Whole Cities and GrowGeneration® Unite To Grow Locally Led Hydroponic Agriculture Initiatives

AUSTIN, Texas, September 26, 2023 /3BL/ - Whole Cities, a project dedicated to broadening community access to fresh food and nutrition education, announced today their partnership with GrowGeneration Corp. (NASDAQ:GRWG), the largest chain of stand-alone specialty hydroponic and organic garden centers, to support hydroponic growing efforts by community-led nonprofit organizations.

GrowGen is contributing in-kind equipment totaling more than $329,000 to the following five Whole Cities community partners: Restore OKC in Oklahoma City, Okla.; FoodChain in Lexington, Ky.; Metro Caring in Denver, Colo.; Newark Science and Sustainability, Inc. in Newark, N.J.; and Restorative Farms in Dallas, Texas. Each organization is a grantee through Whole Cities’ Community First Grant program or Newark Fresh, Healthy Food Access Grant program. 

“Whole Cities’ community-first approach means we offer responsive support shaped by the specific needs and reflecting the desires of the communities we serve,” said Dianna Purcell, Director of Programs at Whole Cities. “Increasingly, our community partners are identifying hydroponic growing as a goal. Our partnership with GrowGeneration and their generous donation of hydroponic equipment and supplies can help these nonprofits increase fresh, healthy food production locally and support more sustainable food systems.”

Hydroponic agriculture is grown with its roots in nutrient-fortified water rather than soil. Benefits include: year-round production; higher, more predictable yields in smaller areas; and water conservation.

“As the President of GrowGeneration, I’m deeply proud of our collaboration with Whole Cities. Our commitment to urban communities runs deep, and through this partnership, we’ve donated over $300,000 to support local urban farms,” said Michael Salaman, President and Co-Founder of GrowGen. “These contributions aren’t just about equipment and supplies; they’re about empowering communities to cultivate their own food and invest their resources in other vital areas. We believe in planting the seeds of sustainable growth, and this partnership is a testament to that vision.”

Whole Cities’ community partners are building thriving local food systems by expanding fresh, healthy food access through a variety of community-led projects such as urban farms, community gardens, mobile markets, and healthy cooking classes. Learn more about their efforts by visiting wholecitiesfoundation.org/community-partners.

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ABOUT WHOLE CITIES 

Whole Cities is a project of Whole Kids Foundation, an independent, nonprofit organization founded by Whole Foods Market based in Austin, Texas. Whole Cities has worked alongside more than 250 community-based organizations in more than 130 cities in the U.S. and Canada to improve neighborhood health through collaborative partnerships, nutrition education, and broader access to fresh, healthy food. Through vibrant grant programs, Whole Cities supports community gardens, urban farms, pop-up produce stands, agriculture skills development, farmers’ markets, mobile markets, healthy cooking classes and other community-directed initiatives to build thriving local food systems and improve health. For more information on its programs, visit wholecitiesfoundation.org. For ongoing news and updates, follow Whole Cities on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

ABOUT GROWGENERATION CORP. 
At GrowGeneration, we aim to be the best in Selection, Service, & Solutions. Currently we are the largest hydroponics supplier in the country with 60+ retail and distribution centers. We carry and sell thousands of products, such as organic nutrients and soils, advanced lighting technology and state of the art hydroponics equipment used by commercial and home growers. We have strategic partnerships with the biggest brand names in the industry and offer a direct to farm delivery service along with equipment financing. Our Commercial Team is armed with industry leading professional consultants that are here to help fully manage any size project. Each Commercial Account has a dedicated Account Manager, Customer Service Representative, and Quoting Specialist appointed to your company. The Commercial Team offers a one-stop shop for all your supply needs from seed to harvest, including turnkey facility designs, cultivation room designs, and on-site project consultations. Along with superior service capabilities, the Commercial Team is here to increase yields, lower production costs, and generally increase the productivity of any cultivation facility. Our website, GrowGeneration.com, operates as an Omni-Channel Ecommerce platform with 10,000+ products with available shipping around the country, along with a customer service team available to answer any questions and help make your grow operate as efficiently as possible.

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Media Contacts:
Chanta Williams, Interim Executive Director
Whole Cities 
Chanta.Williams@wholefoods.com

GrowGen Investors
ICR, Inc.
GrowGenIR@icrinc.com