YAKIMA, Wash. – FirstFruits Marketing of Washington, marketers of the widely acclaimed Opal® apple, has announced the recipients of grants from the Opal apple Youth Make a Difference Initiative, a campaign designed to provide financial support from the 2014-2015 Opal sales to youth-led food and agriculture-related non-profits.
Over 75 applications were received between January and March and 24 finalists were selected in April for a chance to receive a grant from the $150,000 Opal grant funds. From April 15 to May 15, the public was asked to vote for the non-profit they most wanted to see receive a grant. Over 120,000 votes were tallied and 15 non-profit projects will be receiving grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. Those projects include:
- SOS – Seasons of Sustenance; Loveland, OH
- Northwest Initiative; Lansing, MI
- Chilton County Joint Agriscience Farm; Maplesville, AL
- Post Crashers 2.0; Northfield, NJ
- Farm2Mountain Produce Club; Big Bear Lake, CA
- Youth Planting Change; Wexford, PA
- Go Healthy St. Louis; Saint Louis, MO
- Cooking with Kids; Washington, DC
- A Dream for the Future (Un Sueño Para el Futuro); Philadelphia, PA
- One AHEC of a Garden!; Waterbury, CT
- Healthy Food, Healthy Growing, Salida School Gardens Program; Salida, CA
- Roots for the Home Team; St. Paul, MN
- Farming Forward: Vertical Farming; Woonsocket, RI
- Start a Snowball; Raleigh, NC
- TEAM- Together Everyone Achieves More HEALTH; Logan, UT
“We’ve been really excited to see our funding for Youth Make a Difference grow year after year which has enabled us to give to and touch more non-profits," said Naomi Lule, CFO of FruitsFruits of Washington and Youth Make a Difference Committee Chairwoman. "However, this initiative isn’t just about giving away money but also about raising awareness for food security and inspiring others to get involved and make a difference in their own communities."
Opal apple is known as the apple with a purpose: a portion of sales from each case of Opal apples sold is put toward the Youth Make a Difference Initiative. This season, $150,000 was distributed through the initiative, doubling last season’s amount. Funds will be distributed in July to the winning non-profits. For more information about the grantees, please visit opalapples.com.
About FirstFruits Marketing of Washington
FirstFruits Marketing is a collaborative apple marketing company owned by growers. These growers share a commitment to producing high-quality fruit while balancing the demands of purpose, people, planet and profit so that a portion of profits can be donated to non-profit missions supporting the underserved. For more Information, visit www.firstfruits.com.
About Opal Apple
Opal apple is known as the apple with a purpose. Grown only in Washington by Broetje Orchards, this Golden Delicious-Topaz cross apple variety was introduced by FirstFruits Marketing in 2010 to wide consumer and media acclaim. Its distinctive color, flavor and texture are not the only qualities that make this product unique: Opal apple was created to make a difference in communities across the nation. Every year, FirstFruits Marketing donates a percentage of sales of every case of apples to worthy organizations that address issues like hunger, food safety, sustainability and the environment. UEB 32642 variety apples are grown exclusively by Broetje Orchards and distributed under the OPAL® brand name by First Fruits Marketing in North America.
Source: Opal Apple