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FORT PIERCE - Attorney General Charlie Crist today presented checks totaling $201,500 to five food and nutrition organizations in the Treasure Coast area. The funds represent part of a settlement between the Office of the Attorney General and three vitamin manufacturing companies.

"The ability to help needy citizens achieve good health through improved nutrition made this settlement particularly rewarding," said Crist. "These funds will help worthy programs improve the quality of life for many Floridians."

The Attorney General presented checks to the following organizations:

· Council on Aging of Indian River County $ 66,000
· Health Department of Indian River County $ 10,500
· Health Department of St. Lucie County $ 50,000
· Healthy Start Coalition of St. Lucie County $ 50,000
· Volunteers in Medicine Clinic $ 25,000

To resolve price-fixing allegations, the Attorney General’s Offices in Florida and 20 other states reached a settlement for $255 million with three European and three Japanese companies that conspired to set the prices of vitamins throughout most of the 1990s. Of that amount, Florida received $16.5 million to be distributed under a court approved plan to fund programs that advance health or nutrition.

These checks are a continuation of presentations made by the Attorney General around the state, with additional presentations to be scheduled in the near future.