Griffin Hospital and Stew Leonard’s Team Up to Promote Childhood Nutrition

Derby, Conn., May 3, 2007 – Griffin Hospital and Stew Leonard’s, the only two Connecticut companies on the FORTUNE Magazine “100 Best Places to Work in America” list, will be teaming up to distribute copies of The Healthy Way, a new storybook for children published by Stew Leonard III Children’s Charities.

The kickoff of this collaboration is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at the Irving School located at 9 Garden Place in Derby, just a few blocks away from Griffin Hospital. Hosting the event will be Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, a syndicated columnist and regular contributor on Good Morning America and “O” Magazine, and Stew Leonard, Jr., president of Stew Leonard’s food store and founder of the Stew Leonard II Children’s Charities. They will hold a brief press conference to discuss plans to distribute the book to schools in Griffin Hospital’s service area. The press conference will be followed by Dr. Katz and Mr. Leonard reading The Healthy Way to a group of Irving School Second Graders, as well as an appearance by Stew Leonard’s “Wow the Cow,” who will be handing out books.

“As the father of four children, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to get children to make the right food choices,” said Stew Leonard, Jr. President and CEO of Stew Leonard’s. “We wrote The Healthy Way as a natural extension of the nutrition tours we give at our food stores, and to reinforce the importance of eating healthfully in a fun and positive way. We’re proud to donate 5,000 copies of the book to Griffin Hospital, who can help us reach many more children through the extensive network of their Valley Parish Nurse program.”

“In addition to having the distinction of being employers of choice in Connecticut and in their communities, Griffin Hospital and Stew Leonard’s also share a strong commitment to health and wellness, particularly in the area of food and nutrition,” said Patrick Charmel, Griffin Hospital President and CEO. “This collaboration will enable us to use our relationships with area schools and youth organizations to get this wonderful book in the hands of area children to spread the word about good nutrition and eating habits.”

The Healthy Way focuses on the need to eat a healthy breakfast, get enough calcium, vegetables and fruit, and get daily exercise, with messages that are reinforced throughout the story and summarized by The Healthy Way song, sung to the tune of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”