On Tuesday, clad in our bright VegOut! shirts and armed with bundles of freshly harvested carrots, the Recipe for Success team rolled into City Hall with a mission: Challenge Mayor Annise Parker and Houson City Council members to VegOut! Alongside members of the Mayor's Healthy Houston Task Force, who have given the challenge their full support, our team proudly looked on as fearless leader Gracie Cavnar threw down the gauntlet for all of Houston to step up to the plate... and pile it with veggies!
And the result? An overhelming positive response from the Mayor and several councilmen who pledged to VegOut! on the spot.
As Gracie laid out the challenge calling the city to amp up their veggie intake during March for National Nutrition Month, Councilman Andrew C. Burks, Jr., and Councilman Jack Christie munched their carrots, clearly in support of our efforts. After finishing his carrot, Councilman Christie mused that he can see clearly now what VegOut! is all about and is happy to take part.
"Listen to this lady," he said, noting Gracie and Recipe for Success's contributions to improving the health of our city. "She is the Michelle Obama of Houston."
Considering the impact of the First Lady's Let's Move initiative to promote healthy lifestyles, we are quite flattered and may just have to take Christie up on his invitation to help him with his own garden.
Other members also shared their enthusiasm for our cause. Councilwoman Ellen Cohen recalled visiting a Recipe for Success classroom in the early stages of the Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program and congratulated Gracie on its growth and impact. According to Councilman Al Hoang, his children frequently request that he make dishes they created at school with our Seed-to-Plate instructors.
Councilman Stephen C. Costello, who serves with Gracie on the Healthy Houston Task Force, pledged to recognize March as official VegOut! month in Houston. Plus, he has already signed up his VegOut! team. And Mayor Parker shared with us that her tomato plants survived the winter, so she'll have a head start on vegging out.
We are delighted to have the support of so many influential figures and can't wait to hear their VegOut! stories throughout March. Visit our website to learn how YOU can VegOut!.
Complete VegOut! talking points covered during the City Council meeting available here.
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