Campbell's To Invest $10M On Kids' Nutrition In Camden, NJ
CAMDEN, NJ (CBS) - Campbell's Soup Company is putting its money where its mouth is -- or, more precisely, the mouths of kids: unveiling a plan to address a nutritional health crisis among children in its corporate home town.
The company says it will invest $10 million over ten years with the goal of reducing childhood obesity and hunger in Camden by 50 percent. A press conference with Campbell's president Doug Conant (above) was scheduled for 10 AM Wednesday.
"The average rate of childhood overweight and obesity in our country is in the low 30 percentile, and here in Camden it's about 10 percent higher than that," notes Kim Fortunato, director of the program for Campbell's.
The focus, she says, will be on providing access to affordable, nutritious food, and on improving physical activity and nutrition education among children.
Part of the money will support in-school and after-school activities through the Camden YMCA and doubling the number of community vegetable gardens in the city.
Fortunato says one long-term goal is bringing a major supermarket to Camden.
"We are a food desert -- there's one grocery story for 79,000 people," she says. "I think the impact would be tremendous. First of all, it would provide access to more healthy fruits and vegetables and food. But also, I believe, it would be an anchor -- perhaps more economic opportunity."
The program will begin in the Parkside and North Camden neighborhoods and expand citywide over time.
Reported by Suzanne Monaghan, KYW Newsradio 1060.
