On the final day of Champions Week, we recognize the 2024 WeTHRIVE!℠ Partner Champion – ProducePerks Midwest.
About the award
“The Partner Award is given to a WeTHRIVE! partner organization that goes above and beyond to assist a WeTHRIVE! team in achieving its goals,” says Mary Ellen Knaebel, director of Health Promotion and Education with Hamilton County Public Health. “This organization provides expertise and insight, and offers resources, space, or technical assistance to a WeTHRIVE! team.”
Tevis Foreman, executive director of ProducePerks, accepted the WeTHRIVE! Partner Award at the annual Recognition Event in December 2024.
Healthy food for all
ProducePerks’ mission is to improve the health of under-served communities by increasing affordable access to healthy food. In 2024, they helped the WeTHRIVE! Child Care Initiative bring healthy, local produce to families by connecting us to a local farmer who provided Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes to WeTHRIVE! child care providers.
When this idea came up, ProducePerks worked quickly to make it happen, even finding funding to make the weekly CSA boxes available at no cost. The farm-fresh produce was a hit with the child care providers and the children and families they serve. (See our story for photos & more!)
Katherine Togher, the population health specialist who coordinates the WeTHRIVE! Child Care Initiative, says that ProducePerks went the extra mile. “They have been consistently supportive throughout the implementation of this farm to Early Care and Education initiative, making sure that all involved have what they need to make it successful.”
