The Kids Club incentive program is designed to encourage children to sample and consume locally grown fruits and vegetables, and it helps the economy by giving farmers an opportunity to sell their produce locally. “As a health plan, we understand having access to nutritious food is sometimes taken for granted,” said Aaron Lambert, president, Healthy Blue. “One of our goals is to remove barriers to overall health and well-being and that includes supporting efforts to help ensure Louisianans have access to healthy nourishment.”
“These kids are growing up with the market. We have families who participate in Kids Club every week, and it’s amazing to see the kids get to know farmers, shop on their own and try new foods,” Tohme said.
Kids Club is part of the Central Louisiana Local Food Initiative, a community effort that aims to strengthen Central Louisiana’s local foods economy while increasing access to fresh foods for all residents of the region. The initiative was created in 2012 with a Challenge for a Healthier Louisiana Grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation of Louisiana and matching funding from The Rapides Foundation. Administered by CLEDA, the Initiative is supported by funding from the USDA as well as a philanthropic investment from Keller Enterprises, LLC.
For more information about Kids Club, contact Allison Tohme at (318) 441-3423.