Remarks by the First Lady at an event on access to healthy, affordable food

East Room

2:32 P.M. EDT

        MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  Thank you, everyone.   Thanks so much.  Please, rest yourselves.  Good afternoon.  

        AUDIENCE:  Good afternoon.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Well, this is very cool.  (Laughter.)  I am thrilled to be here today.  And I want to start by thanking Josephine for that very kind introduction and for her wonderful remarks.  And I have to say, I have to out you, today is her birthday.  (Applause.)  So happy birthday.  She just turned 30 -- (laughter) -- and I think that she’s going to go out and party and hang out, go to some clubs.  (Laughter.)  So we hope this has been a good way to start your birthday.  We are thrilled to have you.

        I also want to acknowledge the members of Congress who are with us today.  Thank you all for taking time to come and join us.  I want to thank Mayor Lozano for his leadership and his service.  There you are.  Thank you so much.  And I have to recognize my partner in crime, Jim Gavin.  I always know that when I see him, there’s good news ahead.  So we are happy to have him, as well as the Partnership for a Healthier America, for being here and for their role in helping to gather these commitments and ensuring our success going forward.  That partnership has been a tremendous part of “Let’s Move.”

        And finally, I want to thank all of the businesses, all of the nonprofits, all the elected officials here.  I want to thank you for your passion.  I want to thank you for your conviction and for your dedication to our communities.

        And going off-script just a bit, I would like all of the employees who have come here today -- because these businesses brought the stars of their show, the men and women who work in these stores -- would you all please stand?  (Applause.)  Good stuff.

        So make no mistake about it:  This is a big deal.  It is a really big deal.  I think our Vice President put it better but I’m not going to use his words.  (Laughter.)  This is a really big deal.  (Laughter.)  The commitments that you all are making today have the potential to be a game-changer for our kids and for our communities all across this country.

        See, when we started “Let’s Move” way back when we launched it, we made healthy food financing one of our four key pillars, and there’s a reason for that.  There’s a reason why we set a goal that every family in every community in America would have access to fresh, healthy, affordable food.  And we knew that goal was ambitious.  We knew that a lot of folks had been working on this problem for years, and few had been able to solve it.  And we knew the conventional wisdom on this issue –- that businesses won’t take the risk of investing in certain communities, that the costs are too high but the profits too low to make it worthwhile.  

        But we also knew that if we truly wanted to end the epidemic of childhood obesity, if we truly wanted all of our kids to have the chance to grow up healthy, then we didn’t have a choice.  We needed to confront this problem head on.  Because we can give people all of the information and advice in the world about healthy eating and exercise.  We can talk all we want about calorie counts and recipes and how to serve balanced meals.  But if parents can’t buy the food they need to prepare those meals, if their only options for groceries are in the corner gas station or the local minimart, then all that is just talk.  It’s all just talk, and that is not what “Let’s Move” is about.  

        “Let’s Move” is about giving parents real choices about the food their kids are eating.  And if a parent wants to pack a piece of fruit in a child’s lunch, if a parent wants to add some lettuce for a salad at dinner, they shouldn’t have to take three city buses, or pay some expensive taxi to go to another community to make that possible.

        Instead, they should have fresh food retailers right in their communities -– places that sell healthy food at reasonable prices, so that they can feed their families in the way that they see fit, because when they have those choices, that can have a real, measurable impact on a family’s health, and we all know that.  Studies have shown that people who live in communities with greater access to supermarkets eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and they have lower rates of obesity.

        Now, we know this isn’t going to be easy -- nothing we do ever is.  We know that we can’t just throw money at this problem, especially not at this time.  And we know that it won’t be solved by government alone or by businesses alone or by communities alone.  If we want to make a difference in this issue, we all are going to have to step up -- all of us.  We all have to find a way to do our part.

        Solving this problem is about people like Mayor Lozano and Representative Dwight Evans, who decided that no child should be consigned to a life of poor health because of the neighborhood that his or her family lives in.  So what did they do?  They started reaching out to businesses, helping folks set up shop in communities in their area.

        It’s about organizations like the Food Trust, who have been studying this issue and creating models for how to solve it.  It’s about coalitions like the FreshWorks Fund, who have come together and pooled their resources and expertise, and they’ll be bringing small, family-owned grocery stores into underserved communities all across California.

        And it’s, of course, about companies like Walgreens and Wal-Mart and SuperValu.  It’s about entrepreneurs like Greg Calhoun and Jeffrey Brown -- all of them are stepping up.  They decided to take that risk.  They decided to make that investment, because what they knew was how big that payoff could be.  Not just in terms of dollars, but in the lives of our children, the lives that we can save.

        You see, they didn’t do this just as executives who care about their company’s bottom lines -- and I’ve met these people.  They did it as parents and as grandparents who care about the health of our kids.  They did it as leaders who care about our country’s future.  And I think that Jeff Brown put it best when he said, and these are his words, “We’re not going to be on the sidelines.”  He said, “We’re going to be right with our communities using what we’re good at:  solving problems through innovation and entrepreneurial thinking.”  And I have had the pleasure of seeing firsthand what happens when folks like Jeff put that innovation and entrepreneurial thinking into work in our communities.

        Last year, I had the privilege of visiting Philly, a city where just seven years ago there were fewer supermarkets per person than almost anywhere in America.  But today, because of the dedicated efforts of elected officials and nonprofit organizations and businesses across the state of Pennsylvania, they have funded 88 supermarket projects in 34 counties, bringing nutritious food to more than 500,000 people in that state.  And they’re projecting to create or preserve more than 5,000 jobs, often in communities that need these jobs the most.

        And I visited one of those stores during my time there, and I have to tell you from firsthand experience, the stores are thriving.  These are beautiful, bright, gleaming stores that would make any community proud.  And the people who work there and shop there were proud to be part of it.  They were proud to have that kind of store in their communities.  And they would turn in a good profit.

        And we know that when these stores succeed they can serve as anchors in our communities, drawing customers from surrounding neighborhoods and communities, and creating jobs for people like Josie and so many others, and all the folks out there who are wanting to work in their communities.  And that, in turn, can attract other businesses to come and set up shop, which can mean even more customers and even more jobs.

        So we know the impact that we can have here.  All of us understand how important this is on so many different fronts.  And that’s why as part of “Let’s Move,” we created a Healthy Food Financing Initiative to encourage efforts like those in Philadelphia to happen all across American.  We can do it there, we can do it everywhere.

        And this administration is committing $35 million this year, and the 2012 budget proposes another $330 million for next year.  (Applause.)  And the plan is to use that money to leverage hundreds of millions more from the private and nonprofit sectors.

        So I think it’s fair to say that we’ve got some big things happening here.  It’s pretty good.  Just listening backstage, I mean, I knew all the -- I knew the announcement.  They told me ahead of time.  (Laughter.)  But it was pretty impressive.   But these commitments we’re announcing today are still just the beginning.

        We’ve got a lot of hard work ahead, long road, lot of work.  So I want to be clear that today isn’t just a celebration; it is also a call to action.  Still, the companies represented here today are only a tiny fraction of the total number of food retailers in this country.  And if they can step up and make these investments, then there is absolutely no reason why every food retailer in this country can’t find some way to get involved as well.  Right?  Can I get an amen or something?  

        AUDIENCE:  Yes!

        MRS. OBAMA:  Yes.  (Applause.)

        So whether you’re a small, local grocer like Jeff or Greg or a multinational corporation, everyone has a role to play.  And we want folks to be creative because there’s really no one-size-fits-all solution to this issue here.  Every community has different needs and challenges that call for different approaches.  A fresh food section in a Walgreens might be a good solution for one community, while a farmers market or maybe even a veggie truck might be the answer in another community.  

        At the end of the day, these are local decisions that need to be made by communities, for communities.  So we need folks to go out and talk to their community leaders, and that’s, again, not just a call to action to the business community, but to all Americans, particularly those living in areas that are underserved in this way.  Talk to community leaders.  Get connected with nonprofit organizations and foundations that are working on this issue.  

        We encourage people to go to our website, letsmove.gov.  There they can learn about other individuals and communities that are working to solve this problem and find ideas.

        Because the truth is, is that if we work together and do this right, if we bring the kind of success that we’ve had in Philadelphia to other cities and other communities across this country, just think about the difference that we can make.  

        Think about the numbers of people who will find jobs.  Think about the neighborhoods that can potentially be transformed.  But more importantly, think about the impact that we can have on our children and their futures -- on their health, their well-being, their ability to succeed in school and more importantly in life.  Because that’s really what this is about in the end.  This is about our kids.

        And together, with these commitments, we are happily taking the first important step forward to helping to create the kind of future that we want for all of our kids.  

        So I want to end today by saying how proud I am -- truly proud -- of what is happening here today.  I want to tell all of you how grateful I am to see you all stepping up and being leaders in this effort.  With your commitments today, you all are showing us what’s possible.  You’re showing us that we live in a country where we do care deeply about our kids.  We do.

        And when people understand the threat of childhood obesity and what risk it poses to our children’s future, and when people realize that they can actually do something about it, that this isn’t some mysterious issue that we can’t address, we know the answer, it is right there, then people step up.  

        They do what we’ve always done for our children.  We take risks.  We make sacrifices so that our kids can have a better life than we had, so that they can have opportunities that we never dreamed of.

        So in the end, that is what “Let’s Move” is all about.  That’s what these commitments represent.  And I look forward to working with all of you, doing more, getting more retailers on board, creating more jobs, getting more fresh fruit and vegetables into the hands of families all across this nation.  We are going to get this done.  We’re making some terrific progress, but we still have work to do.  And I look forward to working with all of you in the months and years ahead.

        Thank you all so much.  (Applause.)

END 2:49 P.M. EDT

First Lady Michelle Obama Announces Nationwide Commitments to Provide Millions of People Access to Healthy, Affordable Food in Underserved Communities

SUPERVALU, Walgreens, Walmart and regional retailers among those making major commitments

First Lady Michelle Obama joined leaders from major retailers, foundations and small businesses today to announce commitments that will provide access to healthy, affordable food to millions of people in underserved communities. The commitments from SUPERVALU, Walgreens, Walmart and regional retailers will include opening or expanding over 1,500 stores to serve communities throughout the country that currently do not have access to fresh produce and other healthy foods. These stores estimate that they will create tens of thousands of jobs and serve approximately 9.5 million people in these communities throughout the country. Currently, 23.5 million Americans – including 6.5 million children – live in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and healthy foods. Studies have shown that limited access to healthy food choices can lead to poor diets, higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases.

“The commitments we’re announcing today have the potential to be a game-changer for kids and communities all across this country,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “We can give people all the information and advice in the world about healthy eating and exercise, but if parents can’t buy the food they need to prepare those meals because their only options for groceries are the gas station or the local minimart, then all that is just talk. Let’s Move is about giving parents real choices about the food their kids are eating, and today’s announcement means that more parents will have a fresh food retailer right in their community – a place that sells healthy food, at reasonable prices, so they can feed their families the way they want.”

Mrs. Obama has been leading a nationwide effort to combat childhood obesity so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight.  The Let’s Move! Campaign is a comprehensive, collaborative, and community-oriented initiative that has sought to engage every sector of society to tackle head-on the many different factors that lead to childhood obesity.  Today’s announcement is a historic step towards addressing that issue and achieving the primary goal of Let’s Move! – solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation

The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President identified access to healthy, affordable food as key to solving childhood obesity.  In February 2010, Mrs. Obama traveled to Philadelphia where she announced the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, a multi-million dollar public and private investment to improve access to healthy food. The President’s 2012 Budget proposes funding for the multi-year initiative to increase the availability of affordable, healthy foods in underserved urban and rural communities. The Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Treasury are proposing $330 million in financing to community development financial institutions, other nonprofits, public agencies, and businesses with sound strategies for addressing the healthy food needs of communities.

Partnership for a Healthier America secured the following commitments and will be working with the companies to evaluate and monitor their progress with these efforts. Decisions on store locations will be made with communities based on their needs.

National Commitments

SUPERVALU – Committed to opening 250 Save-A-Lot stores over the next five years
SUPERVALU is committed to opening 250 new Save-A-Lot stores over the next five years in areas with limited or no access to healthy foods, and estimates that these new stores will serve approximately 3.75 million people and create more than 6,000 new jobs.  Headquartered in Minnesota, SUPERVALU is one of the nation’s largest retail and wholesale grocers serving customers across the United States through a network of approximately 4,294 stores, including ACME, Albertsons, Cub, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher’s, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Save-A-Lot, Shaw’s, Shop ‘N Save and Shoppers, as well as independent grocery retailers served primarily by the company’s food distribution business.  

Walgreens – Committed to expanding its food offering to include whole fruits and vegetables, and other healthy options in at least 1,000 stores
Walgreens is the nation’s largest drugstore chain, operating 7,733 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. More than 45% of those stores are located in underserved communities. As part of today’s announcement, Walgreens is committing to convert at least 1,000 of its stores into food oasis stores. This means that whole fruits and vegetables, pre-cut fruit salads and green salads as well as basic amenities like breads and ready-made meals will now be available at these locations, along with Walgreens accessible pharmacy, health and wellness services. This will bring basic fresh and healthy food to many communities where there currently is limited or no access. Walgreens estimates that these stores will serve nearly 4.8 million people.

Walmart – Committed to opening or expanding up to 300 stores by 2016
In January, Mrs. Obama joined Walmart executives to help launch the company’s initiative to make food healthier and healthier food more affordable.  Walmart’s healthier food initiative will reduce sodium and added sugars form packaged food items, make healthier food more affordable and develop a simple front-of-package seal for identifying healthier food choices. Today, Walmart is committing to opening or expanding 275 to 300 stores which will serve more than 800,000 people in rural and urban areas with limited or no access to grocery options. Walmart also estimates that more than 40,000 associates will work in these stores.

Regional Commitments

California FreshWorks Fund – Secured $200 million to promote healthy food retailing in California
A project of The California Endowment and an all-star team of partners, FreshWorks is a $200 million public-private partnership loan fund created to increase access to healthy, affordable food in underserved communities, spur economic development, and inspire innovation in healthy food retailing. The fund will provide financing to grocery stores and other healthy food retailers and distributors who meet a subset of skillfully developed program guidelines designed to move healthy food retailing forward in an affordable and accessible way and prioritize healthy choices from top to bottom. FreshWorks estimates that this fund will create or retain approximately 6,000 jobs.

Brown’s Super Store – Committed to building one new supermarket in Philadelphia and expanding one existing store in Chelthenham, PA
Brown’s Super Stores is a family owned and operated supermarket chain of Philadelphia area ShopRite supermarkets and was founded in 1988 by President and CEO Jeffrey Brown. Brown operates 10 ShopRite Supermarkets in the Philadelphia area, with five of his stores located in communities that were previously underserved communities. Brown will be opening one new supermarket in North Philadelphia and expanding an existing location in Chelthenham, PA as part of Mrs. Obama’s campaign. The state-of-the-art stores will feature several new innovations including a culturally inspired International Foods Department, Health Clinic, social service office and Pharmacy. Brown expects this expansion and new store will create approximately 325 jobs and serve 150,000 people.

Calhoun Grocer – Committed to building 10 stores in Alabama and Tennessee
Calhoun is an African American, family owned, small local chain based in Montgomery, Alabama. They serve areas in and around Mobile where their stores are often the only ones serving the community they are operating in.  They are working to expand their reach and work on improving access to communities in the south who are underserved.  As part of today’s announcement, Calhoun has committed to building 10 stores over the next 5 years in Alabama and Tennessee. Calhoun estimates they will create approximately 500 jobs and serve 10,000 people.

Klein’s Family Markets – Committed to opening one new store in Baltimore, MD
Klein’s Family Markets is headquartered in Forest Hill, MD and operates 7 ShopRite supermarkets in Maryland. They were founded in 1925 and have been operating supermarkets for four generations. Klein’s has committed to building one new store in Baltimore, MD and estimates creating approximately 275 jobs and serving 75,000 people. The state-of-the-art store will feature several new innovations including a culturally inspired International Foods Department, Health Clinic, social service office and Pharmacy.

A fact sheet on today’s announcement is available at http://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/Food_access_factsheet.pdf.