Contact:
Donna Booska (800) 538-7476, ext. 115 donna@garden.org
Sue Chayer (802) 660-3500 suec@gardeners.com
GARDENER'S SUPPLY COMPANY AND THE NATIONAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF THE 2008 HEALTHY SPROUTS AWARDS
Youth Gardeners Recognized for Nutrition and Hunger Education Efforts
South Burlington, Vermont (January 28, 2009) – The National Gardening Association (NGA) and Gardener's Supply Company are pleased to announce the winners of the 2008 Healthy Sprouts Awards. These in-kind grants support schools and community organizations that use gardens to teach about nutrition and explore the issue of hunger in the United States.
"Childhood malnutrition is rampant in this country, but the garden projects undertaken by the Healthy Sprouts Awards applicants are evidence that the tide is turning in some communities," says Mike Metallo, president of NGA. "Changing the existence of hunger in the midst of plenty requires that all people, including youth, feel empowered to be part of the solution. Kids and teens who share their harvests make real contributions to food security in their schools and communities, and they're becoming educated about why so many people in our wealthy country are hungry and suffer from diet-related diseases." Metallo continues, "Youth gardening programs also help fight childhood obesity and other childhood illnesses, while helping to feed the hungry. The CDC concurs, and academic studies show that school garden programs have a particularly positive impact on the attitudes of youth toward understanding food sources and good nutrition."
The 20 winning programs received gift cards towards the purchase of gardening materials from Gardener's Supply Company to support their food gardening projects. The top 5 received cards valued at $500; 15 more received $200 gift cards. Award packages also included educational materials and seeds from NGA.
THIS YEAR'S HEALTHY SPROUTS AWARD RECIPIENTS:
Winooski Department of Recreation & Community Wellness, Winooski, VT - $500 Winner
Glen Haven Community Development Center, Greensboro, NC - $500 Winner
Community Food Initiatives, Athens, OH - $500 Winner
Community Church Without Walls, Birmingham, AL - $500 Winner
Redlands High School, Redlands, CA 92374 - $500 Winner
Chipman Middle School/RISE Program, Alameda, CA - $200 Winner
La Puente Community Gardens, Alamosa, CO - $200 Winner
Sierra Dove Global Association, Ruidoso, NM - $200 Winner
CAP Services' Early Childhood Development Program, Stevens Point, WI - $200 Winner
Columbia University Food Sustainability Project, New York, NY - $200 Winner
Wood County Health Department, Wisconsin Rapids, WI - $200 Winner
Siler City Elementary School, Siler City, NC - $200 Winner
United Front Homes, New Bedford, MA - $200 Winner
Jeff Davis Parish School Board, Jennings, LA - $200 Winner
MaryHurst/Residential Treatment Facility, Louisville, KY - $200 Winner
UF-IFAS/Flagler County Extension Family Nutrition Program, Bunnell, FL - $200 Winner
HealthVisions of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN - $200 Winner
Lemhi's After School Promise, Salmon, ID - $200 Winner
University of Missouri Extension, Salem, MO - $200 Winner
Capuchin Soup Kitchen/Earthworks Urban Farm, Detroit, MI - $200 Winner
To learn about and apply for a 2009 Healthy Sprouts Award, please visit www.kidsgardening.org/healthysprouts.asp.
About the Sponsors
Gardener's Supply Company was founded in 1983 by a handful of enthusiastic Vermont gardeners. Today, they serve millions of gardeners nationwide, offering products from seed-starting supplies to garden furniture. To learn more about how Gardener's Supply Company is improving the world through gardening, visit www.gardeners.com.
Headquartered in Vermont, the nonprofit National Gardening Association promotes gardening as a means to renew and sustain the essential connection between people, plants, and the environment.
For 35 years, we have been leaders in plant-based education. Our programs are valued and praised by educators and community organizers across America. We offer the Web's largest and most respected library of online gardening resources. Though our strength is in youth gardening, our resources support gardeners of every age and ability. NGA acts as an interactive hub and provides a critical service to educators, supplying them with curriculum, publications, grants, awards, and professional development tools. To learn more about gardening with children, please visit www.kidsgardening.org.
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