Reducing Childhood Obesity and Hunger in Camden’s 23,000 Children

CAMDEN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 9, 2012–
Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) today announced that its 10-year
plan to measurably improve the health of young people in Camden by
reducing childhood obesity and hunger is producing positive results in
its first year. The company also said that it plans to add two new
program sites in Camden during the current school year.

In 2011, Campbell announced a $10-million investment over 10 years with
the goal of reducing the 40 percent obesity rate and hunger in Camden’s
children by half. The Campbell Healthy Communities program is focused on
four areas:

• Providing increased access to affordable, healthy food;
• Expanding availability of and participation in physical activity and
  education;
• Increasing nutrition and health education; and
• Creating public will to support demand for and the creation of a
  healthy community with quality food sources and safe, accessible
  recreation areas.

As part of the Healthy Communities Program, Campbell funded
approximately 108,000 hours of physical activity for 1,400 Camden
youth—nearly 80 hours of physical activity per child.

Other year-one results include:

• Created 28 new healthy food access sites such as mobile farmer’s
  markets and fresh produce displays in corner stores, serving more than
  12,700 residents in their neighborhoods.
• Served 850 customers by fresh mobile vending through Greensgrow Farms.
• Offered more than 400 hours of nutrition education involving 2,155
  children.
• Provided cooking classes for 108 Camden classroom teachers and 391
  children and families.
• Created first-of-its kind group pre-natal mentoring and nutrition
  education program that was supported by Campbell employee affinity
  groups.
• Started “Community Conversations at Campbell,” a series of five
  meetings that engage community members and employees in discussions to
  improve food access in Camden.

“We’re beginning to make a difference to Camden’s residents, and are
only at the beginning of a 10-year commitment to the health of the
city’s children,” said Kim Fortunato, Director, Campbell Healthy
Communities. “There’s still much to do, especially since Camden’s 40
percent child obesity rate tops the national average of 32¹
percent. We can’t solve the problem overnight, but we’re giving Camden
residents some better choices and knowledge about healthy decisions. In
fact, we hope our Healthy Communities work will lay the foundation for
similar programs in other Campbell hometown communities.”

In year two of the program, Campbell is expanding into two new charter
schools, Environment Community Opportunity (ECO) Charter School at 817
Carpenter St. and D.U.E. Season Charter School at 1000 Atlantic Ave. in
Camden.

Campbell will continue investing in Cooking Matters®, The Food Trust’s
nutrition education curriculum and its Healthy Corner Store Initiative,
and C.A.T.C.H. The Company is also working with the Delaware Valley
Regional Planning Commission and The Reinvestment Fund to design
strategies for an equitable and accessible food system.

As part of its Healthy Communities program, Campbell is collaborating
with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The US Soccer Foundation, The
United Way, the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Camden, the
Camden City Garden Club and the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties,
along with the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, Cooper, Lourdes
and Virtua Hospitals, Rutgers University and the Food Bank of South
Jersey.

Through its “Nourishing” corporate social responsibility (CSR) program,
Campbell has been recognized for making a positive impact in the
workplace, in the marketplace and in the communities in which it
operates. Campbell’s CSR report can be accessed at www.campbellsoupcompany.com/csr

About Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company is a manufacturer and marketer of high-quality
foods and simple meals, including soup and sauces, baked snacks and
healthy beverages. Founded in 1869, the company has a portfolio of
market-leading brands, including “Campbell’s,” “Pepperidge Farm,”
“Arnott’s,” “V8” and “Bolthouse Farms.” Through its corporate social
responsibility program, the company strives to make a positive impact in
the workplace, in the marketplace and in the communities in which it
operates. Campbell is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 and the Dow
Jones Sustainability Indexes. For more information, visit www.campbellsoup.com.

¹ Figures according to the 2008 National Health and Nutrition
Examination Surveys and Body Mass Index (BMI) data collected from the
Camden Public School District by the Rutgers State Center for Health
Policy.

Source: Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company
Arianna Stefanoni (Media)
856-968-5725
or
Bellevue
Communications
Susan Buehler
215-893-4284

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