Carlisle, Pa.-based The Giant Co. donated $1.1 million to the Rodale Institute by raising money in the Healing Our Planet campaign.
The institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing the organic movement through research, farmer training and consumer education. Giant’s campaign ran from March 1 to May 31, allowing shoppers to round up their checkout purchases to the nearest dollar at Giant, Martin’s and Giant and Heirloom Market stores, according to a news release.
The Giant Co. leaders presented Rodale Institute leaders with a check for $1,099,208.55 at a Rodale Institute CEO Jeff Moyer, The Giant Co. President Nicholas Bertram, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Reading and other funding recipients.
“Through their generosity in rounding up at the register, our customers have once again proven how dedicated they are to healing our planet, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their support,” said Giant Community Impact Manager Jessica Groves said in the release. “Since joining forces with Rodale Institute last year, we have seen firsthand how they are working to expand regenerative organic agricultural practices and create a more sustainable food chain, which is more important than ever before.”
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This grocery retailer is taking action to help improve the health of people and the planet instead of just talking about it, Moyer said.
“By forming a strong partnership with Rodale Institute, the company has taken steps to ensure that more farms will be organic, more soil is being regenerated and more organic food is available to consumers,” he said.
Rodale Institute has been conducting research into regenerative organic agriculture, as well as farmer training and education opportunities, since 1947. Today, the institute runs eight campuses in four states. The Giant Co.’s donation will directly support three key initiatives of Rodale Institute centered on farm consulting, farmer training and research.
These initiatives include:
- Rodale Institute Farmer Training program, an onsite internship that trains beginning farmers for a career in regenerative organic agriculture and supports the institute’s farm-share program, mobile pop-up markets and farmers markets.
- Rodale Institute’s Organic Crop Consulting Services, launched in 2019 with the support of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, which support farmers who are seeking to transition to organic through one-on-one mentorship with the institute’s trained agronomists.
- Rodale Institute’s research focuses on three primary areas: growing organic agriculture, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and solving food insecurity by growing nutrient-dense foods.
Besides Rodale Institute, The Giant Co. also raised money for Planet Bee Foundation and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.