We have all heard the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but did you know that apples have plenty of other health benefits? Believe it or not, just one medium apple provides 20 percent of daily dietary fiber needs. The soluble fiber found in apples helps to control blood sugars, which is important for those living with diabetes. Apples are a terrific, healthy snack with no sodium or saturated fat. So, when our friends at Giant told us they wanted to donate 250 cases of apples to the Capital Area Food Bank, we were thrilled!
The apples will be distributed to our food assistance partners throughout Washington, D.C., suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia, who are all working on the frontline of hunger relief. Giant knows just how devoted the food bank is to distributing healthy food because this donation offers an excellent source of fiber and disease-preventing antioxidants, which many people who struggle with hunger unfortunately do not always have access to.
The Nation’s Capital Grocer has been an ardent supporter of the food bank and our hunger relief efforts. Giant recently contributed a truck to help the CAFB get more food into the community. During the holidays, they offer pre-packaged food boxes that customers can purchase for families in need. Additionally, Giant hosts one of the CAFB’s largest, annual food drives – Stuff-A-Truck.
This apple donation comes at an important time as we prepare for our 2014 Capital Area Food Bank Hunger Summit, which focuses on food for health. The CAFB team has been working hard to assemble an impressive array of speakers who will share their knowledge about food, health and nutrition, and how it relates to the work that we are doing throughout the Washington metro region. This event is sure to be a day filled with amazing learning experiences, networking opportunities and no shortage of chances to be inspired about the work of the hunger relief community both locally and across the country. For a complete list of speakers and to register to attend the hunger summit, please click here.