IMMOKALEE, FL – Lipman is donating $10,000 to keep healthy eating top of mind for young students in Collier County.

The open-field tomato grower announced on Wednesday that it would be partnering with Naples Botanical Garden’s Collier Greens program to give 20 schools in the county $500 grants for the 2016-17 school year. The grants will be used to fund the placement of gardens at schools to educate children about the benefits of fruits and vegetables, as well as farming in general.

This donation will go a long way in helping to inspire this generation of students, and as Lipman’s Community Relations Director, Jaime Weisinger, said in a press release, it’s a big part of who Lipman is as a company.

“At Lipman, we’re proud to support a number of initiatives that educate children about the important of things like healthy eating, farming, and gardening,” Weisinger said. “When schools plant their own gardens, kids gain a valuable understanding of where their food comes from.”

Another benefit of this donation is that it helps relieve the teachers of the stress that comes with having to fund the gardens out of their own pocket.

Naples Botanical Garden’s Collier Greens program was founded four years ago. The program offers free workshops to educators, encourages best practices, and recognizes outstanding garden practices. Schools affiliated with the program receive certification and have access to a variety of expert resources.

“We operate on a ‘teach the teacher’ model,” said Britt Patterson-Weber, Youth Programs Manager at Naples Botanical Garden. “We empower teachers to go back to their schools and run their programs.”

Applications are being accepted through the spring, and recipients will be selected by Naples Botanical Garden.

This is just one more way Lipman has been able to serve the community at hand, as well as encourage education among children. 

Lipman Produce