Urban League of Broward County teams up with Winn-Dixie to kick-off ‘Good Eats’ initiative featuring Celebrity Chef Chad Cherry

Urban League of Broward County teams up with Winn-Dixie to kick-off ‘Good Eats’ initiative featuring Celebrity Chef Chad Cherry

Chef Chad Cherry demonstrates how to prepare healthy and delicious dishes during a recent cooking demonstration during a Healthy Eats program co-sponsored by the Urban League of Broward County and Winn-Dixie Stores.

By Alica Brown

     Refresh Live’s Chef Chad Cherry kicked-off the new Winn-Dixie “Good Eats” initiative in partnership with the Urban League of Broward County to promote healthy eating in a community where more than 50 percent of African American adults deal with obesity issues on Feb. 27.

Chef Cherry conducted a cooking demonstration for parents and teens at the Urban League of Broward County. Families will learn healthier alternatives for preparing popular dishes, such as macaroni and cheese, meatloaf and more. “Good Eats” will continue with tours at select Winn-Dixie stores during April and May, with Chef Cherry educating local residents on how to identify healthy and affordable food items.

“Good Eats is a great opportunity to promote better health in our community,” said Germaine Smith-Baugh, Ed.D., president and CEO of Urban League of Broward County. “Improving our community’s health is a collective effort, and we’re fortunate to partner with Winn-Dixie and Chef Cherry to achieve positive health out-comes for many families.”

Winn-Dixie will continue to promote the Urban League’s initiatives with the launch of the Donation Program. From March 4-31, 17 Winn-Dixie stores in Broward County will enable shoppers to make donations in support of the organization, whose health programs offer preventative care and access to vital health resources for those who need them most.

“We are proud to partner with the Urban League of Broward County in honor Black History Month with an important nutritional program that promotes healthy living,” said Tony Jorges, Miami region vice president of Winn-Dixie Stores.  “We look forward to growing our partnership with the Urban League of Broward County and continue to be a resource to the communities we serve.”

Healthy eating is a challenge in Broward County where there are vast disparities in health among ethnic groups, according to the Closing the Gap, the State of Black Broward: Health Report, which the Urban League of Broward County commissioned. About 53 percent of Black adults in Broward County are considered obese. Among teens, Blacks and Hispanics are twice as likely to be overweight or obese when compared to white teens. In addition, the rate of diabetes in the community served by the Urban League is 210 percent times the county rate – another indicator of the need for education and access to healthy food options.

Addressing the community’s health is one of the Urban League of Broward County’s four core areas of concentration in “Breaking the Cycle” of poverty across the county.  With an emphasis on programs and services that focus on Education, Jobs, Housing and Health, the Urban League of Broward County impacts more than 7,000 people every year and continues its work to empower communities and change lives.

    Broward County Winn-Dixie stores will accept donations for Urban League’s programs, March 4-31.