Operation Banana Drop 2022!
“This was the best day ever!” That was the verdict of a camper from Sportsmen’s Tennis Camp in Dorchester after Operation Banana Drop, Daily Table’s new summer partnership with four day camps in Dorchester, Roxbury, and Central Square. In total, Daily Table provided almost 400 campers with knapsacks to take home, each one filled with bananas, recipes for healthy, banana-themed snacks, and—thanks to our friends at Bananagrams—a Bananagrams game!
Director of Community Engagement Celia Grant remarked, “Daily Table is a part of the neighborhoods where our stores are, and we need to be out in the community, connecting with people.” These partnerships were an opportunity to do something fun while teaching kids about good nutrition, and a way of reaching their families as well! This program hits at the core of our mission: that everyone deserves good food—and it was a chance for us to step out of the grocery store! “Our young friend is right,” Celia continued. “Our Operation Banana Drop really did feel like the best day ever!”
Daily Table staff members provided campers with afternoon activities, including smoothie making, a banana trivia contest, and the chance for kids to get up and move with a dance party. Director of Operations Jon Huntley made a special appearance, dressed as a giant banana, and led campers in dancing the afternoon away! “This may be the most fun I’ve ever had at work! I loved it!” Jon said afterwards.
Campers seemed to love “Mr. Banana Man” as much as he loved being there. Mandy Bass, the nurse at Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Camp in Dorchester, shared, “the kids asked every day for the rest of the summer, ‘When is Mr. Banana Man coming back?’” Bass continued, “Daily Table’s message that everyone deserves delicious and nutritious food no matter what neighborhood they live in really fits with our core mission. Sure, we’re helping kids to learn tennis, but the core mission is to help kids understand that tennis isn’t just for folks from wealthy neighborhoods; it’s a game that teaches character and manners and good sportsmanship—and it’s for everyone! We love this partnership with Daily Table, and the emphasis on learning, nutrition and fun!” Rachel Kinch, Director of Out of School Program at Cambridge Community Center agrees: “The kids talked about it the whole rest of the summer! We really hope Daily Table comes back next summer.”
Daily Table’s Operation Banana Drops were an overwhelming success. The younger kids found their new favorite celebrity Mr. Banana Man (aka Director of Operations Jon Huntley) and the older kids loved making strawberry banana smoothies, a recipe they took home with them. Camp staff members got a well-deserved break in the day. And everyone enjoyed nutritious bananas, learned banana trivia facts, and had the “best day ever.” We couldn’t have done it without your support!
Want to try out the smoothie recipe? Click here.
Special thank you to Bananagrams for donating 400 Bananagrams word games to the Operation Banana Drop cause! All 400 games were given to the campers to take home.