Article

REGULAR FAMILY MEALTIME STRENGTHENS CHILDREN

It saves money while improving your child's grades, confidence & healthy decisions.

BALTIMORE, March 6, 2009 - During these challenging economic times, families are looking at ways to save some money.  More families are opting to stay home and fix a family meal instead of eating out.    Planning a family meal makes sense for your pocket book and for the wellbeing of your children. 

Children who have three or more meals with their families each week are less likely to smoke, drink, do drugs, get depressed, develop eating disorders and consider suicide, and they are more likely to do well in school, delay having sex, eat their vegetables, learn big words, and know what fork to use (Time Magazine, Nancy Gibbs, 2006).   

 The Family Tree, Maryland's leading child abuse prevention organization is expanding this Mealtime marketing initiative in April to coincide with Child Abuse Prevention Month.  The initiative was launched last year and was well received by pediatricians, schools and libraries. The goal is to educate and engage families on the benefits of eating meals together. The initiative, Mealtime - The Great Family Time, is being sponsored by Provident Bank.

"There is extensive research on the benefits for children if they have 4-5 meals a week with their family," said Patricia K. Cronin, LCSW-C, The Family Tree's Executive Director. "Children are 40% more likely to get mainly A's and B's in school than kids who have two or fewer family meals a week, and children who eat dinner with their families are 20% less likely to drink, smoke or use illegal drugs," says Cronin, according to a CASA and Columbia University study.

"Provident is dedicated to improving the quality of life for families where we live, work and do business," says Gary Geisel, Chairman and CEO of Provident Bank. "As the largest independent bank headquartered in Maryland, we have a vested interest in building healthy families across the state. This program will help reinforce the message that the family that eats together, stays together."  

The Mealtime campaign is a multi-media effort that includes issue posters in English and Spanish describing benefits for children.  Posters will be distributed in Provident Bank branches, Graul's Market, in libraries, schools, pediatricians' offices and community centers statewide.  In addition, the Mealtime message will appear in print, on television and radio during the month of April. For more information on how you can get your business or organization involved in Mealtime - The Great Family Time, call 410-889-2300.