Siggi’s, the maker of Icelandic skyr with simple ingredients and not a lot of sugar, announced Cleveland School District dietitian, Allison Thirion, MPH, RDN, LD, the winner of the fourth annual Siggi Supports Entrepreneurs contest. Thirion will receive a $10,000 grant – the largest grant awarded by the Siggi’s Supports Entrepreneurs contest since the program’s inception – to help support her initiative, the Nutrition Network. 

The Nutrition Network will connect students in schools across the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) to credentialed experts who will provide evidence-based nutrition education to teach students about the importance of eating healthy, whole foods. CMSD has partnerships with dietetic programs at Kent State University, Case Western Reserve University, The University of Akron, Cuyahoga Community College and Marshall University that will support the Nutrition Network.

Each session will include a lesson taught by a nutrition expert who will encourage engaging discussion with the students, and a culinary sampling where students will have the opportunity to taste new foods and discuss how it fits within the lesson’s discussion. The structure of this program aligns with CMSD’s principle school autonomy, allowing all 93 schools to individualize curriculums and teaching.

“There is a strong desire in our school district for nutrition education. Previously, we have not had access to the resources and funding to develop a proper program,” said Thirion. “I’m so grateful and honored to be named the winner of this year’s Siggi Supports Entrepreneurs program. With this grant, we plan to reach 5,000 students and educators in the Nutrition Network’s first year.”

“With this valuable grant from Siggi’s Yogurt, thousands of students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District will have access to quality nutrition education,” said Chris Burkhardt, executive director of school nutrition in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. “Through Allison’s innovative program, we will be able to connect teachers with local nutrition experts to complement what students are learning in the classroom.”

The Siggi Supports Entrepreneurs contest was created by the founder of Siggi’s Dairy, Siggi Hilmarsson. Siggi was inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of many registered dietitian nutritionists he met while launching Siggi’s Dairy.  The Siggi Supports Entrepreneurs contest gives back to the registered dietitian nutritionist community with an annual grant intended to support their community nutrition idea.  

“Since the start of the Siggi Supports Entrepreneurs contest, I’ve seen so much passion and creativity in the submissions. It’s been a pleasure to see our winners’ ideas go from proposals to actual programs,” said Hilmarsson. “The nutrition community is a tight-knit group looking to make their communities healthier. We doubled the grant prize in 2019 to show our support for their inspiring ideas.”

Siggi Supports Entrepreneurs has funded four creative programs since its inception, focusing on themes that align with the core values of Siggi’s products – simple ingredients and not a lot of sugar. 

For more information or to request access to Siggi’s Sessions, visit www.siggis.com/sessions.