WATSONVILLE, Calif. – With only days before the event July 25-27, Tour de Fresh, presented by the California Giant Foundation, is encouraging riders, sponsors, and industry members to come together to reach the fundraising goal of $150,000 to place at least 50 salad bars in schools around the country. Currently, Tour de Fresh stands at a grand total of $138,291, which is the closest margin Tour de Fresh has faced leading up to the event since inception.
As a result of the significant fundraising efforts, 16 riders who have already met and exceeded their individual goals will get to donate salad bars to their respective school districts prior to the event, with the support of theUnited Fresh Start Foundation and the Salad Bars to Schools initiative. Other riders are asking for support in bridging the gap in fundraising over the next week to ensure that every school on the list gets a fully-funded salad bar this year before school starts in the fall.
“We are very appreciative to those who have donated to this cause already and we’re moved to see that this event is becoming a prevalent cause to industry leaders and riders as a whole,” said Cindy Jewell, vice president of marketing for California Giant Berry Farms. “We’re proud of the individual riders who have set the tone by meeting their goals early and can’t wait to give 16 schools an early surprise.”
The following school districts will be awarded salad bars in advance: Cheney School District 360, Eastonville School District, Springfield Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, Vista Unified School District, Central Bucks School District, Hamilton Southeastern Schools, San Bruno Park School District, Boulder Valley School District, and Detroit Public Schools.
While several riders have met their fundraising goals, there are still school districts on the waiting list for salad bars. With over 600 donations, Tour de Fresh has received donations in increments of $10 to $100, proving that every amount counts. To support the riders who are still working toward their individual fundraising goals, visitwww.tourdefresh.com/riders and donate to an individual rider’s page prior to July 27.
Tour de Fresh would not be possible without the support of its Premier Sponsors California Giant Berry Farms,Crunch Pak, Enza Zaden, JAZZ Apples, Mission Produce, Sakata, Tanimura & Antle, Tsamma, and event sponsors Americold, And Now U Know, Arctic Apples, Baja Son, CHEP, Church Brothers, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Coosemans Worldwide, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Emerson/Locus Traxx Worldwide, EBX Logistics,Fresh Point, Fresh Produce Partners, Fruit Growers Supply, Growers Express/Green Giant, Interfresh, Lipman,Ocean Mist Farms, Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Pajaro Valley Fresh, PMA, Pro*Act, Rherig Pacific Company,Renaissance Food Group, Specialty Produce, Taylor Farms, Tessemae’s, Total Quality Logistics, Watsonville Coast Produce, Western Precooling, and Zespri.
For more information, please visit www.tourdefresh.com or contact Beth Atkinson at batkinson@dma-solutions.com.
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About Tour de Fresh
Tour de Fresh, presented by The California Giant Foundation, is the first-of-its-kind, collaborative event that unites the most significant brands and influencers in the fresh produce industry for a three-day cycling event that raises funds to benefit the Salad Bars to Schools campaign. In its first three years (2014-2016), Tour de Fresh received nearly $500,000 in donations to support the placement of more than 150 salad bars in schools across the country. At a cost of $3,125 per salad bar per school, sponsors and participants alike strongly believe that providing healthy eating opportunities for school children should be a requirement.
About Salad Bars to Schools
Salad Bars to Schools is a public health campaign to increase salad bars in schools across the country so that every child has the choice of healthy fruits and vegetables every day at school. Salad Bars to Schools supports former First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative to end childhood obesity in a generation. Salad Bars to Schools founding partners are: The United Fresh Start Foundation, National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, the Chef Ann Foundation and Whole Kids Foundation. More information can be found online atwww.saladbars2schools.org.
Source: California Giant Foundation
