The Sprouts Healthy Community Foundation will attempt to plant 24 new gardens across the nation in one day, with one of the new gardens to be placed at a Dallas elementary school.
Sprouts announced in a press release that 24 schools in 23 states across the nation will be able to take part in its “24 Gardens in 24 Hours in 24 Communities” contest. The program will see a total of $500,000 invested into 24 schools across the nation for the purpose of building a new garden at each campus on September 23.
The program was started in April in Celebration of Earth Month and seeks to promote nutrition education.
Schools were chosen from a pool of over 3,000 nominations from Sprouts shoppers during a three-month-long process. One of the selected schools is Mitchell Elementary School in Dallas, according to the press release.
This school received over 20 nominations from parents, teachers, and Sprouts team members at Sprouts Store #163 in Dallas. The garden at this school will feature a worm farm, eight raised beds, and an outdoor classroom.
More than 700 students at the school are expected to participate in the garden program this year.
“This program is exciting because we are able to invite our customers to help us connect with new schools through the nomination process,” said Lyndsey Waugh, executive director of the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, according to the press release.
“These schools represent 24 incredible communities, comprised of teachers and students, that will now have access to an outdoor garden, where classroom lessons can be brought to life through hands-on learning, and where students can experience the magic of watching seeds sprout, and fresh fruits and vegetables grow,” Waugh added.
Each of the winning schools will receive between $15,000 and $20,000 for the garden’s construction, $5,000 for nutrition education lessons, and continued professional support in maintaining the space, in partnership with KidsGardening, a national non-profit organization.
Approximately 500 Sprouts team members will participate in installing the gardens.
“Sprouts is committed to providing children with hands-on educational experiences that shape how they think about food,” said Nick Konat, president and chief operating officer of Sprouts, in the release. “We believe that our Foundation’s efforts to make these connections will play a pivotal role for children to develop an understanding of the importance of healthy eating.”
