ORLANDO, Fla. — An organization created to help people to make better choices when it comes to nutrition is celebrating a huge milestone.

What You Need To Know

  • Nutritionists founded Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Inc., in Orlando 30 years ago to address healthy eating concerns

  • Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation was just awarded the nonprofit a $750,000 grant as part of a three-year commitment

  • The money will allow Hebni to roll out a new mobile food market to underserved areas, as well as hire additional staff members

  • The nonprofit runs many programs, including Healthy Soles, designed to get seniors walking regularly and learning about food in classroom setting

Orlando nonprofit Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Inc., unveiled a new mobile food market bus, thanks to a $750,000 grant from Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. The bus will make stops throughout Central Florida’s “food deserts,” a term for underserved areas which lack consistent access to fresh, healthy produce and goods.

In addition, the money from Sprouts, which is part of a three-year commitment, will allow Hebni to hire two additional staff members to support various initiatives.

For Torry Thomas, who has been participating in one of those initiatives for years, it’s exciting news.

Twice a week, Thomas laces up her sneakers and joins other seniors who walk around Lake Lorna Doone, located between West Central Boulevard and West Church Street, just west of downtown Orlando. The group, dubbed Healthy Soles, then heads to Hebni’s Nutrition Resource Center for lessons in nutrition, cooking and healthy habits.

“We want to be healthy and be here a long time. We’re the 7-0 club,” said Thomas with a chuckle, describing the group of seniors. “If I have to say so myself, we don’t look bad for a bunch of 70-year-old ladies.”

Often at the helm of the classes, leading cooking demonstrations then doling out dishes for taste-testing, is registered dietitian and Hebni co-founder Roniece Weaver. Thirty years ago, she and two other registered dietitians started the nonprofit with the goal of educating the community about making healthier choices.

“When they see it, they taste it. They understand it. Then they can replicate it and take it back home to be the nutritionist of their family,” said Weaver. “We see so many people come to us when they’re in trouble. The focus of a community dietitian is to catch them before they get sick.”

Now, as Hebni sees support on a national level, it will soon be rolling out its latest Fresh Stop Mobile Market bus to replace its aging 23-year-old refurbished school bus. Thomas is feeling proud of she’s stuck with the Healthy Soles program for years.

After all, she is a 20-year colon cancer survivor who has suffered more recently through gout, which left her unable to walk.

Now, walking around the park with other program participants, she feels lucky to be breathing in fresh air and taking in helpful knowledge for the kitchen.

“It’s such a positive thing, you’re excited to tell other people about it … in a sense, you’re helping the whole community,” she said. “You feel good you’re actually doing something. A lot of time, you’ll just talk about it, but you won’t be about it. This is about being about it.”