Michelle in Philly, new fresh grocer program

[sandnsea]

You know, there is really so much good that goes on around this country, every single day. For instance, in my little town, a friend of mine has made the lives of the homeless infinitely better. Yes it was a job she took, but I know the opposition she faced and she persevered anyway. So now the homeless have almost daily meals where there were NONE before. She's helped any number of people get into homes and sends out an SOS for household supplies. She even got one of the churches to be a warming center because we do have freezing cold days too. Bless her heart, she spent part of this week, a week of her vacation time, baking cookies and banana bread for the cold lunch days. So it is so hard for me to understand some of the people at DU who have had not one positive thing to say in the six, well it's seven years now, that I've been here. There is so much good out there, and much of it is provided with government funds, and dare I say corporate funds, and any number of good-hearted people who just want to say they did their share on this planet.

So anyway, when I see programs like this Food Trust in PA, I just get so excited. Michelle was in Philly today on her Let's Move campaign and stopped at a store called Fresh Grocer. It's in what would have been a "food desert", except Pennsylvania partnered with non-profits to build grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods. Is that not amazing! Now I personally think they should be non-profit grocery stores, but if this model is working and bringing food to folks who would otherwise be eating at the 7-11, then this is just awesome. http://www.thefoodtrust.org/php/programs/super.market.campaign.php

And the President has included $400 million to make this program a national model, introducing the Healthy Food Financing Initiative proposal in the 2011 budget. It is so exciting to me that there is real action with every initiative they take on.

More info, Michelle's remarks at Fairhill Elementary,

http://obama-mamas.com/blog/?p=1371

[Cha]

1. Thanks sandnsea..I saw pictures of Michelle

at the Fresh Grocer earlier on another site and she just warms my heart with all the outreach and positive energy she's spreading around, relentlessly. You know you have to be a dedicated, optimistic person(people) to be laser focused like the Obamas with negativity coming at you exponentially.

I guess Gov Rendell has been on a diet?

Your friend's job sounds like a calling..everyone wins.

I've worked in a non-profit Natural Foods Co-op smack dab in the middle of New York state for the last 10 years. It's my first non-profit experience..it's under the umbrella of the YMCA in town which has gotten Gov grants over the years.

[Born_A_Truman]

2. Wish I could recommend your post!

And give your friend a hug and thanks from me for helping others.

[goclark]

3. Here is a Hug for Michelle and those she continues to inspire

and a Hug for the friend mentioned above... :hug: