In the early days of our company, we connected with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) who funded a grant to the Mississippi Food Network to test the school program in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. That initial investment was key for us to establish our program at the grassroots level and connect with teachers and nutrition educators who were using the program. From them, we learned a great deal about how to weave the program into classroom activities and curriculum.
Later, WKKF connected us to Dr. Danielle Hollar who was running a large, multi-state childhood obesity prevention study. This introduction led OWG to being included in the core study intervention for classroom teachers, which helped promote the changes to the school menus that were required as part of the study. In the end, this collaboration resulted in the only school-based program to show that children who participate in this type of healthy dietary and educational programming have statistically significantly greater improvements in weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure measures, as well as standardized test scores.
Today we want to highlight WKKF and their impact in helping to foster healthy children. Because of their initial investment in OWG programming, we have developed a model to spread this program throughout the United States and the world.
Below is a picture from a recent meeting at their headquarters. We want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to WKKF for all of their support over the years! You are incredible partners in helping inspire and empower children and their families to be smart and healthy from the inside out.
