SAN DIEGO, CA (February 18, 2025) – Brighter Bites BB #:371141, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces merger with +BOX in a bold step toward advancing public health and nutrition.
Brighter Bites and +BOX will leverage its combined resources, expertise, and networks to accelerate its mission of improving health outcomes through increased access to nutritious foods and empowering communities with the knowledge to make healthier choices.
This merger marks a significant milestone in the fight against food insecurity and diet-related diseases, combining the strengths of both organizations. Over the course of the year, +BOX will begin the slow transition with the goal of Brighter Bites obtaining operations in San Diego in the fall.
“We are thrilled to announce this merger, which represents a powerful step forward in a shared mission to improve the health and well-being of under-resourced communities in San Diego,” said Wesley Burt, founder and executive director of +BOX. “Together, we are strengthening the impact, expanding our reach, and creating healthier futures for families across our city. This is an exciting new chapter in our collective efforts to build healthier and more resilient communities in San Diego.”
As the merger takes shape, the two organizations will be working closely with their partners, donors, and stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition and continued commitment to their shared vision.
“We feel fortunate and are so excited to join forces with +BOX to create an even greater impact on the communities we serve,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites “Our missions perfectly align, allowing us to amplify efforts to ensure access to healthy, fresh food, and the nutrition education to additional families in the San Diego area. Together, we will create a healthier, more equitable food system for all.”
To learn more about Brighter Bites, visit www.brighterbites.org/location/san-diego, or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or YouTube.
About Brighter Bites:
Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 65 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than one million individuals (including teachers) in Austin, Bakersfield, Dallas, Greater Philadelphia, Houston, Las Cruces, Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York City, Salinas, San Antonio, Southwest Florida, and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.
About +BOX:
+BOX is transforming the food assistance model by focusing on nutrition, sustainability, and community impact. Partnering with local farms, food rescue organizations, and neighborhood schools, +BOX delivers boxes with fresh, high-quality produce to children and families experiencing food insecurity. The nonprofit program ensures that every box delivered contains nutrient-dense foods that promote better health and well-being. Since 2021, +BOX has delivered over 1 million pounds of life-changing nutrition to food-insecure families in San Diego County. Currently the organization serves more than 700 households each week, delivering nearly 10,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables. Each box provides enough food for at least 10 healthy meals, featuring eight or more varieties of fresh produce along with other staples like grains and legumes.
+BOX’s approach is deeply community-centered, partnering with schools, clinics, and other local organizations to meet families where they are, making it easy for them to access the food they need to break the cycle of food insecurity and build healthier, more resilient communities. For more information, visit www.plus-box.org.
