NOV. 18—Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, which owns Cura Hospitality and Parkhurst Dining Services, launched LifeSmiles, a program to invest in children’s health and wellness initiatives in the communities that the company serves. As part of the effort, Eat’n Park plans to invest $1 million and 20,000 volunteer hours to health and wellness initiatives during the next five years.
According to Brooks Broadhurst, senior vice president Food and Beverage for Eat’n Park, LifeSmiles is build on first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign. LifeSmiles goals are to empower parents and caregivers with choices, to provide healthier food in schools through education and partnerships, to provide access to healthy, affordable food in under-served communities, and to increase physical activity through community walks, runs and events.
As part of the program, Eat’n Park plans to seek out new partnerships that align with LifeSmiles’ goals. For example, Eat’n Park recently partnered with the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank by donating $40,000 to help fund the Farm Stand Project, which served 113 Pittsburgh neighborhoods by providing fresh, local produce in areas where it has not typically been available.
“We’ve always been committed to health and wellness initiatives through the choices we offer our guests, as well as the events we support in the community,” Broadhurst said in a press release. “Coupled with our existing programs, the new investment in LifeSmiles will help us fulfill a critical need in the communities that we serve by giving families the resources and the knowledge they need to make healthier choices.”