Nestle’s El Mejor Nido launches Back-to-school Program.

Nestle USA, under its El Mejor Nido (“The Best Nest”) platform, celebrates the new school year with an exciting back-to-school program featuring free backpacks filled with Nestle products and school supplies, a Favorite Lunch Box contest, and a free downloadable, bilingual book.

El Mejor Nido leverages Nestles nutrition, health and wellness expertise to help Hispanic consumers nurture a fulfilling family life and stay connected to their culture. Through this new program, Nestle is continuing its long standing commitment to education, while helping to make going back to school easier.  “Our El Mejor Nido Back-to-School program is designed to provide support and inspiration for Latino families” said Juan Carlos Motta, head of Nestle’s Emerging Markets division. “We’ve created a terrific program that celebrates the start of the new school year and helps both families and their schools.”

The El Mejor Nido Back-to-School program focuses on key multicultural elements of language, food and family, and includes the following elements:

• Backpack of School Supplies: The “Mochila Movement” Up to 700 families will receive a backpack (“mochila”) valued at more than $50 filled with school supplies, Nestle products, coupons and the new bilingual book. To receive a backpack, families can apply online from August 6 – 24, answering questions such as, “What is your family doing to help your children stay connected to their culture?” Applications are being accepted at http://bitly.com/NestleBackToSchool.

• Favorite Lunch Box Contest: Moms can submit and exchange their favorite lunch box menu ideas for a chance for both the winner and their local school to each receive $1,000.  The exchange and contest runs from August 27 – September 21. More details and official rules can be found at Facebook.com/ElMejorNido after August 27.

• Bilingual e-Book: Nestle has designed and produced the second in a series of bilingual books. The new book “Poppy Learns Something Special” will be distributed in a free, bound paperback version in various retailers, while the first book “Poppy’s Best Day Ever,” is available as a free downloadable PDF at elmejornido.com. Research has shown that dual-language books like the Poppy series are an effective method for increasing a child’s facility with two languages and can help Hispanic children stay culturally connected.

• Tips for Parents: Nestle has developed a series of tips (“Consejos Familiares”) that Hispanic parents can follow to promote bilingual learning and help children stay connected with their cultures, which will be available on Facebook and the El Mejor Nido website after August 24.