[StBernard] St. Bernard Weight Watchers at Work Food Drive

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish Government At Work Weight Watchers Group Lost 200 pounds
to fight hunger during national food drive

Parish employees donate more than 400 pounds of food to a local food bank

According to Feeding America, 99% of food banks surveyed experienced an
increase in the number of low-income American's turning to soup kitchens and
food pantries for assistance this year.  Even the nation's most affluent
areas have been affected; requests for food assistance in the past year are
up 30 percent.  

To help support these needs locally, the St. Bernard Parish Government At
Work Weight Watchers group joined the fight against two global epidemics -
hunger and obesity - by participating in the Lose for Good campaign.  As
part of Lose for Good, the Weight Watchers members at St. Bernard Parish
Government collected food to help those in need and will donate those items
to Servants of Christ, Food Distribution & Community Services.  Within six
weeks, the group lost more than 200 pounds and collected more than 400
pounds of food.  In total, the group of 40 St. Bernard Parish Government
employees and spouses lost about 650 pounds in 16 weeks of Weight Watchers
sessions.

The group was inspired to take action when they learned the startling
statistics; more than 1.6 billion adults worldwide are overweight; and 862
million people were underfed in 2007.   

"This group, having been the recipients of charitable acts and donations
following Hurricane Katrina, seized the opportunity to 'pay it forward' and
enthusiastically participated in the Lose for Good campaign," said Anita
Delaup, Weight Watchers leader and Lose for Good Volunteer. "It helped
motivate them to kick-up their weight loss efforts.  The food drive was also
a huge success.  The members are truly an inspiration to me."

The employees came together as a result of Parish President Craig P.
Taffaro's successful effort in securing a wellness grant from the St.
Bernard Community Foundation to fund the membership of employees willing to
commit to attend the program.

On a national level, for every pound Weight Watchers Members lost between
September 7th and October 18th, Weight Watchers will donate the cost of one
pound of food - up to $1 million- to two hunger fighting organizations -
Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger.  

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