By Karen Okamoto, Senior Administrative Manager

On February 8, a few folks from HMC San Jose with the support of the HMC Designing Futures Foundation braved the wind and rain to participate in the Lam Research Heart & Soles 5K. This event helps raise needed funds to bring salad bars to schools in the Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz County as part of national and state efforts: “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” and “Team California for Healthy Kids.”

Go Team HMC! From left to right: Marcos and Michelle Armenta, Lee Salin, Marko Blagojevic

There were nearly 900 participants who helped at least 35 schools receive salad bars this year alone. Each salad bar station costs $2,625, so it’s easy to make a big impact quickly for local schools. School salad bars are a proven, effective strategy to increase kids’ fruit and vegetable consumption and help them develop healthier eating habits. New nutrition standards double the amount of fruits and vegetables served in school lunches—and salad bars are the easiest way for schools to comply. Another positive outcome from increasing children’s intake of fruits and veggies is that it will help address the childhood obesity epidemic.

Sample of the school salad bar

HMC runners/walkers included Lee Salin, Marko Blagojevic, Marcos Armenta and his wife, Michelle. There were also state and local dignitaries participating including Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, and Carl Guardino, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

From left to right: Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Lee Salin, HMC Architects