BLEND Receives Community Benefit Award

BLEND was recently awarded the Community Benefit Award by the Minnesota Hospital Association. This award is given annually to Minnesota Hospitals (and programs) committed to excellence and innovation in patient care. BLEND is honored to receive this award and share the article highlighting all the outstanding recipients this year.

“St. Cloud Hospital — BLEND Initiative started in 2006 with funding from CentraCare Health Foundation, the BLEND – Better Living: Exercise and Nutrition Daily initiative is designed to improve the health of area children by addressing the problem of childhood obesity. Physicians from St. Cloud Hospital are on the BLEND medical committee to work with schools, youth-serving organizations, local government and the medical community to raise awareness about good health and to increase daily physical activity and good nutrition choices. In a move to help greater St. Cloud area residents eat better, improve their health and reduce rising obesity rates, the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System was implemented in eight Coborn’s grocery stores. The revolutionary nutritional scoring system displays food scores directly on the shelf, making it easy for customers to compare, at a glance, the overall nutrition of foods they buy. With support from a variety of sources, BLEND is an example of how private-public partnerships can have positive impacts on our communities.”