ShopRite, RWJBarnabas Health Team for ‘KidsFit’
ShopRite and RWJBarnabas Health have joined forces to launch a free nutrition and wellness education program for children and families at ShopRite stores across New Jersey and beyond. The new program, KidsFit at ShopRite, aims to prevent childhood obesity.
KidsFit consists of six free curriculum-based sessions taught by ShopRite in-store registered dietitians, offering children ages 7-10 and their families easy-to-prepare recipes while explaining the nutritional benefits of the various food groups and doling out culinary items and giveaways. Additional program features include scavenger hunts through the stores.
“As our mission is to keep people healthy and to serve as an innovative resource for the communities we serve, this partnership is a perfect match bringing together New Jersey’s largest and most prestigious retail grocery cooperative and the state’s finest health care system,” said Barry H. Ostrowsky, president and CEO of West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health. “This partnership will allow both of our organizations to leverage resources to reach the youth of New Jersey and families and instill healthier eating and wellness habits.”
“Our team of registered dietitians developed the KidsFit program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey in 2007 to address the high rates of childhood obesity seen at our health clinic,” added Barbara Mintz, RWJ Barnabas’ VP for healthy living and community and employee engagement. “KidsFit is a highly successful, multidisciplinary educational model that encourages healthy eating and exercise as a way to both prevent and treat childhood obesity.”
“RWJBarnabas Health is a recognized leader in the health care industry, and we’re proud to join forces with them to help fulfill our shared mission of working together to keep communities healthy,” noted Natalie Menza-Crowe, director of health and wellness at ShopRite. We strongly believe that KidsFit at ShopRite is a great program that will encourage and inspire lifelong healthy eating habits.”
The program is currently available in all ShopRite stores with an in-store dietitian, about 140 across six states. Consumers can visit ShopRite's website to view a list of health-and-wellness calendars from each store dietitian to find a KidsFit class in their area.
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, N.J., and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With more than 270 ShopRite supermarkets throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves more than 6 million customers each week.