All-Clad and the Partnership for a Healthier America joined together to assist and promote the Chefs Move! to Schools initiative, which helps chefs partner with interested schools in their communities so together they can create healthy meals that meet the schools' dietary guidelines and budgets, while teaching young people about nutrition and making balanced and healthy choices.

Together through generous contributions from several leading cookware manufacturers, including All-Clad and T-fal, PHA put together "demonstration kits" – $2 million worth of easy-to-use cookware products and utensils aimed to empower teachers, parents, and students to learn healthy cooking habits. Over 1,000 kits were shipped out to schools that partnered with a local chef. Share Our Strength generously assisted in the distribution of the kits.

PHA's press release on the Chefs Move commitment can be found here.

"On behalf of the Partnership, I want to applaud the generosity of these companies for donating these products. We are excited to award these supplies to deserving schools across the nation," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors. "With this cookware, chefs will have the necessary tools to help teachers, parents, school nutritionists, and administrators educate children about healthy eating and in turn, help us in our goal of curbing childhood obesity within a generation."

To see All-Clad's press release on the Chefs Move commitment, click here.

In May 2012, Birds Eye, America's leading vegetable company, committed to launching a three-year effort to encourage kids to look at vegetables in a whole new way.

Specifically, Birds Eye is making the following commitments:

• Birds Eye commits to dedicate at least $2 million per year for each of three years—calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014—to marketing and advertising efforts to encourage children to enjoy and consume vegetables. These funds will support a GenVeg consumer marketing campaign that speaks directly to kids, in the voices of kids.
• In 2012, the GenVeg campaign will appear on Nickelodeon and specifically on the hit live-action series, iCarly. Potential media channels for the GenVeg campaign will also include: TV, radio, digital, print, in-store and retailer-specific campaigns as well as other communication vehicles.
• At least one-third of the GenVeg television messages will reach women age 26-54 with children between ages six and 11 and household income of $30,000 or less.
• Birds Eye commits to investing in product innovation to bring to market at least two new kid-inspired vegetable products.
• Each of the new Birds Eye products must meet 2010 US Dietary Guidelines and the company will introduce these products to retailers nationwide.
• Birds Eye commits to conduct a three-year program to distribute at least 50 million coupons tied to the GenVeg campaign encouraging children to discover the wonder of vegetables. These coupons must promote products that meet US Dietary Guidelines and price reductions must be at least 50 percent off.

Every company that works with PHA is required to agree that PHA will monitor and report on progress toward their commitment. Birds Eye has agreed to work with an independent verifier to report the progress of their commitment for PHA's annual report.

PHA's press release on the Birds Eye commitment can be found here.

"Birds Eye is taking a different approach to helping kids discover the wonder of vegetables by going straight to the source," said Sally Genster Robling, president of the Birds Eye Frozen Division. "We're asking kids what they think about fresh vegetables in frozen form and inviting them to help us create new veggie products just for kids. By engaging and empowering moms and kids with options available year round, Birds Eye hopes to get more vegetables on America's dinner plates."

On June 8, 2011, Bright Horizons joined with PHA and committed to continue advancing their nutritional, physical activity and long-standing screen time policies and practices with the goal of having their nearly 600 U.S. child care centers and schools pass a public evaluation and serve as an example for child care centers nationwide.

Bright Horizons is the first private child care company to commit to public evaluation of their commitment to healthy practices. The standards Bright Horizons will meet are taken in large part from the Early Childhood Settings guidelines developed last year in conjunction with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Specifically, Bright Horizons committed to:

Continue to focus on nutrition, by:

• Following their long-standing family-style eating practices,
• Ensuring that fruits and vegetables are served with every meal,
• Ensuring that only low-fat or non-fat milk is served to all children over age 2,
• Ensuring a maximum of one 4-6 oz. serving of 100 percent fruit juice per day, and
• Providing resources to ensure that all mothers are aware of their ability to breastfeed at their centers.

Continue to focus on physical activity, by:

• Further promoting their physical activity and nutrition information education programs for children: Well Aware and Movement Matters,
• Continuing to provide a minimum of 1-2 hours of physical activity per day,
• Maintaining their policy of no screen time for children under age 2,
• Providing a maximum of one hour of educational, curricula-based screen time for children over 2 years and maintaining their founding principle of no television in their centers, and
• Providing resources that encourage parents and caregivers to limit screen time for children outside the center to no more than 1-2 hours per day.

Additionally, within 18 months, all Bright Horizons centers will:

• ALWAYS provide access to water during meals and throughout the day,
• NEVER serve fried foods at meals, and
• NEVER serve sugar-sweetened beverages.

PHA and Bright Horizons' press release on their early childhood education commitment can be found here.

"I commend Bright Horizons for continuing to lead the fight against childhood obesity in child care centers. Commitments like this one – with targeted and achievable results – will help us reach our goal of curbing childhood obesity within a generation. Perhaps most importantly, it's a commitment that will improve our children's health without asking already busy parents to do anything more than they're doing right now," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

On June 20, 2011, Brown's Super Stores made a commitment with PHA to expand access of groceries in areas of low access. Currently, 23.5 million Americans live in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and nutritious foods. Of these 23.5 million, approximately 11.5 million are individuals living in households with incomes at or below the 200% poverty line, and 6.5 million are children. PHA was proud to announce on June 20, 2011 commitments from 7 organizations to provide nearly 10 million Americans with the ability to purchase fresh, nutritious foods close to home.

Specifically, Brown's Super Stores pledged to:

• Build one store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and expand one store in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania by 2016, serving approximately 150,000 people and creating 325 jobs.

PHA's press release on Brown's Super Stores commitment to build stores in low-access areas can be found here.

"Jeff Brown of Brown's Super Stores has emerged as a leading voice among grocery operators on a mission to improve access to affordable food in underserved areas. He has committed to opening a new ShopRite Supermarket in Philadelphia and expanding one other store in the area. Both of these projects will be critical for the thousands of people they will serve," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

On June 20, 2011, Calhoun Enterprises made a commitment with PHA to expand access of groceries in areas of low access. Currently, 23.5 million Americans live in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and nutritious foods. Of these 23.5 million, approximately 11.5 million are individuals living in households with incomes at or below the 200% poverty line, and 6.5 million are children. PHA was proud to announce on June 20, 2011 commitments from 7 organizations to provide nearly 10 million Americans with the ability to purchase fresh, nutritious foods close to home.

Specifically, Calhoun Enterprises pledged to:

• Build 10 stores in Alabama and Tennessee by 2016, serving approximately 10,000 people and creating 500 jobs.

PHA's press release on the Calhoun Enterprises' commitment to build stores in low-access areas can be found here.

"Led by Greg Calhoun, Calhoun Enterprises is an African American, family owned, local chain of six grocery stores in Alabama. They serve areas in and around Montgomery where their stores are often the sole source of groceries in the communities they serve. As someone who grew up in Mobile, Alabama, who has long-known of the Calhoun brand, I take personal pride in announcing that over the next five years, Calhoun's has committed to build 10 stores in or near areas that currently have no viable options for healthy, affordable foods. Ten stores – 4 in Tennessee and 6 in Alabama," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

On June 20, 2011, The California Endowment's FreshWorks Fund made a commitment with PHA to expand access of groceries in areas of low access. Currently, 23.5 million Americans live in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and nutritious foods. Of these 23.5 million, approximately 11.5 million are individuals living in households with incomes at or below the 200% poverty line, and 6.5 million are children. PHA was proud to announce on June 20, 2011 commitments from 7 organizations to provide nearly 10 million Americans with the ability to purchase fresh, nutritious foods close to home.

Specifically, The California Endowment, through their FreshWorks Fund, commitment to provide $200,000,000 for individuals in low-access areas in California, which will create 6,000 jobs.

PHA's press release on The California Endowment's FreshWorks Fund commitment to build stores in low-access areas can be found here.

"Through its FreshWorks Fund, The California Endowment will help make $200 million in financing available to new, independent retail channels and innovative food distribution programs in California through a combination of financing and grants. FreshWorks brought together industry leaders like Unified Grocers and a range of other partners: including health care providers like Kaiser Permanente and financial trailblazers like the non-profit NCB Capital Impact. Their innovative financing model will be used to bring healthy, affordable food to the millions in California who are currently lacking access. Plus, the FreshWorks Fund is expected to create or retain about 6,000 jobs for Californians," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

Click here to see The California Endowment's press release on their commitment.

ChildObesity 180 fosters cross-sector collaboration through a portfolio of initiatives that aim to reverse the trend of childhood obesity. The organization has committed to execute the Active Schools Acceleration Project (ASAP), a national competition to identify and reward the most creative, impactful, and scalable school-based programs and technological innovations that promote physical activity for children.  Specifically, ChildObesity180 will:

• Host a two-category competition: "School Programs" for teachers, schools or school districts; and "Technology Innovation" for developers.
• Encourage teachers, schools, or entire districts to enter into the contest their in-school physical activity programs, including any curriculum, activity, environmental modification, event, or other initiative that promotes quality school-time physical activity and is already being implemented.
• Encourage developers to enter the "Technology Innovation" category to demonstrate how their existing or emerging technology can be used to inspire kids to be physically active.  This may include devices, tracking and measurement systems, software applications, innovative uses of social media, gaming, smart phones, and more.
• Award a total of $500,000 in prizes, with individual awards of up to $100,000.  In addition to monetary awards, top winners will advance to participate in funded pilot studies aimed at expanding both reach and impact.

ChildObesity180's press release on the commitment can be found here.

On September 15, 2011, Darden joined with PHA to help address the childhood obesity crisis by committing to:

Kids' Menus – changes starting now and to be fully implemented by July 2012

• Guarantee a fruit or vegetable will be the default side for every kids' menu item at those restaurants offering a default side on the children's menu: Bahama Breeze, LongHorn Steakhouse and Red Lobster.
• One percent milk will be the default beverage, provided automatically if no alternate beverage is requested.  Milk will be prominently promoted on the menu and made available with free refills.
• Food illustrations on the menu will promote the healthy choices for meals and drinks.
• Healthier menu options will be more prominently displayed when possible.
• Carbonated beverages will not be displayed on children's menus.
• Improve the nutritional content of one or more children's menu items to provide equal or less than 600 calories, 30 percent of total calories from fat, 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat, and 600 mg of sodium.

Calories/Sodium Footprint Reduction – changes to be implemented by 2016 and 2021

• By 2016, reduce calories by 10 percent and over a ten-year period by 20 percent.
• By 2016, reduce sodium by 10 percent and over a ten-year period by 20 percent.

PHA's press release on Darden's commitment can be found here.

"The Partnership is focused on making the healthy choice the easy choice, whether by working with grocers to bring healthy, affordable food into areas that lack access or with day care centers to ensure that children are starting out their lives with the healthy options they need. Recent studies predict half of all Americans will be obese by 2030. That's every other person who walks into a restaurant, grocery store or corner bodega. And that's why, with Darden's massive reach combined with the leadership they are continuing to show in this area, we are more excited than ever about our chances of ending childhood obesity," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

Darden's press release on its commitment can be found here.

On November 29, 2011 at PHA's inaugural Building a Healthier Future Summit, the Fresh Grocer, a Philadelphia-area grocer, announced it will build five grocery stores in or around areas where people lack access to healthy, affordable foods. Fresh Grocer's five new stores will be located in the mid-Atlantic and serve approximately 795,000 people and create approximately 1,000 jobs. This announcement builds on the commitments highlighted at the July 20, 2011 White House event where several companies committed to similar expansions.

Specifically, The Fresh Grocer committed to build five (5) grocery stores in or around areas in communities that lack access to healthy affordable foods. These stores will sell a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meat and dairy products and will be similar in size and scope to The Fresh Grocer stores in operation in 2011. The new stores will open by 2016.

PHA's press release on The Fresh Grocer's commitment to building grocery stores can be found here.

"We are excited to join the Partnership for a Healthier America as a partner to fight childhood obesity," said Patrick J. Burns, President & CEO of The Fresh Grocer. "By opening five new stores over the next five years in areas in and around food deserts, we will give close to 800,000 people throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region access to fresh, healthy, affordable food."

On May 17, 2010, the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF) signed an agreement with PHA pledging to take actions aimed at reducing 1 trillion calories by the end of 2012, and 1.5 trillion product calories by the end of 2015, combined.

The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation manufacturing companies will pursue their calorie reduction goals by:

• Growing and introducing lower calorie options;
• Changing product recipes where possible to lower the calorie content of current products;
• Or reducing portion sizes of existing single serve products, to help Americans reduce their calorie intake, improve their overall nutrition and close the energy gap.

PHA's press release on the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation's commitment to reduce calories can be found here.

"I am pleased to acknowledge this major first step by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. Pledges like this one – with targeted and achievable results that are meaningful and measurable – will help us reach our goal of curbing childhood obesity within a generation," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

Click here to see the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation's press release on their commitment.

Hyatt Hotels joined with PHA at the inaugural Building a Healthier Future Summit on November 29, 2011 to commit to enhancing the nutritional profile of its children's and full menus across all of its dining offerings – from poolside dining to catering to restaurants – for its 24 million guests annually by adding healthier options.

Changes to menus will be implemented at all restaurants managed by full-service Hyatt hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada, as well as on menus for room service, catering, bars, lounges and pools. Menu changes include the following:

Children's Menus – changes starting now and to be fully implemented by the end of November 2012:

• Offer a fruit or vegetable as the default side item with all children's meals;
• Make 8 oz. servings of nonfat or low-fat milk available with free refills. Promote milk or water prominently on the menu with other beverage options displayed less prominently;
• Offer at least one children's menu meal option that meets the MyPlate federal guidance: one to two servings of fruit and vegetables, a whole grain serving, a lean protein serving, and a low fat dairy (or dairy substitute) serving, which together have a nutrient composition equal to or less than 600 calories, 30 percent of total calories from fat, 10 percent total calories from saturated fat, 600 mg of sodium, and no more than 10 grams added sugar. Position and feature that meal as the first on the children's menus; and
• Ensure any food illustrations on children's menus depict nutritious options, including milk or water as the beverage of choice if beverages are depicted.

General Menus

• By 2016, reduce the calorie footprint, sodium content and added sugar content by at least 10 percent across all food menus, with an endeavor to have at least 50 percent of U.S. Hyatt properties meeting this standard within three years;
• At least two healthy menu meal options will be equivalent to or lower in price than less healthy menu meal options. This pricing parity will appear on all menus by 2016, with an endeavor to have at least 50 percent of menus reflecting this change within three years.
• At least five menu items for each meal on Hotel menus will contain a locally produced food products or ingredient.

PHA's press release on Hyatt Hotels' commitment to healthier menus can be found here.

"We are honored and humbled to be recognized for our efforts to create healthier options for children at our hotels across the country," said Chuck Floyd, Chief Operating Officer, North America at Hyatt. "We frequently hear from our guests that it's quite difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on the road. We are committed to changing that, and by working with PHA, it gives us the momentum we need and moves us another step closer toward making a positive impact on the guests that we serve every day."

At PHA's inaugural Building a Healthier Future Summit on November 29, 2011, Kaiser Permanente committed to institute new guidelines in all 29 of its hospitals that offer maternal and child health services to help make breastfeeding a priority for each child born in one of their hospitals.

Specifically, Kaiser Permanente committed to the following:

• By January 1, 2013, all of Kaiser Permanente's 29 hospitals that offer maternal and child health services will be designated as Baby-Friendly, and/or participate in the Joint Commission's Perinatal Core Measures program, which requires participating hospitals to report their rates of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge.
• Kaiser Permanente will establish a system-wide performance improvement program focusing on the development and implementation of evidence-based hospital breastfeeding practices.
• Kaiser Permanente will develop and make publicly available a hospital breastfeeding practices guide that documents lessons learned and operational strategies that other systems can use to improve maternity care.
• To ensure accountability, Kaiser Permanente will include rates of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge as a core quality measure on its Quality Dashboard, which will be reviewed on a quarterly basis along with other hospital quality measures.

PHA's press release on Kaiser Permanente's commitment to breastfeeding can be found here.

"At Kaiser Permanente, we are committed to giving every baby the healthiest start possible," said Edward Ellison, MD, executive medical director-elect, Kaiser Permanente Southern California region. "We believe in making the healthy choice the easy choice for mothers and families, so we are striving to support breastfeeding in our hospitals. We also promote and support breastfeeding as a key component of our comprehensive strategy to prevent childhood obesity."

On June 20, 2011, Klein Family Markets made a commitment with PHA to expand access of groceries in areas of low access. Currently, 23.5 million Americans live in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and nutritious foods. Of these 23.5 million, approximately 11.5 million are individuals living in households with incomes at or below the 200% poverty line, and 6.5 million are children. PHA was proud to announce on June 20, 2011 commitments from 7 organizations to provide nearly 10 million Americans with the ability to purchase fresh, nutritious foods close to home.

Specifically, Klein Family Markets pledged to:

• Build one ShopRite store in Baltimore, Maryland by 2016, serving approximately 75,000 people and creating 275 jobs.

PHA's press release on the Klein Family Markets commitment to build stores in low-access areas can be found here.

"Jeff Brown founded UpLift Solutions, a non-profit foundation to help grocery owners and governments navigate the barriers to opening stores in underserved areas. UpLift Solutions will provide exactly that kind of help to the Klein family, who will be opening a ShopRite in Baltimore, Maryland. The 3 new and expanded stores Jeff Brown and The Klein Family have committed to will serve more than 200 THOUSAND people and create 600 new jobs for their communities," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

The Links, Incorporated, committed on November 30, 2011 at PHA's inaugural Building a Healthier Future Summit, to involving its chapters with childhood obesity intervention programs and to assist PHA with monitoring, including community assessments and reporting.

Specifically, The Links committed to:

• Links chapters with childhood obesity intervention projects and health initiatives, their key partners, community stakeholders, and affiliate volunteers will assess local alignment with PHA partner commitments
• Assess the degree to which the PHA partners and collaborators have transformed the identified community into one that has the capacity to support healthy food options and lifestyle choices
• Provide feedback on the results of these community assessments as described in numbers 1 and 2
• Continue the work of education, advocacy and systematic transformation to eliminate childhood obesity in African-American and under-served communities where there are Links Chapters and PHA affiliation
• PHA's press release on The Link's commitment can be found here.

Obesity rates are growing exponentially among African-American children, and we recognize that overweight and obese children are at a higher risk for a host of chronic illnesses," said Margot James Copeland, president of The Links, Incorporated. "The Links, Incorporated have made fighting childhood obesity a national priority and we are pleased to involve our chapters in assisting PHA in assessing its partner commitments."

At PHA's inaugural Building a Healthier Future Summit on November 30, 2011, New Horizon Academy, a childcare company based in Minnesota, committed to provide a healthy environment in its 67 centers, which serve 7,500 children in Minnesota and Idaho.

Specifically, New Horizon Academy committed that within 18 months, 85 percent of its centers, and within three years 95 percent of its centers will:

Focus on Nutrition:

• Follow family-style eating practices
• Serve fruits and vegetables with every meal
• Eliminate all fried foods and sugar-sweetened beverages
• Provide access to water during meals and throughout the day
• Serve low-fat or non-fat milk to all children over two
• Serve a maximum of one 4-6 oz. serving of 100 percent fruit juice per day
• Accommodate mothers who wish to breastfeed

Continue to Focus on Physical Activity

• Provide a minimum of 1-2 hours of physical activity per day
• Eliminate screen time for children under two
• Strive to limit screen time for children ages two and older to a maximum of 30 minutes per week during child care center hours
• Have policies encouraging parents and caregivers to limit screen time for children outside the center to no more than 1-2 hours per day

Evaluation

• Every company that works with the Partnership for a Healthier America is required to participate in a third party evaluation along with the public release of that evaluation's results. New Horizon Academy is no different and has agreed to the following:
• Surveying each of it's 67 centers to ensure goals are being met
• The survey is created and evaluated by independent verifiers
• Allowing independent verifiers to analyze its corporate policies and ensure they are in compliance
• Opening up centers for direct observation
• Results will be released half way through the commitment (18 months) and at the end of the commitment (36 months)

PHA's press release on New Horizon's commitment to provide healthier environments can be found here.

"Every decision we make is based on prompting the self-esteem of children," said New Horizon Academy COO Chad Dunkley.  "We know that all early childhood development, whether it is social, emotional, cognitive, or gross motor, is built on a foundation of healthy nutrition. We applaud First Lady Michelle Obama and PHA for raising awareness about this issue and for highlighting how critical a child's early years are for establishing lifelong habits.  We are proud to make this commitment and to help spread the word that every individual, every group, every organization has a role in ensuring that this generation, and all future generations, know how to live a healthy lifestyle."

SUPERVALU joined with PHA on June 20, 2011 to commit to building Save-A-Lot stores in low-income areas that lack access to healthy foods. Currently, 23.5 million Americans live in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and nutritious foods. Of these 23.5 million, approximately 11.5 million are individuals living in households with incomes at or below the 200% poverty line, and 6.5 million are children. PHA was proud to announce on June 20, 2011 commitments from 7 organizations to provide nearly 10 million Americans with the ability to purchase fresh, nutritious foods close to home.

Specifically, SUPERVALU committed to:

• Build 250 Save-A-Lot stores nationwide by 2016, serving approximately 3,750,000 people and creating 6,250 jobs.

PHA's press release on SUPERVALU's commitment to build stores in low-access areas can be found here.

"SUPERVALU, a 140-year old company which has long-specialized in providing affordable produce to underserved areas, has committed to build another 250 Save-A-Lot stores over the next five years in or around areas that currently have little-to-no access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Just as important, the Save-A-Lot model allows them to keep prices very low, making it even easier for people to make the healthy choice. Their commitment today will serve an additional 3.75 million people and create more than 6,000 jobs," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

SUPERVALU's press release on its commitment can be found here.

On June 20, 2011, Walgreens made a commitment with PHA to expand access of groceries in areas of low access. Currently, 23.5 million Americans live in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and nutritious foods. Of these 23.5 million, approximately 11.5 million are individuals living in households with incomes at or below the 200% poverty line, and 6.5 million are children. PHA was proud to announce on June 20, 2011 commitments from 7 organizations to provide nearly 10 million Americans with the ability to purchase fresh, nutritious foods close to home.

Specifically, Walgreens pledged to:

• Expand a minimum of 1,000 stores nationwide by 2016, serving approximately 4,785,000 people.

PHA's press release on the Walgreen's commitment to build stores in low-access areas can be found here.

"Walgreens is committing to convert at least 1,000 of their stores where people currently cannot get access to healthy, affordable foods into 'food oasis' stores. This means that whole fruits and vegetables, pre-cut fruit salads and green salads, and basic amenities like breads and ready-made meals will now be available to nearly five million people who live in areas currently with limited access to these basics," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

Click here to see Walgreen's press release on their commitment.

On January 20, 2011, Walmart joined with PHA to help address the childhood obesity crisis by committing to:

• Reformulating thousands of everyday packaged food items by 2015 by reducing sodium 25 percent and added sugars 10 percent, and by removing all remaining industrially produced trans fats.
• Making healthier choices more affordable, saving customers approximately $1 billion per year on fresh fruits and vegetables, in addition to dramatically reducing or eliminating the price premium on key "better-for-you" items, such as reduced sodium, sugar or fat products;
• Developing strong criteria for a simple front-of-package seal that will help consumers instantly identify truly healthier food options;
• Providing solutions to address food deserts by building stores in underserved communities that are in need of fresh and affordable groceries; and
• Increasing charitable support for nutrition programs that help educate consumers about healthier food solutions and choices.

PHA's press release on Walmart's in-store commitments can be found here.

"Today's announcement is important because Wal-Mart, the the world's largest retailer, will now be providing millions of American families with convenient access to a wide range of healthy, affordable food. Limited access to healthy food plays a key role in the obesity crisis. By increasing the affordability and accessibility of healthier options, Wal-Mart will be helping families make significant changes in their daily lives," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

Walmart's press release on its commitment can be found here.

On June 20, 2011, Walmart made a commitment with PHA to expand access of groceries in areas of low access. Currently, 23.5 million Americans live in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and nutritious foods. Of these 23.5 million, approximately 11.5 million are individuals living in households with incomes at or below the 200% poverty line, and 6.5 million are children. PHA was proud to announce on June 20, 2011 commitments from 7 organizations to provide nearly 10 million Americans with the ability to purchase fresh, nutritious foods close to home.

Specifically, Walmart pledged to:

• Build or expand 275-300 stores nationwide by 2016, serving approximately 800,000 people and creating 40,000 jobs.

PHA's press release on Walmart's commitment to build or expand stores in low-access areas can be found here.

"We are delighted that Walmart is continuing to deliver on that commitment with a plan to address underserved markets. Over the next five years, Walmart has committed to build or expand nearly 300 stores in or near areas where they're needed most, serving more than 800,000 people who struggle with access to fresh produce and affordable groceries. Walmart also estimates that more than 40,000 associates will work in these stores," said James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the PHA's board of directors.

Walmart's press release on its commitment can be found here.

At PHA's inaugural Building a Healthier Future Summit on November 30, 2011, YMCA of the USA committed to establishing minimums for physical activity, maximums for screen time, and keeping food and beverages healthy for the 700,000 children in its out of school programs.

Specifically, The Y committed to:

• Establish a minimum of expected physical activity for children of different ages enrolled in YMCA programs;
• Designate fruits and vegetables as snack options;
• Designate water as the primary beverage during snack times;
• Limit screen time;
• Encourage breastfeeding of infants in YMCA's care; and
• Conduct parent education to encourage healthy behaviors at home.

At least 50 percent of Y Member Associations with early childhood and after-school programs will be in compliance with the new standards by July 1, 2013; 70 percent will be in compliance by July 1, 2014; and 85 percent will be in compliance by July 1, 2015.

The standards vary in order to be age-appropriate for early childhood programs, and older children and youth in after-school programs. Also, over the next four years YMCA of the USA will work with an independent evaluator – the Altarum Institute -- to monitor the progress of YMCAs towards the implementation of policies and ensure that commitments made are commitments kept.

PHA's press release on The Y's commitment to insure healthier practices in its centers can be found here.

"As one of the nation's largest providers of early childhood and afterschool programs, the Y can make a significant impact in improving the health of hundreds of thousands of children nationwide," said Neil Nicoll, president and CEO of Y-USA. "Across the country, children are in desperate need of healthy environments that help them thrive. The Y is a leading nonprofit strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Implementing standards and practices for Y childcare programs in the 10,000 communities we serve will help create a healthier future for our nation's children."

First Lady Michelle Obama
Honorary Chair

When people ask Michelle Obama to describe herself, she doesn't hesitate. First and foremost, she is Malia and Sasha's mom.

But before she was a mother – or a wife, lawyer, or public servant – she was Fraser and Marian Robinson's daughter.

The Robinsons lived in a brick bungalow on the South Side of Chicago. Fraser was a pump operator for the Chicago Water Department, and despite being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at a young age, he hardly ever missed a day of work. Marian stayed home to raise Michelle and her brother, Craig, skillfully managing a busy household filled with love, laughter, and important life lessons.

A product of Chicago public schools, Michelle studied sociology and African-American studies at Princeton University. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1988, she joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she later met the man who would become the love of her life.

After a few years, Michelle decided her true calling lay in encouraging people to serve their communities and their neighbors. She served as assistant commissioner of planning and development in Chicago's City Hall before becoming the founding executive director of the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program that prepares youth for public service. In 1996, Michelle joined the University of Chicago with a vision of bringing campus and community together. As associate dean of student services, she developed the university's first community service program, and under her leadership as vice president of community and external affairs for the University of Chicago Medical Center, volunteerism skyrocketed.

As First Lady, Michelle Obama looks forward to continuing her work on the issues close to her heart – supporting military families, helping working women balance career and family, and encouraging national service.

Michelle and Barack Obama have two daughters: Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. Like their mother, the girls were born on the South Side of Chicago.

The Honorable William H. Frist, MD
Honorary Vice Chair

Doctor and Senator Bill Frist is both a nationally recognized heart and lung transplant surgeon and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. Currently Professor of Business and Medicine at Vanderbilt University, he is uniquely qualified to discuss the challenges and solutions in health care policy. Senator Frist is consistently recognized among the most influential leaders in American health care.

Senator Frist majored in health policy at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs before graduating with honors from Harvard Medical School and completing surgical training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Stanford. As the founder and Director of the Vanderbilt Multi-Organ Transplant Center, he has performed over 150 heart and lung transplants and authored over 100 peer-reviewed medical articles and chapters and, over 400 newspaper articles, and seven books on topics such as bioterrorism, transplantation, and leadership. He is board certified in both general and heart surgery.

Dr. Frist represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate for 12 years where he served on both committees responsible for writing health legislation (Health and Finance). His leadership was instrumental in passage of prescription drug legislation and funding to fight HIV at home and globally.

Today Senator Frist is focused on domestic health reform, K-12 education reform, the basic science of heart transplantation, global health policy, economic development in low-income countries, children's health around the world, health care disparities, medical mission work in Sudan, the health of the mountain gorilla, and HIV/AIDS. Senator Frist's latest book, A Heart to Serve: The Passion to Bring Health, Home, and Healing, is an inspirational treatise of channeling one's passions to serve others through medicine, politics, and global health.

Frist currently serves on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Commission to Build a Healthier America, which has directly linked better health to education. This along with other education research led him to create the Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) in 2009, which is a statewide K-12 education initiative working to improve the level of education for Tennessee students.

Dr. Frist regularly annually leads medical mission trips to Africa. He is chair of Save the Children's "Survive to Five Campaign" and Nashville-based Hope Through Healing Hands. His current board service includes the Kaiser Family Foundation, Millennium Challenge Corporation, Africare, the U.S. Holocaust Museum's Committee on Conscience, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the Harvard Medical School Board of Fellows.

Senator Frist was the 2007-2008 Frederick H. Schultz Professor of International Economic Policy at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He is a partner in the private equity firm of Cressey and Company. Dr. Frist is married, and has three sons, and lives in Nashville.

The Honorable Cory A. Booker
Honorary Vice Chair

Cory A. Booker, 40, is the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He took the oath of office as Mayor of New Jersey's largest city on July 1, 2006 following a sweeping electoral victory.

Elected with a clear mandate for change, Mayor Booker has begun work on realizing a bold vision for the city. Newark's mission is to set a national standard for urban transformation by marshalling its resources to achieve security, economic abundance and an environment that is nurturing and empowering for individuals and families.

Mayor Booker and his Administration have made meaningful strides towards achieving the City's mission. As of July 1, 2008, Newark, New Jersey led the nation among large cities for reductions in shootings and murders, achieving decreases of more than 40% reductions in both categories. Radical transformation of the Newark Police Department under Mayor Booker's leadership, together with the deployment of over 100 surveillance cameras throughout City, has led to Newark setting the nationwide pace for crime reduction.

Among other recent notable achievements under Mayor Booker's leadership, the City of Newark has committed to a $40 million transformation of the City's parks and playgrounds through a ground-breaking public/private partnership. The Booker Administration has also doubled affordable housing production.

Mayor Booker's political career began in 1998, after serving as Staff Attorney for the Urban Justice Center in Newark. He rose to prominence as Newark's Central Ward Councilman. During his four years of service from 1998-2002, then-Councilman Booker earned a reputation as a leader with innovative ideas and bold actions, from increasing security in public housing to building new playgrounds. This work was the foundation for his leadership as Mayor. For this work, he has been recognized in numerous publications, including, among others, Time, Esquire, New Jersey Monthly (naming him as one of New Jersey's top 40 under 40), Black Enterprise (naming him to the Hot List, America's Most Powerful Players under 40) and The New York Times Magazine.

Reflecting his commitment to education, Mayor Booker is a member of numerous boards and advisory committees including Democrats for Education Reform, Columbia University Teachers' College Board of Trustees and the Black Alliance for Educational Options. Mayor Booker received his B. A. and M. A. from Stanford University, a B. A. in Modern History at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and completed his law degree at Yale University.

Lawrence A. Soler
President and CEO

Lawrence (Larry) A. Soler is President and CEO of the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA). He joined PHA in January 2011 as the organization's first employee.

Prior to joining PHA, Mr. Soler was Chief Operating Officer for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a $200 million voluntary health organization. Mr. Soler oversaw the bulk of JDRF's activities, including all fundraising and local chapters, marketing and communications, information technology, government relations and international development. Mr. Soler originally joined JDRF in 1998 as a Senior Legislative Counsel and was promoted four times during his tenure at the organization.

During his tenure leading JDRF Government Relations, the program was recognized by the National Journal as one of the most powerful interest groups in Washington, D.C. The Wall Street Journal said, "not since AIDS activists stormed scientific meetings in the 1980s has a patient group done more to set the agenda of medical research." Time magazine called JDRF "one of the nation's most forceful disease advocacy groups."

Among his signature accomplishments at the Foundation, Mr. Soler is credited with leading efforts that resulted in securing $1.75 billion in mandatory federal funding for type 1 diabetes research, the only disease that receives such funding. He also created and chaired the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, an organization comprised of 100 nationally recognized patient groups, universities, scientific societies and foundations that successfully overturned a pending federal ban in a leading medical research area. Additionally, Mr. Soler served as the executive sponsor of JDRF's Artificial Pancreas Project, an ambitious effort to accelerate the development of closed loop insulin pumps and glucose monitoring systems, which impacted reimbursement policy, regulatory policy, research strategy, and industry partnerships. As part of his responsibilities with the Artificial Pancreas Project, he negotiated joint product development deals with Johnson & Johnson, Beckton Dickinson and Amylin to create cutting edge devices and new pharmaceutical solutions for treating type 1 diabetes.

Mr. Soler previously worked for eight years in federal relations positions at the Association of American Universities, focusing on education, health and immigration issues.

Mr. Soler received a B.A. with honors from Clark University and his J.D. from George Washington University. He is a member of both the Maryland and Washington, D.C. Bar Associations.

He is an active volunteer and currently serves as a member of the JDRF International Government Relations Committee. He and his wife, Susan, have two daughters.