By Deanna Boyd Spangler
For many of Mona Thompson’s Las Vegas Trail neighbors, accessing fresh and healthy food can be a struggle. “There is a lot of seniors in this community, and there’s no grocery stores close, so there’s nothing for them,” Thompson said. “Some of them don’t have cars, and they can’t really get around.” And while a corner food store is within walking distance, Thompson said it’s more expensive than a traditional grocery store and no longer accepts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that so many residents rely on. That’s why Holiday Gratitude and Giving Bags, filled with a variety of fresh vegetables and provided this holiday season to communities like hers by Blue Zones Project/North Texas Healthy Communities, were such a blessing, she said.
The bags were given out before Thanksgiving and again prior to the Christmas holiday to more than 5,000 local families at 30 locations identified as high need across Fort Worth, including 16 community centers and eight Good For You Pantry sites. Families also received a cutting board, measuring spoons, a recipe for roasted vegetables, and links to online cooking demonstrations.
Dr. Carlos Walker, director of the Fort Worth ISD’s Family Action Center, said the bags were yet another way Blue Zones Project supports well-being in the Stop Six community and beyond. “We were able to serve 200 families with the Gratitude and Giving Bags,” Walker said. “We are very grateful for their support and the opportunity to serve our community alongside Blue Zones Project.”
Blue Zones Project Fort Worth is a community-led effort to improve the health and well-being of people who live, work and play in Fort Worth. It is under the umbrella of North Texas Healthy Communities, a nonprofit outreach arm of Texas Health Resources. “A lot of us take for granted that we will be able to enjoy fresh vegetables in our casseroles and side dishes along with other traditional foods during the holidays,” said Matt Dufrene, vice president of Blue Zones Project Fort Worth. “But many of our neighbors rely on food banks, which often have to focus on shelf-stable items like canned corn and boxed stuffing. We wanted to fill that gap and make it easier for families to prepare meals with healthy, fresh ingredients.”
The Holiday Gratitude and Giving Bags were one of many ways Blue Zones Project and North Texas Healthy Communities work with community partners to improve food access. Throughout the year, produce and other healthy food options like beans and rice are available at no cost to families through the Good For You Pantry program. The pantries, which also offer nutritional tools and recipes for making the most of the items received, are located primarily in select Fort Worth ISD schools.
Additionally, Blue Zones Project recently introduced a Fresh Access initiative, focused exclusively on providing fresh produce to residents served by 16 Fort Worth community centers.