May 18, 2023

Brighter Bites releases annual report, celebrates 10 years

Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, distributed more than 7.1 million pounds of produce in 2022.

The organization, which released its 2022 annual report, has served more than half a million families, taught more than 150,000 nutrition education lessons and distributed more than 50 million pounds of fresh produce since it began in 2012.

The annual report covers Brighter Bites’ financials, the number of nutrition education materials distributed, number of schools and families served and a general look back at 2022. It also includes information on its new Produce RX program created in partnership with the UT (University of Texas) Physicians Pediatric Clinics.

Highlights in the report include:

• School sites served in the program grew 38%.
• The program distributed 7.13 million pounds of produce in the nine areas it serves — Houston, Dallas, Austin, Texas; New York City; the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area; Southwest Florida; Salinas, California; Los Angeles; and Bakersfield, California.
• More than 8,400 nutrition education lessons and activities were taught in classrooms.
• Brighter Bites staff interacted directly with families and students at produce distribution sites 2.17 million times, an increase of 24% from 2021.
• The organization received $6.46 million in-kind donations from food banks and produce industry partners.

“Over the past ten years, we’ve been committed to creating communities of health through fresh food by providing resources for families to live and create healthier lifestyles,” Lisa Helfman, Brighter Bites founder, said in a news release. “With the support of our dedicated donors and volunteers, we’ve been able to achieve great things and make a positive impact on the communities we serve. That’s something worth celebrating!”

In 2022, Brighter Bites:

• Celebrated its 10th anniversary with a gala in November that raised more than $700,000.
• Expanded into Bakersfield and Los Angeles, and prepared for its tenth city opening in San Antonio in 2023.
• Coordinated almost 22,000 hours of volunteer work to ensure families were supplied with food and nutrition education.

“I am moved by our donors, partners, and staff who have risen to the occasion to overcome obstacles this past year, demonstrating resilience and an uncompromising dedication to the communities we serve,” Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites, said in the release. “I want to also thank our extraordinary employees and wonderful board of directors who constantly prioritize our Brighter Bites families in doing whatever it takes to provide them with fresh produce and educational materials.”