Dole teams with Bashas’ and Food City to grant learning gardens to two elementary schools in Arizona

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ARIZONA – Calling all green thumbs! Here’s your chance to win a learning garden for your favorite elementary school in Arizona, courtesy of Dole Packaged Foods and Bashas’ and Food City supermarkets.

Now through Sept. 2, 2017, Arizona residents can fill out an application online to nominate their favorite elementary school for a chance to receive a learning garden at bashas.com or captainplanetfoundation.org/bashascontest.

Two elementary schools will receive a comprehensive Captain Planet Foundation Learning Garden, which is valued at $2,500. The Learning Garden comes complete with lesson kits, supplies to establish a schoolyard garden, a fully-equipped garden cooking cart, and strategies for garden maintenance.

“At Dole, we understand the importance of teaching children about the benefits of incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diet, whether they are enjoying fresh produce from a learning garden, or a healthy Dole snack,” said Larry White, Vice President of Sales for Dole Packaged Foods. “By partnering with Captain Planet Foundation and Bashas’ and Food City grocery stores to grant these learning gardens to Arizona elementary schools, we will be helping students to learn about and develop healthy habits.”

The Learning Garden program provides a context for multidisciplinary learning, ranging from nutrition and science to social studies, math and language arts. Students benefit by expanding their palates, taste-testing healthy foods, and learning about food origins.

“Anything can be taught in the context of the garden, and hands-on learning supports students’ understanding of food and healthy eating,” said Leesa Carter, Executive Director of Captain Planet Foundation. “Captain Planet Foundation is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards, and ensuring they are equipped with an understanding of the natural world in which they live. We are thrilled to be working with Dole, Bashas’ and Food City to provide two lucky elementary schools in Arizona with a learning garden.”

This fall, the two elementary schools selected to receive learning gardens will be announced.

“Bashas’ and Food City have always been committed to supporting educational excellence, which is why we are excited to partner with Dole and the Captain Planet Foundation in a statewide contest that will award two Arizona schools a learning garden,” said Ashley Shick, Director of Communications & Public Affairs for Bashas’ Family of Stores. “The hands-on garden and the curriculum that goes with it have helped students all over the country to have a better understanding about where their food comes from, which is important to our family-owned grocery chain. We’re tremendously honored that Dole chose Bashas’ and Food City to bring this valuable program to Arizona.”