Leverages the Power of the Family Meals Movement to Fuel Advocacy and Strengthen Families

Simply put, family meals benefit all those who participate, strengthening the individuals as well as the family unit. They are an essential tool to boost individual health and well-being."

ARLINGTON, VA -- The FMI Foundation, creator and steward of the Family Meals Movement, today announced a pioneering partnership with the National Federation of Families, a nationwide, family-run organization linking more than 120 affiliates and partners focused on the issues of families whose children — of any age — experience mental health and/or substance use challenges during their lifetime. The Foundation and the Federation share mutual interests in strengthening families across the United States.

As an advocacy organization, the Federation supports families impacted by mental health and substance use challenges. Through extensive research, family meals have been shown to improve mental health, physical health, and emotional well-being. With a shared vision for family wellness and resiliency, together the Foundation and the Federation are shining a light on the value of family meals with the united goal of strengthening the fabric of our families nationwide.

"Families across America are in a constant state of evolution and growth," said David Fikes, executive director of the FMI Foundation. "Thirty-five years of research and thousands of studies consistently show that family meals play a pivotal role in bringing families together to increase connectedness and deepen interpersonal relationships," he continued. "The FMI Foundation is pleased to partner with the National Federation of Families to share tools and resources that showcase the value of family meals toward bolstering family cohesiveness. Stronger families build stronger communities, which in turn strengthen our nation."

"We are excited to join the FMI Foundation and shine a spotlight on the important benefits of sharing meals together," said Lynda Gargan, PhD, executive director of the National Federation of Families. "Simply put, family meals benefit all those who participate, strengthening the individuals as well as the family unit. They are an essential tool to boost individual health and well-being for all those who gather around the table. And always remember that your family may or may not be biological. Gather with those you love and who love you."

The first collaboration of the partnership has been a challenge to families across America to "share a meal and share a photo," an initiative aimed at rallying Americans to have one more shared meal per week at home and to capture and socialize the joy. In sharing additional details about the partnership, the Foundation and the Federation seek to highlight the importance of family meals throughout the year. Photos also can be posted to any social media platform using the hashtags #familymealsmonth and #familymealsmovement.

The new partnership between the Foundation and the Federation will be celebrated at the Federation’s 35th annual conference November 6-7 in Orlando, Florida. The conference will culminate in a family meal shared by hundreds of attendees, a reminder that the definition of "family" extends well beyond the traditional meaning. Submissions received as part of the photo challenge will be showcased during the event.

About the FMI Foundation

Established in 1996, the FMI Foundation seeks to ensure continued quality and efficiency in the food retailing system and is operated for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. To help support the role of food retailing, the FMI Foundation focuses on research, education, and resources in the area of health and well-being, which embraces food safety, nutrition and social responsibility concerns. For information regarding the FMI foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org. #familymealsmonth; #familymealsmovement.

About the National Federation of Families

The National Federation of Families supports families across the lifespan. Families whose children — of any age — experience mental health and/or substance use challenges during their lifetime. We believe our children are our children for life and parents and caregivers are the experts on what their families need. Through our network of affiliates and partners we connect families to family peer support. Support that is rooted in the lived experience of others who have navigated a similar path and are trained to walk beside families in their journey. We champion social justice for all families through acceptance, advocacy, and action — to lift all members of society and strengthen families, communities, and our nation as a whole. We are the National Federation. We are the voice of families. Welcome home.