FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 11, 2016
RELEASE OF NATIONAL OPEN INVITATION FOR OASIS JUMPSTART PROGRAM
Communities Encouraged to Participate in “Let’s Get Healthier” Initiative
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The nonprofit organization PlantPure Communities released an Open Invitation today, inviting community groups across the country to participate in the launch of the Oasis Jumpstart Program. Organizations that want to lead a community-wide “Let’s get healthier” initiative are encouraged to apply to become 2016 PlantPure Oasis Pilot Partners.
The Oasis Program brings the 10-day Jumpstart seen in the 2015 PlantPure Nation film to people who otherwise would not have access and/or could not afford it. Nelson Campbell, the founder and executive director of PlantPure Communities (PPC), made the PlantPure Nation film to show the powerful benefits of a plant-based diet, and to underscore the importance of the nutrition research conducted by his father, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study—the bestselling book that former President Bill Clinton cited in his recovery from debilitating heart disease in 2010.
Despite spending more money on healthcare than any other country in the world, the U.S. has failed to stem the rising tide of chronic disease. Its primary weapons, a plethora of pharmaceuticals, mostly focus on symptoms and do not address root causes. Nearly half of all Americans are on some form of prescribed medication. “As bad as the problem is in the general population, it is even worse in low-income communities. That is why our program is focusing on low-income neighborhoods and food deserts,” said Nelson Campbell. Studies show that children from lower income households are twice as likely to be obese as children from higher income households. Exacerbating the problem, 11.5 million Americans live in food deserts. (The federal government defines food deserts as areas “in the U.S. with limited access to affordable and nutritious food, particularly such an area composed of predominantly lower income neighborhoods and communities.”)
The Oasis program offers participants the opportunity to learn about the health benefits of a plant-based diet while enabling them to experience these benefits firsthand. Participants will have their biomarker data taken at the beginning and end of the 10-day Jumpstart period. Each person will receive twenty nutritious, whole-food, plant-based frozen meals and extensive community and technical support, including a ticket to watch the film PlantPure Nation at a local church, community center or online; a welcome packet; Jumpstart education; access to PlantPure Nation recipes and other educational and support information; and local support meetings and other events. As shown in the PlantPure Nation film, the Jumpstart program has been fully validated—the majority of participants in the Mebane Jumpstart on prescription drugs were able to reduce or discontinue those medications after just 10 days, and many people with diabetes, high lipids, arthritis and other chronic conditions found relief by the end of the program.
PPC is providing significant staff support, reduced pricing, and long-term support to the Pilot communities. Approximately five (5) nonprofit groups will be selected to participate as 2016 Oasis Pilot Partners.
There is no cost to apply and the online application, at www.plantpurecommunities.org, is simple. Applications are due August 15. Selected communities will be announced at the PlantPure Communities official Launch Event in New York City on November 16.
“The Oasis program is important not only because it will bring these health benefits to low-income communities sorely in need, but it will also continue to increase the growing body of evidence that shows the powerful ability of diet to reverse serious diseases, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other diseases. Nelson’s group is literally ‘jump-starting’ the application of what my 30+ years of research plainly documented: a whole-food, plant based diet can prevent and reverse the diseases that kill most Americans,” said T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.
“Most people who grew up eating the standard American diet (aka SAD) are confused about what constitutes a healthy diet. People know they need to eat healthier, but they don’t know where to turn,” said PPC Associate Director Jody Kass. “The Oasis Jumpstart program builds a bridge between people who have tried over and over again to eat healthier, but find they don’t have the knowledge, time or resources to make lasting change.”
The Oasis Open Invitation and Application are posted on the PlantPure Communities website.
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