National Nutrition Month sparks ‘homegrown effort’

Bounty & Soul teams with local businesses to support health & wellness

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 25, 2021

Throughout the month of March, Louise’s Kitchen will donate a percentage of pancake sales to Bounty & Soul, which has partnered with several local businesses for National Nutrition Month. Photo by Fred McCormick

For Bounty & Soul, every month is about health and wellness. The Black Mountain-based nonprofit organization, fueled by the efforts of a handful of paid staff and a troop of dedicated volunteers, provide the tools and resources to help people facing food insecurity lead a healthier lifestyle. 

But with the final days of March ahead, Bounty & Soul is partnering with several area businesses to raise awareness and support for their mission during National Nutrition Month. 

The annual campaign, created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, encourages people to learn more about making informed food choices and develop healthier eating and exercise habits. Local businesses like Mellie Mac’s, BAD Craft, Mountain Fairy Hair, Louise’s Kitchen, Fresh Wood Fired Pizza, Open Oven Bakery, Copper Crown, One World Brewing and food truck Umami Mami, Cousin’s Cuban Cafe and La Semilla Food Truck (often parked at Wedge Brewing) are supporting Bounty & Soul in various ways throughout the month. 

Customers of Mellie Mac’s Garden Shack on Black Mountain Avenue can pick up spring vegetable starts and donate to Bounty & Soul’s UGrow program, which supports people struggling with food insecurity learn to grow their own food. The partnership is of several between Bounty & Soul and area businesses through National Nutrition Month. Photo by Fred McCormick

National Nutrition Month also includes food drives for Bounty & Soul, organized by The Learning Community School, Asheville High School, Christ Community Church and Owen High School. 

“At Bounty & Soul we believe that Nutrition is Medicine. Nutrition is Love. Nutrition is Justice,” Bounty & Soul said on its website highlighting the initiative. “We will be embracing this year’s campaign in a number of ways including fundraisers and advocacy with local businesses, collecting healthy shelf-stable items through Food & Fund Drives with area schools and engaging our community in dialogue about curating a healthy lifestyle that’s right for you.”

The partnership with local businesses helps the nonprofit organization spotlight its nutrition and wellness-driven programming, according to director of community engagement, Karla Gardner. 

“A lot of people are familiar with our weekly produce markets,” she said. “But the month of March is always an opportunity for us to spotlight these programs, and our passion for educating the community on healthy food and lifestyle choices. It’s also a time that we try to bring awareness to the issues of equity and inequity in food.”

In addition to its two weekly produce markets that distribute free food to hundreds of local families, Bounty & Soul offers programs like Rooted in Health, which provides free cooking demonstrations using ingredients provided at its markets. The program has been moved to a virtual platform available through bountyandsoul.org during the COVID-19 pandemic. The weekly yoga and Zumba classes have also been adapted to allow online participation. 

Bounty & Soul partnered with a “diverse group” for National Nutrition Month in 2021, according to Gardner.

Open Oven Bakery on Church Street is collecting money at the register to support Bounty & Soul through National Nutrition Month. Photo by Fred McCormick

“We know local businesses, especially restaurants, took a hard hit this year, so we were really cautious in how we approached the campaign,” she said. “Some partners that feel like fundraising just isn’t feasible for them are doing a percentage of sales from plant-based dishes. Others are actually engaging in some virtual education opportunities, like actually leading cooking demonstrations at the market.”

Partnerships like the ones with Lousie’s, BAD Craft, Mountain Fairy Hair and Mellie Mac’s have been in place for years. 

“Mellie Mac’s has always been a huge supporter, especially of our initiative encouraging the community to grow its own food,” Gardner said. “It’s definitely a very homegrown effort.”

For a complete list of local businesses that are supporting Bounty & Soul through National Nutrition Month visit bountyandsoul.org/front-page/march-is-national-nutrition-month/.