The teenage girls from the PACE Center for Girls walked with hesitation into Earth Fare Tallahassee, looking around at this place that was a grocery store - but not like anything most of them had ever shopped in before.
Sydney, the community outreach coordinator for the store, welcomed them and asked the big question: "How many of you have ever heard of 'organic'?" Noses wrinkled. Heads shook. Their body language made clear their thinking: Nope. And no thanks.
But then Sydney fed them organic grapes that were sweeter than anything they had ever tasted. They ate freshly ground peanut butter and learned what peanut butter is supposed to taste like, without all the added sugar and oils in their standard Jiffy jars. They ate kettle corn made from real cane sugar, not high fructose corn syrup. They ate Earth Fare maple cream sandwich cookies and declared them "better" than the cookies they usually eat. They sipped smoothies made with nothing but pure juice and organic fruit. They ate hummus, and most of them fell in love with it.
For these girls, many of whom from difficult homes of abuse and poverty, this 90-minute field trip just a few blocks from their school was like traveling miles and miles away. It was a new world, and one that they liked - much to their own surprise. They came in saying "eeew, organic" and left saying "ohhhh, organic!" The director of PACE, Kelly Otte, wrote me later that day to say they spent all afternoon talking about hummus.
I helped arrange the visit as part of my ongoing volunteer time promoting wellness among the PACE students. Childhood obesity and abuse of children are two things I cannot stomach. So leading them in short exercise sessions before school and arranging events like the Earth Fare visit is my very small, but I hope useful, attempt at making a dent in both of those areas. Each of us, every day, should be trying to make little "dents" in not only our own fitness and health obstacles but in the lives of those who could use a mentor.
I cannot fix the hurt and emotional trauma some of these girls have endured from horrible men in their lives, or make their mothers more attentive and responsible. I cannot do for them the studying they must do to become the first women in their families to attend college. I cannot make them successful. I cannot make good choices for them.
But I feel like I can help open a door, even just a little crack, that shows them something better and worth working for. In caring about them enough to show them exercise and healthier food, I hope I can make them see how beautiful they are. Strong. Badass. Capable of whatever they want to achieve.
Maybe it's just 25 squats and a few pieces of organic canteloupe to us. But to some of them, I hope these things remind them that they are so much better than their circumstances.
My challenge to each of you: Do something this week - big or small - to promote wellness and health. It doesn't take much.
It can be as simple as giving a girl an organic grape and a pita topped with hummus.
Coming up: Spread the healthy eating love at the next office potluck with these treats....
