On November 19, 2012 The Quaker Oats Company based in Chicago, a division of PepsiCo, announced its support of Common Threads, an organization dedicated to educating children about the importance of nutrition and physical well-being and fostering an appreciation of cultural diversity through cooking. Quaker is in a unique position to help inspire and enable families to choose nutritious food.
These two food-focused organizations both call Chicago their home and also share a common goal of providing nourishing food solutions to local families. Common Threads has developed in-school and after-school programs for elementary school students in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C. designed to take them on a world adventure as they prepare nutritious meals rooted in diverse cultural heritages. Quaker's contributions to Common Threads have funded 25 percent of the classes in the Chicagoland area this fall.
"Quaker is a special brand that has been nourishing families for 135 years, and we will continue to do so through what we call our triangle of health: nourishment, physical activity and education," says Jose Luis Prado, President, Quaker Foods North America. "Common Threads is a perfect partner as an organization that focuses on these same pillars by making food fun, educating students at a young age and instilling healthy habits that can last a lifetime."
With less than one percent of children getting the daily recommended amount of whole grains1, Quaker is turning to partners like Common Threads to try to improve that statistic by using recipes made with delicious whole grain Quaker Oats during classes. Also as part of its commitment, Quaker's employees are directly engaged with Common Threads by volunteering regularly at classes in Chicago. Plus, Quaker is helping Common Threads reach hundreds of parents with their important message as the sponsor of parent outreach sessions, which equip moms and dads with tools to help plan healthy, convenient and affordable meals for their families.
"Common Threads is extremely appreciative of Quaker's support, not only for the resources they committed to our classes, but also for the deeper relationships Quaker employees are building with our community by volunteering," says Linda Novick O'Keefe, Executive Director of Common Threads. "Through Quaker's commitment, we're able to impact more families than ever, and we look forward to what we can achieve together."
For more information on Quaker products, programs and recipes delivering the powerful benefits of whole grain Quaker Oats, please click here.