KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Busy, working parents in Cabarrus County can now relax when it comes to planning dinner thanks to a new take-home meals program offered at three local daycare centers.
The Cabarrus Health Alliance (CHA) launched the healthy, affordable take-home meals program, GO GO Bags, at Dixon Academy, Concord Academy, and McKnight Child Development Center with help from a grant provided by the Walmart Foundation.
Officials say the goal is to help busy families avoid choosing fast food or having to meal prep, by making healthy family-sized dinners easily accessible through this program at daycare sites.
When parents come to pick up their child at the end of the day, officials say they can also choose to take dinner home for their family and avoid any worry about what they will eat at night.
“Access to healthy food builds the foundation for good health in communities,” said Eileen Hyde, senior director for Walmart.org. “Our goal is to improve people’s ability to more consistently consume nutritious food. That involves connecting people to the food they need as well as building confidence in their choices. This pilot is using innovation and education to improve the health of the community, and we’re proud to support it.”
Officials say with funding from the Walmart Foundation, the Cabarrus County Health Alliance is working in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Meals on Wheels to provide healthier food choices through this pilot program.
Meals on Wheels officials say they held taste tests to figure out what meals families most enjoyed and would be interested in buying.
“We have received positive feedback not only from daycare center staff, but also from parents who had the opportunity to try the meals,” said Melanie Grafals, CHA Program Coordinator. “It is very exciting that after months of planning, we have started implementation and are ready to track the impact of the program.”
The take home meal service, branded GO GO Bags, offers families two meal options each week and can be purchased electronically.
CHA officials say even though the Walmart Foundation awarded the grant back in January 2020, due to COVID, last month was the first time parents and caretakers were able to start placing orders through this new program.
