 2018 was full of so many exciting projects, accomplishments, and moments that capture why we love our work here at Pinnacle Prevention so much. From policy triumphs to moving into a new office, here are just a few of our favorite highlights from the past year: Our Team In December, we were thrilled to welcome Kelley Villa to our Pinnacle Prevention team as our new Farm to Fork Programs Manager! Kelley’s work on community health and food access centers on the value of farmers markets and the important role they play in supporting small farmers, bringing neighbors together, and building Arizona’s economy. We can’t wait to see what this wonderful addition to our team has in store for us this year.  Giving BackWe launched a program that is near and dear to our hearts during the holiday season of 2018. Throughout our frequent conversations with communities across Arizona, we heard a need again and again: many people, especially seniors, lacked basic kitchen tools needed to make home-cooked meals. Our new Pots to Love program provides slow cookers, toaster ovens, and other kitchen necessities to those in need. Our Amazon wish list makes giving to this cause easy, you can help by purchasing the approved items on the list! We were also honored to be chosen as the beneficiary for the Whole Foods Market 5% Community Giving Day. We kicked off 2019 by receiving 5% of all net sales at all Arizona locations on January 10th to help fund Pots to Love!  Healthy Inclusive Food SystemsWe launched the Arizona Food Systems Network with the support of Vitalyst Health Foundation in 2017, and we were thrilled to expand and grow this coalition throughout 2018. This team of regional, state, and local food system advocates have worked all year long to create an equitable, sustainable and healthy food system statewide. We launched our new website in 2018, along with an advocacy tab full of resources for our members. We look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the new year.  Legislation and Policy In early 2018, an important bill was signed by our governor which secured funding for fruit and vegetable incentive programs across the state, including Double Up Food Bucks Arizona. Our Let’s Grow AZ campaign for SB 1245 was a huge success, and we are so grateful for every partner, community member, and legislator who helped make this accomplishment possible! This bill has been vital in helping Arizona families and farmers thrive. 2018 was also an important year for schools and recess policy. SB 1083 passed, requiring Arizona public and charter schools to have at least two recess periods for children in kindergarten through 5th grade. SB 1008 also passed to include lunch and recess times in required instructional hours. Pinnacle Prevention created a recess toolkit to help schools implement a successful transition to these new requirements. This toolkit gives examples of bell schedules, best practices and much more. Learn more about these 2018 highlights in legislation and policy in this blog. New Year, New Pinnacle!At Pinnacle Prevention, we believe creating healthier and happier communities starts in the workplace. From bringing our babies and pets into the office to supporting flexible work schedules, we strive to embody the same health and happiness which we work to promote across Arizona each day. Additionally, we wanted to choose a location that reflects our values and mission when looking for a new office. The new office is in a walkable community that allows our employees and surrounding community to stay active and commute in a healthier, happier way. To learn more about our work culture and our new office, check out this video.
Double Up Food BucksIt has also been an exciting year for Double Up Food Bucks Arizona! Expanding to new diverse locations and adding 2,885 new SNAP/EBT customers since the program started are just a few of 2018’s milestones. Read about new locations, goals and other 2018 highlights in the Double Up Food Bucks Arizona 2018 year in review blog. We want to thank everyone who helped us have a wonderful 2018, and can’t wait to see what 2019 has in store!  With gratitude,
Adrienne , Cynthia, Kathleen, Jessie, Jaclyn & Kelley Your Pinnacle Prevention Team
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