Washington, D.C. ? June 23, 2009 ? The Natural Products Foundation (NPF) is pleased to announce the first ?match? in its new effort to connect community health programs that are feeling the strain of the current economic climate with natural products companies willing to donate products, such as nutrition bars, dietary supplements and health and beauty aids. Named ?Healthy Match,? the program?s first beneficiary is the Sarasota Community Medical Clinic, which offers a variety of health care services to the uninsured and financially needy throughout Sarasota County, Fla. Donations to the clinic are coming from Aubrey Organics, Carlson Nutritional Supplements, NOW Foods and Franklyn BioScience.

?Our population of patients will greatly benefit from having donated dietary supplements and personal care products,? said Kathryn Cantley, R.N., B.A., clinical manager of the Sarasota clinic. ?These products are generally something our patients cannot afford, but will definitely enhance their quality of life.?

Thus far, seven additional community health programs across the country are participating in the project: No Aids Task Force, New Orleans, La.; Leahy Clinic for the Uninsured, Scranton, Penn.; Erie Family Health Center, Chicago, Ill.; West Side Community Health Services, St. Paul, Minn.; Creating Health Institute, Spokane, Wash.; Fourth Street Clinic, Salt Lake City, Utah; and North by Northeast Clinic, Portland, Ore.

"The community organizations participating in Healthy Match provide services to the needy free of charge,? said Tracy Taylor, executive director of the Natural Products Foundation. ?Often staffed only by volunteers, these community-run centers help ensure that individuals who are unable to afford health-related services do not simply slip through the cracks of a broken health care system.?

The NPF is continuing to enroll community health programs and natural products companies to participate in Healthy Match. All products contributed go directly to the community program of the donor's choice, and contributions, material or financial, are generally tax deductible. Learn more about the Healthy Match program at: naturalproductsfoundation.org/healthymatch or contact Deb Knowles, NPF director of development at debknowles@supplementinfo.org or (941) 349-9044.