DREYER'S Fruit Bars Brand Announces Third Year of "Communities Take Root" Program

OAKLAND, Calif., April 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dreyer's Fruit Bars* brand is embarking on the third year of its Communities Take Root program, a nationwide initiative in collaboration with The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation to help feed underserved communities and improve the environment. Since 2010, the Dreyer's Fruit Bars Communities Take Root program has planted 1,600 fruit trees, yielding 88,000 pounds of fresh fruit per year for dozens of communities across the nation. Beginning April 16, the brand invites people across the United States to cast their vote to help 17 deserving communities win an orchard this year.

"In many communities, there is a huge disparity between the need for fresh fruit and its availability.  At Dreyer's, we are proud to do our part to uplift these underserved communities," says Ritu Mathur, Fruit Bars Associate Brand Manager. "Over the past two years, tens of thousands of people have cast their votes at www.CommunitiesTakeRoot.com to help us select the locations of these orchards.  It's incredible knowing that we've planted 1,600 trees, not only benefitting our earth, but serving as a continual source of food for thousands of people throughout our country who might otherwise have limited access to fresh fruit."

Past orchard recipient Johnston Community College attests to the benefits of receiving a fruit orchard through the Communities Take Root program. "Even today, I am moved to tears when I talk about the difference that the orchard will make in our community," says Grant Director Leslie VanHoy. "I cannot imagine that we will ever stop talking about the effort to win the orchard or the excitement of the planting day last year."

Dreyer's Fruit Bars is once again partnering with the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, and strengthen communities.  As an integral part of the Communities Take Root program, the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation sources the trees and leads the planting of each orchard. Their dedicated arborist also provides a workshop for each winning community, teaching citizens how to care for their fruit trees so that they will bear fruit for future generations.

"We are honored to be a part of the Communities Take Root Program, both for the fresh fruit created for communities in need as well as the positive environmental impact," says Fruit Tree Planting Foundation's director Cem Akin. "Once mature, the trees planted through Dreyer's Fruit Bars support will remove 396,800 pounds of carbon dioxide and 12,800 pounds of air pollutants from the atmosphere, while generating 312,000 pounds of oxygen for our environment each year."

Voting for "Communities Take Root" will begin on April 16, 2012 and last until August 31, 2012. Visit www.CommunitiesTakeRoot.com to learn about the eligible organizations and cast your vote for the most deserving ones.  Seventeen communities from across the United States will win a fruit orchard.  All winners will receive a fruit tree orchard, irrigation system, a groundbreaking party, and plenty of Dreyer's Fruit Bars to celebrate the new orchard.  Also, in order to ensure that every applicant has a starting point to grow an orchard, the brand will donate three fruit trees to all participating organizations that do not win an orchard through the voting campaign.

In addition to the recipients chosen by voters, Dreyer's will hand-select three organizations in America's more populated cities to receive fruit orchards, ensuring that these urban populations have an on-going source of fresh fruit and beautiful green spaces for generations to enjoy.

To find out more about Communities Take Root and the entire family of Dreyer's Fruit Bars flavors, visit www.CommunitiesTakeRoot.com.

*Marketed as Edy's^® Fruit Bars in the Midwest and East.

About Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream

Nestle Dreyer's Ice Cream Company is part of Nestle USA, and is owned by Nestle S.A. of Vevey, Switzerland, the world's largest nutrition, health and wellness company.  Nestle Dreyer's Ice Cream Company manufactures, markets and distributes a full spectrum of ice cream and frozen snacks.  The company's premium products are marketed under the Dreyer's brand name throughout the Western states and Texas, and under the Edy's® brand name throughout the remainder of the United States.  Brands manufactured or distributed in the United States include Dreyer's/Edy's® Grand, Slow Churned®, Dibs®, MAXX, Fruit Bars, Nestle Crunch®, Drumstick®, Butterfinger®, Toll House®, Push-Up®, Frosty Paws®, Eskimo Pie®, Skinny Cow® and Haagen-Dazs®.  Internationally, the Dreyer's brand extends to select markets in the Far East and the Edy's brand extends to the Caribbean and South America.  For more information on the company, please visit www.dreyersinc.com.

In the U.S., the Haagen-Dazs trademark is licensed to Nestle by General Mills.

About The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation

The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) is an international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. FTPF programs strategically donate orchards where the harvest will best serve communities for generations, at places such as public schools, city parks, low-income neighborhoods, Native American reservations, and international hunger relief sites. FTPF's unique mission, which has been featured in major publications and broadcasts across the country, benefits the environment, human health, and community involvement -- all at once! For more information please visit www.ftpf.org.

SOURCE Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream