Today State Senator Julian Garrett, District 13, and Representative Stan Gustafson, District 25, joined associates from Fareway, Dole Packaged Foods, and Captain Planet Foundation to inaugurate a special Project Learning Garden for Interstate 35 Elementary School. These three organizations joined forces with the school to offer students the opportunity to interact with the environment through a learning garden, while expanding their palates, and learning about food origins.
Interstate 35 Elementary School was one of four schools that won the “Learning Garden Grant,” contest promoted by Fareway and Dole earlier this year. The others were: Medford Elementary School in Medford, MN; Truman Elementary School in Truman, MN; and Leeds Elementary School in Sioux City, IA.
“Here at Dole, we understand the importance of teaching children the benefits of incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diet, whether they are enjoying fresh produce from their learning garden, or a healthy Dole snack,” said Marty Ordman, Dole Packaged Foods. “By partnering with Captain Planet Foundation and Fareway, we are helping more students learn about and develop healthy habits.”
“Anything can be taught in the context of the garden, and hands-on learning supports student understanding of natural systems, food origins, and healthy eating,” explained Leesa Carter, Executive Director of Captain Planet Foundation. “Captain Planet Foundation is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards, and ensuring they are armed with an understanding of the natural world in which they live. We are thrilled to be working with Fareway and Dole to provide Interstate 35 Elementary School with a Captain Planet Foundation Learning Garden!”
"We are excited to help bring this Learning Garden to Interstate 35 Elementary School,” said Jeff Stearns Vice President of Marketing for Fareway. “Our company is always striving to make communities better through our people, products, stores, and exceptional customer service. In addition, we offer nutrition-related services, with a focus on overall health, wellness, and family lifestyle. We’re excited to partner with Dole in offering healthy programs, like this Learning Garden, that will make a lasting impact for the next generation of shoppers."
About Dole Packaged Foods
Dole Packaged Foods, LLC, is a world leader in growing, sourcing, distributing and marketing fruit and healthy snacks. Dole sells a full line of packaged shelf stable fruit, frozen fruit, dried fruit, and juices. The company focuses on four pillars of sustainability: water management, carbon footprint, soil conservation and waste reduction. For more information, please visit dolesunshine.com or dolesunshine.com/doing-good.
About Fareway Stores, Inc.
Fareway Stores, Inc. is a growing Midwest grocery company currently operating 122 store locations in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Fareway holds family values in the highest regard, demonstrating integrity, fairness, and honesty in relationships with customers, employees, vendors, and suppliers. Visit Fareway.com for more information.
About Captain Planet Foundation (CPF)
Based on the critically acclaimed animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers, CPF was co-founded in 1991 by media mogul Ted Turner and producer Barbara Pyle. Since then, the Captain Planet Foundation has played a critical role in helping to ensure that the next generation of business leaders and policy makers are environmentally literate citizens who leverage technology and information to manage and protect the air, land, and water upon which all life depends.
CPF is a grant-making foundation that has funded over 2,000 hands-on environmental education projects with schools and non-profits that serve children in all 50 U.S. states and in 23 countries internationally. More than 1.2 million children have directly participated in and benefited from these educational projects. In addition to its Small Grants Program, the Captain Planet Foundation also operates the following programs: Project Learning Garden, the Leadership Center, SAGES, Planeteer Clubs, and several other science education initiatives that exploit the intersections between technology, innovation, the environment and personal action. For more information, visit the The Captain Planet Foundation