Campbell’s Healthy Communities (CHC) has a mission to measurably improve the health and well-being of young people in our hometown communities.

This year, our mid-year results showed progress toward that goal, particularly in Camden, NJ, Campbell’s home for nearly 150 years. Namely, our Healthy Corner store initiative continued to grow, expanding fresh food access to the city’s residents. 35 percent of the 125 corner stores in Camden participated and also provided ‘Heart Bucks’, which give $4 in coupons for any heart-healthy food to residents participating in in-store nutrition education lessons. The Heart Bucks program has an 85 percent redemption rate.

Another impactful outcome of the CHC program is increased safety of school yards, gyms, and playgrounds as a result of Soccer for Success (SFS), a program providing students with structured after-school activity. SFS was part of a year-long effort that provided more than 100,000 hours of physical activity for children.

We also worked on ushering in a new generation of youth health leaders and developed the CHC Youth Advisory Council. The Council provides direction and thought leadership to the issues directly impacting the health and wellness of young Camden city residents. We also implemented school wellness councils at partner sites to establish wellness policies. Both of these activities have helped Camden residents engage in the conversation and co-create programs to help build a healthier community.

We’ve learned so much in the four years since the creation of CHC in our, and we’ve proudly expanded to four additional communities where Campbell operates – Norwalk, Conn,, Henry County, Ohio, Metro Detroit, Mich. and Everett, Wash. We continue to explore and engage in ways that will help foster a culture of health for young people in the communities we serve.

Download a copy of our recent Healthy Communities Annual Report.

This post was originally shared to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation LinkedIn group. 

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