CMSD NEWS BUREAU

6/8/2021

The Pass the Love with Waffles + Mochi campaign is about feediing people now and showing them how to eat healthy for a lifetime.

The nationwide campaign, which got its start June 1 in Cleveland, went before local television news cameras on Tuesday at Andrew J. Rickoff School, one of nine food distribution sites.

CMSD is working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and former First Lady Michelle Obama, the honorary campaign chair, to pass out free boxes with ingredients and recipes for making affordable, nutritious meals. 

Pass the Love is calling attention to the need for equitable access to healthy food. The campaign will span at least five cities and distribute a total of 1 million meals.

Speakers addressed the high level of need in Cleveland. CEO Eric Gordon spoke, along with Diane Davet, director of programs for the Greater Cleveland Foodbank, and Chris Burkhardt, CMSD's executive director of school nutrition.

Pass the Love ingredients and recipes are inspired by the new Netflix series, Waffles + Mochi, which the former first lady stars in and serves as executive producer. The series follows two puppets as they explore the world, learning about food culture and cooking with healthy ingredients.

To learn more about the Cleveland portion of the campaign, go to ClevelandMetroSchools.org/nutrition.