist-Brownsville, said employees are ready to do their part to help fight hunger in the Rio Grande Valley.
“So many residents in our community are impacted by hunger, and many local families rely on the generosity of others,” she said. “This is why efforts like the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive are so important – they make a clear and immediate impact on those around us.”
Dian Adams, Chief Nursing Officer for Tenet Healthcare, said the annual Cereal Drive is an opportunity for Tenet hospitals throughout the country to connect with the communities they serve.
“Throughout my career, I’ve had the great fortune to work with many talented people who have dedicated their lives to helping others,” she said. “So I was particularly delighted to learn of Tenet’s efforts to help those struggling with hunger through the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive – an outstanding initiative that was started by fellow nurses. Study after study shows us that children who regularly eat healthy and stay active will not only maintain a healthy body weight and have fewer chronic health problems, they will do better in school because they have more energy and increased concentration. The success of our children – our future – begins at breakfast.”
Both Valley Baptist-Harlingen and Valley Baptist-Brownsville are also asking for the help of both communities to make this year’s Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive a success. Residents wanting to donate cereal boxes can drop them off at the front lobby of Valley Baptist-Brownsville and Valley Baptist-Harlingen from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Local residents can also participate by making a monetary donation to the RGV Foodbank by visiting https://foodbankriogrande.ejoinme.org/cereal2017. To demonstrate its commitment to good nutrition and a complete, healthy breakfast, Tenet will match financial contributions made during the week of June 3 – June 10, up to $100,000.
Jan Pruitt, Chairman of the Board Feeding America, said efforts like the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive are of vital importance to foodbanks throughout the United States, especially during the summer when need spikes and donations typically fall. According to information provided by Feeding America, one in seven people in the United States struggle with food insecurity, and approximately 15 million children in the United States face hunger, or one in five children.
“We know that summer is a particularly hard time for those struggling with hunger. Children can no longer rely on their schools for nutritious meals and giving to food banks is historically lower during this time each year,” she said. “On behalf of Feeding America, thank you for your generous support of our network of food banks across the country. Together we can solve hunger.”
