Dole Packaged Foods, Key Food Stores and Captain Planet Foundation Celebrate Project Learning Garden

New York State Senator Jesse Hamilton and State Assemblyman Walter Mosley joined executives from Key Food Stores Co-Operative, Dole Packaged Foods and Captain Planet Foundation at PS 316 Elijah Stroud Elementary School in Brooklyn to inaugurate a Learning Garden for the school. Together, these three organizations joined forces to offer PS 316 Elijah Stroud students the opportunity to interact with the environment through a learning garden, while expanding their palates and learning about food origins. PS 316 Elijah Stroud won the Learning Garden by submitting an application to the "Learning Garden Grant" contest conducted at Key Food Stores in the fall of 2014. The contest offered elementary schools in the Key Foods service area the chance to win a Learning Garden installation for their school. "Here at Dole, we understand the importance of teaching children the benefits of incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diet, whether they are enjoying fresh produce from their learning garden, or a healthy Dole snack," says Larry White, vice president - sales, Dole Packaged Foods. "By partnering with Captain Planet Foundation and Key Food Stores, we are helping more students learn about and develop healthy habits." "Anything can be taught in the context of the garden, and hands-on learning supports student understanding of natural systems, food origins, and healthy eating," adds 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 armed with an understanding of the natural world in which they live. We are thrilled to be working with Key Food Stores and Dole to provide PS 316 Elijah Stroud with a CPF Learning Garden!" "We are thrilled to provide this Learning Garden to PS 316 Elijah Stroud Elementary School," says Michele Gissi, marketing & PR manager, Key Food Stores. "Giving back to the neighborhoods we serve is incredibly important to us, and we are always looking for ways to improve the quality of the life for children through education around nutrition and healthy living." Olga Maluf, Principal PS 316 Elijah Stroud School, adds, "We are so pleased to have this Learning Garden for our students. The garden enables us to provide enriched curriculum for all our grade levels. We pride ourselves in being part of the neighborhood and this gives an opportunity to offer a wonderful learning experience."