Washington, D.C. – The United Fresh Start Foundation 2018 Community Grants Program application period is now open. The community grants program is designed to advance the foundation’s mission to increase children’s access to fresh fruit and vegetables, focusing specifically on after-school, weekends and summer breaks.
Now in its second year, the program is available to non-profit organizations, supporting community programs working to increase kids’ access to fresh produce, helping them develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
“In its inaugural year, the community grants program helped over 30,000 children across the country increase access to fresh produce, and we’re looking forward to helping even more kids this year,” said United Fresh President & CEO Tom Stenzel. “Our Community Grants Program complements the work we do in schools and enables us to help create an environment where kids have access to produce everywhere they live, learn and play.”
Grants in 2017 funded a variety of community programs, including:
· The Boys and Girls Club of Hudson Country, NJ, to offer cooking classes centered around fresh produce;
· Feeding the Golf Coast, AL, to support an afterschool meals program; and
· Food from Farms, WA, to support fresh fruit and vegetable coupons offered by healthcare practitioners during Medicaid Well-Child visits.
The United Fresh Start Foundation will fund 20 grants, up to $2,500 each, in 2018. Applications will be accepted through March 30, 2018 and the recipients will be announced during the 2018 United Fresh Show this June 25-27 in Chicago, IL. Organizations interested in applying for one of the 2018 grants may submit their application online, at www.unitedfreshstart.org.
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About the United Fresh Start Foundation
The United Fresh Start Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization focused exclusively on increasing children’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Affiliated with the United Fresh Produce Association, the Foundation is committed to helping today’s children achieve the public health goal to make half their plate fruits and vegetables in order to live longer and healthier lives. The Foundation works to create an environment where kids have easy access to high-quality, great-tasting and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables, ensuring kids everywhere are Growing Up Fresh.
Source: United Fresh Start Foundation