Klorane Botanical Foundation + KidsGardening Announce The Renaissance Charter School Winner of 2019 Budding Botanist Grant

QUEENS, N.Y. - April 30, 2019 - PRLog -- Dedicated to supporting global initiatives to protect the plant universe and biodiversity, Klorane Botanical Foundation,  Klorane's corporate foundation, and national nonprofit KidsGardening, a leader in the school gardening movement, are proud to announce The Renaissance Charter School as a winner of the second annual Budding Botanist Grant.

The Klorane Botanical Foundation is collaborating with KidsGardening to help provide more children with the opportunity to be connected to nature through garden-based learning. Impact reports conducted by the national nonprofit, KidsGardening, reveal that kids who garden show an 86% increase in environmental stewardship.

"The Budding Botanist grant provides our youngest citizens with the opportunity to value their environment, explore the plant world, and inspires them to take care of the life they discover in their local ecosystems," says KidsGardening Executive Director Helen Rortvedt. "At a time when most children can identify up to 200 logos but are unable to identify plants in their own backyard, garden programs like this are more important than ever."

"Sharing botanical knowledge all around the world, with a particular focus on educating children, is key to the Klorane Botanical Foundation's core mission," says Jacqueline Flam, Chief Marketing Officer, Klorane. "This makes it especially gratifying to support the Budding Botanist Grant Program, a tremendous opportunity to work with these deserving schools in empowering them to bring green spaces back to our cities."

See a 2018 Budding Botanist Grant Winner, Academy for Global Citizenship, Chicago, IL, on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hcAP8FLPSM.



One of six winning schools across the country, The Renaissance Charter School has been awarded a Budding Botanist Grant package valued at $3000 in cash and supplies to provide resources for creating learning gardens with their students. The school was selected for its commitment to teaching environmental sustainability and biodiversity.

The school is utilizing the Budding Botanist Grant to support their goal of expanding their year-round garden, including expanding the amount of fruits and vegetables they are able to produce.Their garden is used as part of an agriculture-based curriculum for high school students, a student-driven permaculture leadership program, and for food education classes.The new beds will also allow more students to use the space, and programming will expand to include elementary classes.

The school's Development Associate Peggy Heeney says, "If we teach children all the benefits of buying and eating locally sourced food because it's healthier, it is better for the environment as there is less transportation involved; but when we use pre-packed prepared food that is shipped from far away in the cafeteria, we are not teaching by doing."

Heeney also adds, "We have just been accepted into a pilot program called FEAST (Food, Education, Access, Support, Together) and through this program we will be offering free nutrition and cooking classes to the community, as well as providing free and immediate access to fresh, whole foods through a food scholarship."

On Tuesday, May 14, the Klorane Botanical Foundation and KidsGardening will help host a garden project and celebration at the school in honor of receiving the Budding Botanist Grant, and to raise awareness around the impact of teaching children to protect nature through growing, caring for and living with plants.

Known for her dedication to creating thriving green spaces in an urban environment, eco-activist and plant influencer Summer Rayne Oakes (@homesteadbrooklyn) will attend the event in support of the Budding Botanist Grant Program.

·          Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2019
·          Time:  2:00–3:00 PM
·          Address:  35-59 81ST STREET, JACKSON HEIGHTS, NY 11372

If you're interested in attending or for more information, please contact Peggy Heeney at 718-803-0060 x 119 or one of the following KidsGardening team members:

Local KidsGardening Contact:
Kristen Wirkkala
kristenk@kidsgardening.org
603-303-9746
KidsGardening Contact:
Maree Gaetani
mareeg@kidsgardening.org
802-324-3699

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS ON THE
2019 BUDDING BOTANIST GRANT, KLORANE BOTANICAL FOUNDATION AND/OR KIDSGARDENING.