Jamie Oliver isn’t the only chef personally investing in the health of today’s generation of children with a very hands-on approach, Chef Ann Cooper is also taking a good, hard look at the way children today eat and wants to do something about it. The facts are simple (and terribly tragic): this could quite possibly be the first generation of children in our country’s history to die at a younger age than their parents.

Chef Ann Cooper has recently partnered with Whole Foods to create the Great American Salad Bar Project that will bring healthy salad bars into schools, giving children a choice of healthy vegetables, fruits, whole grains and proteins to choose from and implement into their daily diets.

The initial goal of the Great American Salad Bar Project is to raise money for a salad bar to be brought into at least one school in the surrounding communities of each Whole Foods store across the U.S.

Over $400,000 has been donated to this initiative so far and beginning September 1st, schools will be able to personally apply for a grant to get their own salad bar. Grant applications will be accepted from September 1st to November 1st and for a school to be eligible they must be an elementary, middle or high school participating in the National School Lunch Program, located within 50 miles of a Whole Foods Market store. Schools who are accepted for this Grant Award will receive a portable 5-well Cambro salad bar, the necessary pan inserts, chilling pads and utensils, as well as numerous training tools for school personnel.

If you’re a school interested in receiving a salad bar review the grant application [PDF] and take the necessary steps in order to get your school’s lunch room a salad bar. If you’re a parent or just someone concerned with how children today are eating and want to make a positive difference in their lives, donate to your local Whole Foods Market’s fundraising efforts now.