Welch's Harvest Grant

As a family farmer-owned company that is proud to grow and nurture grapes, Welch’s is sponsoring the 2010 Welch’s Harvest Grant in partnership with Scholastic to foster educational efforts promoting the value of sustainable agriculture and healthy eating. Recognizing that gardens provide a dynamic setting for learning, the grant program will provide gardening supplies to 100 schools nationwide to help them grow their own fruit and vegetable gardens.

Planting, tending, and then harvesting fruits and vegetables from a school garden can help teach kids about the science of where their food comes from, and it can motivate them to eat more nutritious fruits and vegetables. Kids involved in the winning programs will be introduced to what it means to raise food crops — they will start to understand the responsibilities of the 1,200 family-farmers who grow and harvest the 320,000 tons of Concord and Niagara grapes used in Welch’s 100% juice and other grape-based products.

“As a Welch’s family-farmer owner, I’m delighted that kids will have this opportunity to grow their own gardens, and learn about where their food comes from. For me, there’s nothing better than enjoying the very fruits that I’ve spent so much time growing and nurturing throughout the year,” comments Jamie Militello, of Forestville, New York. “Each year, I harvest 2,000 tons of Concord and Niagara grapes; I have a great sense of pride in this. I like to let people know that, along with the hundreds of other family-farmer owners, I grow the grapes that are pressed to make the Welch’s 100% Grape Juice that they are enjoying. Welch’s is very connected to land, and its family-farmers.”

The Welch’s Harvest Grant is open to classrooms throughout the United States that plan to use gardens to teach students about nutrition and sustainable agriculture. Two winning schools will be selected from each state. Five schools will receive $1,000 awards; 25 schools will receive $500 awards; and 70 schools will receive $250 awards. Winning schools may choose an indoor or an outdoor gardening package. Both contain a variety of tools, seeds, and educational materials, enabling entire school communities to connect with nature and better understand the origins of their food supply. Deadline for application submission is February 6, 2010. For complete details, official rules, and to see if your child’s school qualifies to enter, visit scholastic.com/harvest and click on “Learn More About  Welch’s Harvest Grants.”

About Welch’s
Headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts, Welch’s is the processing and marketing subsidiary of the National Grape Cooperative Association whose Concord and Niagara grapes are harvested from vineyards across America and in Ontario, Canada. Since the inception of its “unfermented grape wine” in 1869, Welch’s has marketed grape juice, grape jelly, and other fruit-based products. Welch’s 100% Grape Juice, made from Concord grapes, helps promote a healthy heart and arteries and maintain a healthy immune system. Welch’s is committed to research and development that meets the growing demand for products that address consumers’ health and nutrition needs. Welch’s products are sold throughout the United States and in 50 countries around the globe. For more information, visit www.welchs.com.

About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and is a leader in educational technology and children’s media. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos, and toys. The company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs and school-based book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, television networks and the company’s Internet site, www.scholastic.com.