Ruthi SolariRuthi Solari

Project Manager of Corporate Wellness Programs
American Specialty Health, Inc.
Co-Chair YPIC (Young Professionals for International Cooperation)
San Diego, CA

I attended Food As Medicine in San Francisco in January 2009. It was there, amongst a community of passionate nutrition advocates and Rebecca Katz’s amazingly nutritious meals, that I became inspired to figure out a way to make nutrient-dense foods more available to all individuals, regardless of social status, and not leave the benefits of using food as medicine to only those who can afford to shop organic. 

As I was sitting and listening to the lecture by Jeffrey Bland, “Nutrition and Prolongevity: Antiaging or Healthspan?” it came to me: A SuperFood Drive. A take off of your typical food drive, where individuals donate last year’s leftovers, aiming instead at the collection and distribution of non-perishable SuperFoods: canned wild salmon, dried blueberries, almonds, walnuts, canned yams.

Since January, I’ve been working with the San Diego Food Bank and a Young Professional Group under the United Nations Association-San Diego chapter, of which I am a board member, to put together a website, including a virtual drive page where people will be able to donate SuperFoods online, with proceeds going to communities of their choice throughout the United States.  This project is one way of helping to combat malnutrition right here in America.  We are the most obese, under-nourished country, and SuperFood Drive will help to educate both the person donating and those receiving, about the importance of eating healthy, wholesome foods.

The website, www.SuperFoodDrive.com, is currently under construction, and will launch June 1, 2009. We will be having our first event with one of our community partners, Slow Food-San Diego Chapter, on May 20 th here in San Diego. For details, feel free to email me directly at Ruthi@SuperFoodDrive.com.

Also, we are working with the San Diego Food Bank and Slow Food to put together a “Healthy Backpack” campaign for school children. Some kids don’t have access to food on the weekends and during the weeks other than the cafeteria meals subsidized and provided by schools. The “Healthy Backpack” campaign would take a current campaign that San Diego Food Bank already has in place, which provides the backpacks to children who qualify to receive them, and we would work to ensure all foods are nutrient-dense.

So many exciting things!

I’m grateful for the assistance of Food As Medicine Co-Director, Kathie Swift, MS RD, who has been working with me to provide insights into the project and how to best get nation-wide support once the website and campaign is fully launched. I hope you’ll visit the website to learn more, and get involved in your community.

We’re cheering you on, Ruthi!

For info about May 20th: anyone can email me directly at Ruthi@SuperFoodDrive.com