Promoting healthy habits, from the start

First 5 San Diego partners with Vons for County-wide initiative

By Anthony King | SDUN Editor

First 5 San Diego launched an extensive healthy eating initiative at the Mission Hills Vons July 10, in an effort to instill family habits that will set children up for success as they get older. The partnership is County wide, with over 50 Vons retail stores participating.

First 5 San Diego Executive Director Kimberly Medeiros and Vons Vice President of Retail Operations Andy Barker were at the Mission Hills Vons with County Supervisor Ron Roberts to help launch the healthy eating initiative. The three spoke with media, helped bag groceries and talked with customers about the program.

(l to r) Andy Barker of Vons, Soren Betancourt, Kimberly Medeiros of First 5 San Diego, Diego Ontiveros, and Supervisor Ron Roberts at the Mission Hills Vons July 10 (Courtesy First 5 San Diego)

“We want to encourage families to use grocery shopping as a time to talk with children about healthy eating,” Medeiros said in a press release following the event. “The earlier you introduce new fruits and vegetables, the more likely they are as adults to carry on with those good eating habits.”

The organization’s initiative will feature First 5-approved products for children under 5 in all 58 Vons locations throughout the region. Additionally, there will be fliers available to families at each store outlining healthy eating choices.

“We are excited to highlight children’s nutritional needs for parents and families with young children,” Medeiros said. “The program serves as an excellent resource for parents to turn to for guidance … in the form of tips and activities.”

Healthy eating tips being promoted include making half of a regular meal fruits and vegetables, focusing on whole grains and watching portion sizes. Drinking more water is also a key point, as is including dairy in children’s diets.

First 5 is also using the Vons initiative to promote their “Practice 5-2-1-0 Every Day” tips: five or more servings of fruits and vegetables, two hours or less of computer or TV time, one hour or more of physical activity and zero sugary drinks each day.

All First 5 California county commissions are funded in part by a 50-cent tax on tobacco products, approved by California voters in 1998. The statewide proposition earmarked funds for programs that serve children ages 5 and younger. The San Diego chapter currently has a total operating budget of approximately $62 million.

“We know kids do better in school if they get into good eating habits, so we’re promoting it,” Roberts said in the release. Roberts serves as chair of the First 5 San Diego Commission, which has administration offices near the County Administration Center, Downtown.

“We want to make sure they know at an early age what is good for them,” he said.

(l to r) Andy Barker of Vons, Supervisor Ron Roberts, Kimberly Medeiros of First 5 San Diego and Heather Ward, holding Thomas (Courtesy First 5 San Diego)

The partnership with Vons is only one in a handful for First 5 San Diego, which leverages aid from various public and private organizations to help further their mission. First 5 collaborates with a several service providers in the County, from South Bay Community Services and Family Health Centers of San Diego to SAY San Diego, Vista Community Clinic and North County Health Services, among others.

“This is a perfect example of how the County is developing partnerships with businesses that champion the principles of Live Well San Diego,” Roberts said. Live Well San Diego is a County initiative adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2010 to help residents become healthy, safe and thriving, the program’s three components.

Implemented in stages, Live Well San Diego started with Building Better Health in 2010. The second stage, Living Safely, was adopted in 2012 and the third, Thriving, will be implemented in the future.

“It is a clever way of reminding families that eating more fruits and vegetables is an important step in keeping children healthy and instilling life-long healthy habits,” Roberts said of the First 5 initiative.

Vons Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations Carlos Illingworth said the company, with 276 grocery stores in Southern California and Southern Nevada, takes its responsibility of their neighborhoods seriously. Vons is a division of Safeway Inc., a California-based food and drug retailer. The company operates over 1,600 stores in North America.

“Our company deeply believes in the communities that we serve,” Barker said, reiterating Illingworth’s sentiment. “That is why we look forward to promoting the health and well-being of children … through this healthy-eating initiative.”

Barker, Medeiros and Roberts also unveiled a San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) bus that was completely wrapped with the First 5 promotional logo. For more information on First 5 San Diego, visit first5sandiego.org or call 888-534-7785.