New in-school market opens at elementary campus in Denton County
Dallas, Texas — The American Heart Association’s team in North Texas has been working with the Lewisville Independent School District to enhance nutritional security and is announcing the grand opening of the in-school market at Peters Colony Elementary, serving the needs of students and their families.
The ribbon-cutting event brought together students, staff, community partners, and sponsors to celebrate. Essential resources to open the market were provided through the American Heart Association’s Getting to the Heart of Stroke™ initiative, an ongoing partnership with Medical City Healthcare, supported by the HCA Healthcare Foundation. The initiative aims to improve heart health and beat stroke — including advancing nutrition for a healthy heart. Medical City also support nutrition access through Medical City Children Hospital’s kids teaching kids® Healthy Lifestyles Program, which offers nutrition education and resources to 20,000+ students and families in 17 North Texas school districts to improve wellness and eating habits.
Jenn Bocker, MD, FACS, division associate chief medical officer of Medical City Healthcare and board member of the Tarrant County American Heart Association, also emphasized the healthcare system’s commitment to community health. “At Medical City Healthcare, we believe that good health starts with access to care, education, and nutritious food. We’re honored to advance healthcare through important partnerships to help ensure students and families have what they need to create healthier tomorrows.”
In Denton County, nearly 36,000 children experience food insecurity each year. Food accessibility, availability, and affordability make it harder to access nutritious foods that help prevent chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes. The new market is stocked with fresh produce, shelf-stable groceries, and family-friendly meal items, all designed to help families stay nourished and healthy throughout the school year. It will implement an organizational nutrition policy based on the American Heart Association's food and beverage guidelines that promote healthy standards and guide the donation of items to meet these standards. Additionally, the market will follow the Healthy Eating Research (HER) guidelines to promote healthy choices, encouraging the consumption of foods labeled as "choose often" and reducing the distribution of foods labeled as "choose rarely."
“The ability of our communities to thrive should not be hindered by a lack of nutrition access. American Heart Association is proud to continue our support of the community with this amazing new market, and we hope others in North Texas see what is possible and are motivated to act, “said Jenny Eyer, vice president of community impact for American Heart Association in North Texas.
Tarrant Area Food Bank North, another initiative partner, helps bring nutrition resources directly into schools, reducing barriers to access and helping families receive support in a dignified, familiar environment through their Ready to Learn® initiative. This new in-school market joins a growing network of more than 100 Ready to Learn® school markets across the Food Bank’s 13-county service area.
The American Heart Association supports local food pantries and advocates for strong nutrition policies, including access to healthy school meals. In Dallas-Fort Worth, the local team continues to expand community-based solutions. Organizations can connect with American Heart Association North Texas by emailing Jenny Eyer and following @AmericanHeartTX on Instagram, Facebook, and X.