Food Network and Share Our Strength Announce Network's First-Ever Original Charitable Platform, 'Good Food Gardens' to be Unveiled at Slow Food Nation
Gardens Will Be Built By Teich Garden Systems in Schools, Community Centers
NEW YORK, Aug 25, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Food Network and charitable partner, Share Our Strength(R), will unveil a new original platform called Good Food Gardens on August 28 in San Francisco at Slow Food Nation, the largest celebration of American food. The launch of Good Food Gardens delivers on one of the core goals of the relationship -- to create a completely original, Food Network-specific platform that will continue the mission to raise awareness for childhood hunger and its surrounding issues. The gardens are a tangible way to teach kids where food comes from, and encourage them to take pride and learn by growing fresh fruits and vegetables from start to finish. The gardens will be built by Teich Garden Systems (http://www.teichgardensystems.com), of South Salem, NY, who build fully sustainable gardens for local schools, organizations and homeowners. Each Good Food Garden will be completely customized and can be built on any surface with a full irrigation system, top quality organic soil, raised planting beds and support for trellising vines.
A sample Good Food Garden built by Teich will be unveiled on August 28 adjacent to the Victory Garden at Slow Food Nation, located on Civic Center Plaza in front of City Hall. The garden is 10 ft x 16 ft, built out of cedar wood, protected with heavy duty fencing, making it an enclosed space with a sturdy door that can be locked. The garden will be filled with seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs; event-goers will be able to walk around, tour the garden and see how it works. The San Francisco garden will then be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Treasure Island after the close of Slow Food Nation on September 2. Food Network and Share Our Strength plan to launch the next garden in New York City in early 2009, followed by a third garden in Washington, DC.
"Good Food Gardens is a new mission for Food Network and Share Our Strength, and represents Food Network as a voice at the table on these food issues affecting our communities," said Carrie Welch, Vice President, Public Relations, Food Network. "It is the right message at the right time -- what better event than Slow Food Nation to talk about kids learning where their food comes from and why that is important."
"For more than 20 years, Share Our Strength has been leading the fight against childhood hunger in America by supporting local hunger-relief organizations," said Chuck Scofield, Chief Development Officer, Share Our Strength. "With the launch of Good Food Gardens, we are educating children on the importance of fruits, vegetables and other nutritious foods -- key ingredients to ending childhood hunger. The gardens will offer children fun, hands-on experiences that we hope will inspire healthy eating habits for life."
Food Network's partnership with Share Our Strength gives a national voice to the fight to end childhood hunger and helps increase awareness of the issues surrounding this complex problem, including the link between hunger and obesity, the need for nutrition education, the challenge of "food deserts" (areas of the country where fresh foods are not available), the need for more widely available farmers' markets, the state of farming and agriculture, and more. Food Network also supports Share Our Strength's existing programs by including them in relevant Food Network shows, through public service announcements with network stars, and by hosting fundraising events.
Slow Food Nation is the largest celebration of American food in history, bringing together tens of thousands of visitors to San Francisco during Labor Day weekend, August 28 - September 1, to experience an extraordinary range of activities highlighting the connection between the plate and the planet. Slow Food Nation will feature tastings, chef demonstrations, a major conference on food values, social justice and the environment, an urban farm, a music festival and workshops, forums, films and interactive exhibits.
From Market Watch
From Market Watch
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