Whole Kids Foundation® Launches Growing Healthy Kids Campaign, Raising Money for School Salad Bars, Gardens, and Beehives
$3M goal would fund 200 school salad bars, 500 school gardens and additional school food reform programs
AUSTIN, Texas, October 2, 2017 /3BL Media/ - With its 2017 Growing Healthy Kids Campaign, Whole Kids Foundation aims to raise $3 million to fund programs that give schoolchildren in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. better access to fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as educational opportunities to learn about where their food comes from. The foundation’s goal would allow it to grant 200 school salad bars and 500 school gardens, as well as fund their healthy teachers program and honey beehive grant program this year.
Throughout October, shoppers at any Whole Foods Market and Whole Foods Market 365 can get involved by making donations at store checkouts or online at wholekidsfoundation.org. Because Whole Foods Market covers all of the foundation’s operational costs, 100 percent of every dollar donated directly supports Whole Kids Foundation programs.
“We know this work affects the future of our children’s health and is linked to their academic success and we have seen much progress in recent years: studies found that use of salad bars in schools is the most effective strategy for getting students to eat more produce, child obesity rates have leveled off for the first time in a decade and new data shows that children engaged in gardening may generate a lasting habit of eating more fruits and vegetables,” said Nona Evans, president and executive director of Whole Kids Foundation. “The Growing Healthy Kids Campaign allows us to raise funds to support these programs, which have benefited more than five million children in just six years.”
With resources from this annual campaign, the organization is able to evolve and innovate in its efforts to inspire families to improve children’s nutrition and wellness. For example, Whole Kids Foundation recently launched Starting with Soil, a free tablet-based organic education app available via Google Play and the App Store. The app provides a fun way for kids and parents to learn what it looks and feels like to grow food in harmony with nature.
Since 2011, Whole Kids Foundation’s programs have funded 4,254 school gardens and 5,032 school salad bars. Additionally, Whole Kids Foundation has reached 13,464 teachers with its healthy teacher education program and granted 529 educational honey beehives.
As part of this year’s Growing Healthy Kids Campaign, Whole Kids Foundation’s supplier partners will contribute more than $1 million driven by lead sponsors Annie’s and Rudi’s Organic Bakery and core sponsors: Applegate, Back to Nature, Barbara’s Bakery, Bellwether Farms, Clif Kid, Earth’s Best Organic®, Health Warrior, King Arthur Flour, La Croix, Nature’s Path Foods (Envirokidz), Organic Valley, Tom’s of Maine and Stonyfield. One hundred percent of these corporate contributions fuel Whole Kids Foundation’s programmatic work.
Whole Kids Foundation is accepting applications for its School Garden Grant Program, created in partnership with FoodCorps, through Nov. 15 in the U.S. and Canada. It also accepts applications for its Salad Bar Grant Program, created in partnership with Salad Bars to Schools, year-round at wholekidsfoundation.org.
About Whole Kids Foundation®
Whole Kids Foundation, a Whole Foods Market foundation, is based in Austin, Texas, and operates as an independent, nonprofit organization. By empowering schools and inspiring families, the Foundation aims to help children reach optimal health through the strength of a healthy body fueled by nutritious food. For more information on the Foundation’s programs, including school gardens, salad bars and nutrition education for teachers, visit wholekidsfoundation.org.
