PHOENIX (June 7, 2010) – The Jaburg & Wilk Foundation awarded its first annual Sharing the Prize Seed grant to Community Food Connections (CFC) and Arizona Home Grown Solutions. The program received more than 50 applications, representing approximately 100 non-profits in the Valley. The judging process involved the Advisory Board’s evaluation of applications and more than 7,000 online public votes. The grant offers $25,000 for charitable nonprofit organizations to accomplish a collaborative community improvement project within the Greater Phoenix area. The Jaburg & Wilk Foundation will host a grant presentation celebration June 9, 2010 at 11 a.m. at the Phoenix Public Market.
“The collaboration between Community Food Connections and Arizona Homegrown Solutions represents the meaning behind the Sharing the Prize Seed grant,” said Gary Jaburg, founder and managing partner of Jaburg Wilk. “Literally, we will be planting seeds that will feed Valley residents by furthering education and availability of healthy food.”
The grant will support community-based initiatives that expand access to healthy nutritional foods by teaching the community sustainable growing and environmental practices including how to plant gardens and orchards, as well as educate them on the benefits of healthier foods. The grant will also grow the Farm to School program, which teaches local micro farmers how to profit from their products.
“We’re absolutely honored to be the first annual recipient of the Jaburg Wilk Sharing the Prize Seed grant, and very grateful for the widespread support of the community,” said Jennifer Wadsworth, co-founder of Arizona Home Grown Solutions. “The funding will deepen the partnership between Community Food Connections and Arizona Homegrown Solutions and strengthen our mutual mission to create a resilient local environment that sustains healthy families, healthy food and healthy farms.”
The winners will have one year to fulfill their community based project. The Jaburg & Wilk Foundation is planning another grant program next year, details will be available on www.sharingtheprizeseed.org in the coming months.
“Our foundation would like to thank our Advisory Board for their commitment to this first year grant,” said Jaburg. “This talented group of Valley leaders was instrumental in helping the foundation select this year’s recipients.”
ABOUT THE GRANT:
The “Sharing the Prize Seed” Grant has at its root the story of a farmer whose crop won top awards every year. Upon receiving the annual honor, the farmer would distribute some of his prize seed with neighboring farmers to plant in their own fields. As the growing season progressed and his neighbors’ fields began to flourish, the wind would blow pollen from field to field, and the cross-pollination assured that all the crops were strong.
Grant applications were reviewed by the seven member Advisory Board including: Florence Eckstein, Jewish News of Greater Phoenix; Maurine Karabatsos, Social Venture Partners; Kimber Lanning, Local First AZ; Jeff Moriarty, Phoenix Innovation Foundation; David Roderique, Downtown Phoenix Partnership; Karen Scislowski, Vestar/AZ Crew; Scott Sutherland, KTAR Radio.
ABOUT COMMUNITY FOOD CONNECTIONS:
Community Food Connections is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2002 whose mission it is to grow strong communities, healthy food, healthy families and healthy farms. They work to improve access to healthy food in underserved areas through expanding outlets for and production of local food. The organization’s programs create jobs, support micro-enterprise development and build family self-sufficiency.
ABOUT ARIZONA HOME GROWN SOLUTIONS:
Arizona Homegrown Solutions is dedicated to sparking the discovery, implementation and sharing of local solutions for food and water security, as well as resource conservation and community well-being while having fun and respecting the natural environment. Arizona Home Grown Solutions is a program of the Arizona Community Tree Council.
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CONTACT: Denise D. Resnik, Michelle McGinty – Denise Resnik & Associates (602) 956-8834
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