SALINAS, CA - As a strong supporter of the American Heart Association’s American Heart Month each February, Mann Packing is rallying around the “heart” of the matter and helping to spread this campaign’s passion throughout the Mann team and the industry.

“To kick off the month, Mann Packing employees are wearing red in honor of Heart Health and also for AHA’s National Wear Red Day® on Friday, February 2nd,” Gina Nucci, Director of Corporate Marketing, shares with me. “We wear red to help raise awareness about cardiovascular disease and those programs that help save lives. We encourage all companies to participate in National Wear Red Day, so ask your employees and friends to all wear the vibrant color and support #GORED, and help spread the word!”

ANUK would love for you to share your individual or company photos with us too by directly emailing [email protected] with "GO RED" in the subject line, or post those special moments on Instagram and add the hashtag #ANUKGORED.

During the February campaign, Mann Packing will be hosting a month long exercise, BINGO, to encourage employees to stay fit for heart health, while also offering a heart healthy cooking class to employees.

Mann’s Heart Health Bingo begins today, February 1st, and runs through the end of the month. Mann team members can pick up one card per person, per day, in an effort to fill up a heart healthy Bingo square card over the month with the designated activities. A bingo win is five completed squares in a row—horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. Prizes will be awarded for all bingo winners, and all winners will be entered into a grand prize drawing at the end of the month. Cards are everything from “Go for a walk” and “Attend yoga class” to “Make a heart healthy recipe at home” and “Donate to the America Heart Association.”

And on February 16th, Mann Packing will sponsor the Northern Central Coast Go Red for Women Luncheon where the company is the presenting lunch sponsor, ensuring all guests have a heart healthy lunch featuring Mann’s Fresh Vegetables.

When I ask Gina, why this cause is so close to Mann Packing’s heart, she shares that the company supports this cause in honor of her brother, Joe Nucci.

“After Joe died of a heart attack, our entire family learned so much about heart disease and its effects to all ages—even the young. Joe was only 40 years old and previously in great health,” Gina tells me. “We also learned about the effects on women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States—that’s about one in four women. Knowing that, and being women and a women-owned company, we felt passionate about spreading the word.”

In addition, heart disease is largely a preventable disease. Knowing your numbers—blood pressure and cholesterol levels—both good and bad—and eating a heart healthy diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are top recommendations, Gina adds.

I don’t know about you, but I will be joining the groups of individuals sporting red this Friday for National Wear Red Day, and I hope to see you all clad in the color too!

Mann Packing