Local Curves women fitness centers are participating in the 10th Annual Curves Food Drive to benefit local food banks. Curves locations are accepting non-perishable food throughout the month of March.
Last year, the Curves Food Drive collected almost 11 million pounds of food in communities all over the world. This year, Curves hopes to collect 15 million pounds to help even more people in need of healthy food.
“Each Curves selects the charities to receive food,” says Brandi Brookens, owner of the Curves in Inglewood. “Our Curves donates to a women’s shelter, sober living groups and to churches who regularly distribute food to the needy. We’d love for people to drop off a bag full of groceries once a week during March.”
As an added incentive, anyone who brings in a grocery bag filled with non-perishable food from Mar. 3 to Mar. 15 can take advantage of a discounted new-member fee of $30 when signing up for a 12-month membership. With the fee, new members receive a figure analysis, a health history review, training and weight goals and a first workout. Last year, a quarter of a million new members joined Curves during the food drive.
“We always donate the food we collect to the Women’s Shelter of Long Beach,” says Paige Cline, owner of a Curves in Long Beach. “Since we are a women’s gym, we feel a natural bond with a women’s organization. Our members are always giving the shelter clothes and baby food.” Last year, Cline says one of her members brought in over 200 pounds of food during the drive.
Weekly themes provide donation ideas. Week one is “Empty Your Pantry of Healthy Staples;” week two is “Foods From Around the World;” week three is “Souper Suppers” and week four’s theme is “Family Friendly,” with items including healthy snacks for kids and baby necessities.
Brookens encourages all residents to drop off a bag of groceries to Curves during March, regardless of whether or not they are interested in becoming Curves members.
“Because the public has been so giving over the years, the drive really makes an impact at a local level,” says Brookens. “We have a chance to help so many people at a time when the food banks desperately need our help.”
Curves is among the world’s largest fitness franchises, with more than four million female members worldwide in more than 10,000 locations. It offers its members a 30-minute regime aimed to work every major muscle group with strength training, cardio and stretching.
Local area Curves locations include: 2201 East Willow Street, Suite C in Signal Hill; 4102 Orange Avenue in Long Beach; 201 Long Beach Boulevard in Long Beach, and 2741 East 4th Street, Unit C in Long Beach, among others. For more information, visit www.lacountycurves.com or call 877-772-2287.
