Bright Apple, Inc, a nonprofit organization that provides healthy snacks for students in Maury County, recently welcomed Melissa Webb as Director of Development. Webb comes to the role with more than 20 years of experience in marketing and communications. She has owned her communications company, Melissa Webb Communications, since 2012 working with businesses throughout Middle Tennessee. She has also been a freelance writer for the Nashville Business Journal’s marketing department since 2006.

Webb has been involved in the local community as a past board member of the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce and the Spring Hill Imagination Library. She was a founding member of the Spring Hill Kiwanis Club and coordinated their Keys to Education Golf Tournament. She has volunteered her time with Bright Apple for the past five years providing media relations and helping to write grants and newsletters.

“I developed a passion for the mission of Bright Apple right away,” Webb said. “Providing snacks for students during the school day seems like a very small thing, but as a mother myself, I know how much of a difference a simple snack can make to the well-being of a child. Bright Apple is providing a solution that brings the community together to help kids. Kids feel cared for when they receive these snacks and the snacks help them learn, especially during the critical early elementary years.”

Bright Apple recently announced a milestone of 1 million snacks served to students in Maury County. The snacks range from apples and bananas to USDA Smart Snacks such as cheese and crackers. Bright Apple now serves seven schools in Maury County. A survey conducted among teachers and administrators in those schools showed that 100-percent attribute the healthy snacks from Bright Apple to better student focus and attention in class.

“We can’t begin to close the achievement gap until our children are able to focus on things other than basic necessities,” said Bradd Kimes, Executive Director of Bright Apple. “Studies show that if students are behind in reading by third grade, most never catch up and many will not graduate high school. It’s our mission to focus on feeding children so they can focus on learning. We are excited for Melissa’s leadership as our new Director of Development to help us continue our mission in Maury County and beyond.”
​
Bright Apple, Inc., is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization in the State of Tennessee. Bright Apple was founded in 2019 on the belief that no child should go without food. The organization’s mission is to ensure that every elementary school student in Maury County receives a snack during the school day to help them concentrate longer and improve their academic success. Bright Apple has provided more than 1 million snacks to children in Maury County.
For more information about Bright Apple, visit BrightApple.org.

​The mission of Bright Apple shined brightly at the inaugural Apple Fest held on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at Iglesia Una Esperanza Viva Church in Columbia. The event was held to raise funds to support Bright Apple’s mission of providing healthy snacks for students in Maury County.

Board members, volunteers, supporters, and sponsors alike came together to celebrate the organization’s success and garner support for the future. To kick off the event, Bright Apple’s Executive Director Bradd Kimes announced a new milestone achievement of 1 million snacks served!
​
“When we embarked on this mission five years ago, I don’t think we could have imagined we would be here at this moment having served over 1 million snacks to students,” said Kimes. “This is an exciting time. The best is yet to come.”