WATSONVILLE, Calif. – With two months left in their fundraising efforts, riders of this year’s Tour de Fresh cycling event, presented by The California Giant Foundation, are focused on raising at least $156,000 to privately fund 50 salad bars in schools across the country through the Salad Bars to Schools initiative.
This year’s ride proves to be one of the most exciting to-date, thanks to sponsor Locus Traxx / Emerson, who will provide tracking devices for each rider so that anyone is able to track in real-time where a rider is during the tour. Despite heavy rain in California over the last several months, this year’s ride route will be as gorgeous as ever, beginning in Pismo Beach on July 25, through Cambria, into Lake Nacimiento on July 26, and ending with a loop of Monterey on July 27, prior to PMA Foodservice Conference and Expo.
“We’re excited to give our riders a new experience through Northern California this year, while also allowing friends and family who can’t be there to watch in real-time from their phone or computer,” said Cindy Jewell, vice president of marketing for California Giant Berry Farms and The California Giant Foundation. “It’s important to us that everyone who supports Tour de Fresh – whether you’re riding or donating – feels like they are a part of the event and celebration of awarding salad bars to schools.”
To sweeten the pot, Tour de Fresh will hold competitions between riders to see who can raise the most money over for the chance to win different prizes. Other companies like Mission Produce have created internal competitions to help their riders fundraise and get the entire company, family, and friends involved.
“Mission Produce has been a proud supporter of Tour de Fresh since its inception, and we’re thrilled to have four riders in this year’s event,” said Robb Bertels, vice president of marketing at Mission Produce. “We have a healthy competition going on between our riders to see who can raise the most amount of money, and we’ve asked some of our vendors to help us put together team kits with jerseys, bibs, gloves, and other cycling gear so we can represent at the ride!”
With more than 150 individual donors to-date, most of the $55,000 raised has come through donations of $10 and $25 increments, which proves that no donation is too small to make a lasting impact on the thousands of students who will have access to fresh fruits and vegetables as a result.
Here are some ways to encourage fundraising over the next two months:
- Friends and Family – Ask personally for support and post on social media using this link: http://www.tourdefresh.com/riders.php.
- Company incentives – offering raffles, prizes, team lunches, time off, etc. for those who donate.
- Industry partnerships – asking for support from buyers, suppliers, etc.
- Business partnerships – ask local businesses in your area to donate tax-free.
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 about the Tour de Fresh, please visit www.tourdefresh.com or contact Beth Atkinson at batkinson@dma-solutions.com.
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 200 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 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 at www.saladbars2schools.org.
Source: The California Giant Foundation
