MIAMI, Dec. 20, 2024 — The Florida Blue Foundation has awarded Common Threads, a national nonprofit focused on nutrition education and healthy cooking, a $400,000 multi-year grant through its Food Security Grant program. This funding, allocated from October 2024 to September 2028, will help Common Threads expand its programs in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood, providing families with cooking skills, kitchen safety training, nutrition lessons, and access to affordable, healthy food options. The initiative aims to reduce health disparities and improve well-being in underserved communities.

“This substantial grant from the Florida Blue Foundation will provide vital resources to families in critical need,” stated Linda Novick O’Keefe, CEO and Co-Founder of Common Threads. “We’re not just teaching cooking; we’re empowering individuals to create healthier, happier lives by addressing fundamental issues and creating lasting positive change.”

This funding supports the Florida Blue Foundation’s Growing Resilient Communities initiative, which tackles systemic poverty and health inequalities in Florida communities. Allapattah was chosen as a key area due to the Allapattah Collaborative CDC’s established community connections and successful partnerships.

“Common Threads’ approach to nutrition education and its focus on long-term wellness perfectly aligns with our mission of building healthier communities,” said Susan Towler, Executive Director at Florida Blue CSR/Florida Blue Foundation. “Their work in Allapattah will create significant positive impact, enabling residents to actively manage their health.” 

Through this collaboration, Common Threads and the Village of Allapattah YMCA will provide evidence-based cooking and nutrition education to over 2,600 youth and adults. The program will cover practical cooking skills, accessing affordable healthy foods, and utilizing local ingredients to boost the local economy.

As part of a wider commitment to food security, Common Threads and The Village of Allapattah YMCA Family Center are working together to offer impactful cooking and nutrition education programs to La Bodega Food Pantry users and the wider Allapattah community. This joint effort aims to combat the obesity epidemic and its related health problems through preventative measures at individual, community, and public health levels.

“We’re proud to partner with Common Threads to provide Allapattah families with access to health and nutrition education through the La Bodega food pantry, with support from Florida Blue,” said Gabe Ochoa, Senior Vice President of Community Health & Advancement at the YMCA of South Florida. “This collaboration will significantly benefit the Allapattah community, and we are incredibly grateful for this partnership.”

About Common Threads
Common Threads is a national leader in improving community health through nutrition and food education. For over two decades, this nonprofit has addressed the connection between nutrition and well-being by providing nutrition education, cooking skills training, and access to healthy food. Partnering with over 2,200 schools, Common Threads has served over five million meals and positively impacted the long-term nutritional health of over one million people.

As part of its commitment to the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities, Common Threads has pledged to provide two million nutritious meals and two million hours of nutrition education to over 400,000 participants by 2030. Learn more at .

SOURCE Common Threads