Over the years, we’ve seen Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) embark on new initiatives, bringing along their star-studded friends to amplify the great work taking place across the country. At the 2019 PHA Annual Summit, a plethora of unlikely partners gathered together once again, united by the mission to create a healthier country. It was a reminder that if there’s one message we still need to hear in our current climate riddled with silos and divisiveness, it’s that we’ll go further together.

This year at the Summit, that theme was on full display. The Produce Marketing Association and their Eat Brighter! Program announced a brilliant collaboration with the National Association of Convenience Stores. This partnership will bring the likes of Elmo and Cookie Monster into convenience stores across the country to promote fresh produce to the youngest of customers. It’s not lost on us that the convenience industry has made great strides in bringing fresh fruits and vegetables into stores the past few years – a feat in its own right – to pave the way for this novel opportunity. And in Washington, DC, rideshare company Lyft teamed up with local nonprofit Martha’s Table to provide families in food desserts with rides to supermarkets for less than a roundtrip metro fare. Both of these partnerships are commendable examples indeed of change agents from untraditional sectors joining forces to make a positive impact on the mission.

Another striking example of bridge-building at the Summit was evident in the fireside chat that took place between PHA’s CEO and the CEO of EAT, Alessandro Demaio. The conversation marked the first time sustainability has been part of the dialogue at PHA’s Summit, which has historically been focused on efforts around making the nutritious choice, the easy choice. We’re seeing discussions around nutrition and sustainability merging more and more, and are excited to see how the conversation evolves!