Eat Well, Be Well - A Path to Better Health

Origins:

In March 2025, Hannaford Supermarkets announced a $1.3 million investment in programs that positively impact child health and wellness across New England and New York. The funding is the latest chapter of Hannaford’s “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative, which paves the way for healthier futures by increasing access to nutritious foods. The funding will enhance programs that help children eat healthier and stay active with the goal of reducing the risk of chronic disease. The donations were distributed to Full Plates Full Potential and Let’s Go! (Maine); New Hampshire Hunger Solutions and Regenerative Roots Association (New Hampshire); Cornell University (New York); and Community Servings and Project Bread (Massachusetts). The funding from Hannaford will not only support greater access to healthy food but also improve nutrition education resources for children – ultimately fostering a healthier future for the entire family. Hannaford established the “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative in September 2022 to help break down the barriers that challenge access to healthy, nutritious food and wellness resources. Over the past three years, Hannaford has provided more than $4 million in funding to community organizations under the Eat Well, Be Well banner.

Contribution:

Hannaford contributed $1.3 million in direct funding and an additional $60,000 in gift cards to support child wellness programs across eight organizations. Community partners across four states are implementing the programs, including schools, universities, and nonprofit organizations. These partners are engaging families, educators, and healthcare providers to deliver fresh meals, nutrition education and wellness resources to positively impact the lives of thousands of children in the region.

Objectives:

This investment through Hannaford’s “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative aims to:

• Improve children’s access to nutritious, fresh foods.
• Support schools in meeting federal nutrition guidelines.
• Expand medically tailored meal programs for children with health conditions.
• Reduce childhood obesity and risk of chronic disease.
• Identify and leverage system-wide needs, assets and opportunities to build integrated connections that support youth health.
• Promote long-term healthy habits through education and community engagement.
• Develop and document scalable best practices that can be replicated in other areas of public health and food access to expand impact.

Impact:

According to the CDC, nearly 20% of U.S. children aged 2–19 have obesity. By funding organizations that provide healthy foods, medically tailored nutrition and wellness resources, Hannaford’s initiative aims to directly address a critical public health issue. Full Plates Full Potential is using the funds to help schools meet new federal nutrition standards by using local ingredients and cooking from scratch rather than relying on heavily processed products. Community Servings in Massachusetts is expanding its Food is Medicine program. These programs aim to reduce reliance on processed foods and improve health outcomes for children and families.

The investment in Let’s Go! supports expanded programming through a partnership with PlayWorks to give children tools to build and sustain healthy lifestyles through play. This evidence-based program has led to improvements in energy, self-esteem, nutrition, and fitness, and decreased diabetes progression. Hannaford is also leveraging a network of youth-centered programs and resources through Cornell Cooperative Extension to build a coalition of experts in youth development, nutrition and public health. The investment includes training program leaders and awarding grants to initiatives that promote health and reduce risk for childhood obesity and nutrition-related chronic disease. The ongoing success of these investments will be measured through partner-reported data on meals served, number of children reached and demonstrated improvements in nutrition access, educational outcomes and participant health. This data is collected at various checkpoints over the course of two years, with a final report in October 2026, to provide a comprehensive analysis of the investments’ impact.

Quote:

“It’s essential we provide children with the right tools to develop healthy habits at an early age,” said Mike Vail, President of Hannaford Supermarkets. “We’re incredibly proud to support these meaningful programs, which will create positive, lasting impact on the lives of children in our communities. By investing in the next generation today, we’re establishing the foundation for thriving communities tomorrow.”

Support Statement:

“Hannaford’s support is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together to ensure Maine kids have access to healthy, nutritious foods," said Justin Strasburger, Executive Director of Full Plates Full Potential. "With this funding, we have the opportunity to help schools provide fresh, locally sourced meals to our students, and we're proud to work alongside Hannaford to end childhood food insecurity in Maine once and for all.”