Heart Association gets $300,000 grant for High Point initiatives

Oct. 13—HIGH POINT — The American Heart Association in the Triad has received a $300,000 grant from The Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation to increase access to healthy food and nutrition education for High Point families.

The grant will support the AHA’s Triad Mobile Kitchen and “Three Meals A Day” initiative in the High Point community. The Triad Mobile Kitchen, under the direction of executive chef N’Gai Dickerson, brings complimentary hands-on cooking demonstrations and nutrition education classes to families throughout Guilford County. The additional grant funding will allow the Triad Mobile Kitchen to reach more than 30,000 High Point residents through healthy cooking classes.

Through the grant, mini-grant opportunities will be available for farmers’ markets, mobile markets, urban farms, pop-up markets and other sustainable models, creating access to fruits and vegetables for addressing food deserts and increasing SNAP and/or WIC options for community members who need it most.

Because unmanaged diabetes can lead to an increased risk for heart disease, a portion of these healthy cooking and nutrition education classes will focus on individuals living with Type 2 diabetes who are enrolled in diabetes prevention programs through Piedmont Health Services, Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine and High Point Regional Adult Health.

The grant will also expand the AHA’s work with Guilford County Schools for its “Three Meals a Day” initiative in High Point. As the school system provides breakfast and lunch for students, there are gaps in service, including dinner, meals over the summer and after-school snacks for students in need. This program will reach more than 2,000 High Point students from T. Wingate Andrews High School, Welborn Middle School, Parkview Elementary and Montlieu Elementary with a long-term, rapid food relief initiative.