3rd Stop & Shop ‘Summit’ Helps Kids Get Healthy
At the Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC’s third “Healthy Kids Summit,” which took place at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., on Oct. 22, more than 300 local residents, customers, families and children gathered to receive information, advice and tips to live a healthier lifestyle. The summit featured guidance from community leaders and health experts, including New England Patriots Safety Patrick Chung, the Hockomock Area YMCA and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
“Stop & Shop aims to inspire and motivate families to make healthier food choices and, as a leading grocery chain, we are in a unique position to help customers do that as they shop our stores,” noted Suzi Robinson, spokeswoman for Stop & Shop New England division in Quincy, Mass. “[The event] provided critical nutrition and exercise information to help parents and children make better decisions.”
The event also included a panel discussion on how the community can unite to keep kids healthy. The panelists were Chung; Ed Hurley, president of the Hockomock area YMCA; Julianna Valcour, school nutrition policy consultant for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health; and Julie Menounos, in-store nutritionist at Stop & Shop's Chelmsford, Mass., store, who also served as moderator.
“While growing up, exercise and healthy eating habits played a key role leading to the success of where I am today,” said Chung. “Having the right resources and knowing what nutrients are important for your body is vital to a balanced lifestyle. Programs like the Healthy Kids Summit are a great way to share this knowledge with the community.”
“The summit is a great opportunity to discuss the importance of balance in our lives,” observed Hurley. “Together, we will continue to increase awareness of the importance of physical activity and good nutrition for people of all ages.”
“The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has been working to make healthy eating and active living part of peoples’ everyday lives through Mass in Motion -- a statewide obesity prevention initiative,” noted Valcour. “The kids and their parents all had a great time at the Healthy Kids Summit and learned some useful tips on how to eat better and move more every day.”
As part of the discussion, children and families took part in a short trivia game challenging audience members to test their listening skills and showcase their brainpower on the importance of nutrition, exercise and a balanced lifestyle. After the trivia, kids took to the field (above left) to negotiate an obstacle course, and attendees could visit a health fair sponsored by the New England Dairy Promotion Board.
A division of Ahold USA, Stop & Shop employs about 62,000 associates and operates more than 400 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey.