Gardenia’s CSR Program Focuses on Health

This July, Gardenia highlights proper health and nutrition through a program aimed at educating the less privileged children about the importance of eating breakfast.

As part of the Nutrition Month celebration, Gardenia continues to advocate healthy eating by starting the day right with a well-balanced breakfast through its Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP). The corporate social responsibility (CSR) team of GBPI recently visited Malainen Luma Elementary School as the pilot beneficiary of the NAP for this month. Approximately 200 students benefited from the program and enjoyed the fun-learning experience brought by Gardenia.

“Breakfast, which is usually neglected nowadays because of the fast-paced lifestyle, is the foundation of healthy eating habits”, explained CSR Coordinator Quennie Comple. Moreover, the Corporate Relations Manager, Ms. Mary Ann Cabrera, also explained that NAP is Gardenia’s initiative to live up with this year’s nutrition month theme Gutom at malnutrisyon, sama-sama nating wakasan! “We believe that through this program, children can think more efficiently, and be more participative. A well-balanced breakfast can also help the students bring the energy needed to cover for the day.  In addition, through the NAP, we can somehow help to alleviate malnutrition as this initiative will be succeeded by a three-month feeding to monitor and evaluate nutritional status of severely-wasted children,” Ms. Cabrera said.

According to National Nutrition Council (NNC), Nutrition Month 2013 focuses on hunger because of four reasons: 1) hunger is seen as one of the worst forms of deprivation particularly because people do not enjoy their basic fundamental right– the right to food; 2) to call for immediate action to achieve the first Millennium Development Goal on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; 3) the escalating causes of hunger incidence in the past years affecting more Filipino families; and 4) addressing hunger contributes to national growth and development.

The rationale behind nutrition month inspires Gardenia to be more innovative in its CSR efforts.