Archive for April, 2010

April 8, 2010

Meet Our Nutrition Manager: Maria Ali, RD, LD/N

Author: Maria Ali

Hi—my name is Maria Ali, RD, LD/N and I am Second Harvest’s new Nutrition Manager. I started with Second Harvest about 4 weeks ago, and every day I have learned something new and fabulous about this organization. I am amazed at all the excitement and energy they have behind implementing nutrition within the food bank. With that being said, I have a lot of work ahead of me!

I am starting from scratch here, and I am also new to the food bank community, but the staff here has been very helpful. My first task is to help pick a nutrient analysis program that the food bank can use to monitor and analyze the nutrient quality of the food they distribute.

Determining how nutritious the food is can help get healthier food to the agencies and into the hands of the clients they serve. It is our hope that this new program will make it easy for agencies to identify which foods are the most nutritious and how much of the food they distribute is nutritious.

As I think about the statement: “Food is more than calories; it is the basis for health,” I’m reminded of not only how important is it to have adequate food, but also to know how to choose the right foods to eat to be healthy.

Nutrition education is another focus of Second Harvest at this time. We hope to promote and empower agencies and clients to be healthier via education. Currently, I am developing and investigating nutrition education programs and curriculums that will serve the needs of our agencies and clients well.

There are many things to come! And I look forward to sharing all the progress we make.

Maria Ali, RD, LD/N
Nutrition Manager at Second Harvest Food Bank

April 6, 2010

Meet Our Pound for Pound Challenge Champ

Author: Sasha Hausman

We have all learned that is hard to stay motivated when trying to get healthy. There are so many temptations out there ready to lure us in at any given moment (Cake for a co-workers birthday, favorite movie on TV so you skip the gym, etc.).

So we try to think of something to help us stay on the right track…It could be a pair of jeans that you have outgrown 5 years ago. But for Robin Le Roy-Kyle it is something bigger. It’s about helping feed our neighbors in need.

Please meet Robin aka “The Orlando Turtle Runner” and our Pound for Pound Challenge Champion.

In 2006 Robin was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and decided to make a change. Since then, running has been her exercise of choice. Her running blog www.RunningCirclesAroundTheTurtles.com, has taken off quite nicely with rapidly growing readership. This led her to her next venture.

Robin began hosting a running club called Pay it Forward 500 Mile Club: Running with a Purpose in 2010. Participants commit to running a certain number of miles (minimum 500), select a charity/organization of choice, and get sponsors to donate 10 cents per mile for every mile they run in 2010. Runners can sponsor themselves and/or get others to sponsor.

Robin’s organization of choice: Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Her mileage goal for 2010? 750 miles!

“I’m sponsoring myself and recruiting family members, my dear sweet husband, and friends/coworkers to sponsor me, pitch in, etc… so I will be very excited to make my donation to Second Harvest in late December! Hope my efforts and commitment to feeding our neighbors helps in some small way!”

I hope Robin’s story can inspire you to make a change in your life and meet those personal goals you have been putting off! Don’t forget to pledge your pounds on the Pound for Pound Challenge Website.

Interested in joining the Pay it Forward Running club? Let us know!

Do you have an inspiring story as well? Let us know!

Thank you Robin and to all our Challenge Champs! Keep up the good work!

See ya next time!

Sasha Hausman
Events Specialist

April 2, 2010

Vote to distribute healthy food to at-risk children who often go to bed hungry

Author: Maria Diestro

The Pepsi Refresh Project was announced during the Super Bowl this past year. Pepsi Co. will be giving away millions monthly to organizations or individuals during this year long project.

The Pepsi Refresh Project is looking for people, businesses and non-profits with ideas that will have a positive impact. In return, Pepsi will fund the top winners.

Below is the commercial:

Here is the scoop:

Pepsi is accepting 1,000 ideas per month. During the month you can go in and vote for up to 10 of your favorite ideas every day. At the end of the month the most popular ideas in each category will win. There are 32 potential grant spots each month.

Seeing this as a great opportunity, we took the reins one day and submitted our own idea. We found out yesterday that our idea was approved!

Help us bring our idea to life by voting daily on our Pepsi Refresh page: http://www.refresheverything.com/kidspacks

Our Pepsi Refresh Idea

Distribute healthy food to at-risk children who often go to bed hungry

Our main goals are to:

• Provide kid-friendly food packs to chronically hungry children
• Provide fresh fruit to chronically hungry children
• Teach the importance of eating healthy and of physical activity
• Expand the Hi-Five Program to more locations

Watch the video below that we created to promote our idea:  






P.S. Don’t forget to share this with at least 5 of your friends!

Maria Diestro
Online Services and Communications Manager