George Wythe High School Students Joined by Volunteers from Sabra Dipping Company and Renew Richmond to Build On-Site Garden Tower, Plant Fall Crops

Sabra's "Plants with A Purpose" Food Desert Community Engagement Initiative Takes Root

News provided by

Sabra Dipping Company, LLC

Sep 23, 2016, 02:19 ET

CHESTERFIELD, Va., Sept. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Sabra Dipping Company, America's largest hummus manufacturer, is conducting a day of service with Richmond's George Wythe High School as part of its long-term initiative called "Plants with a Purpose," a community engagement mission dedicated to helping alleviate the impact of Food Deserts in the U.S.

"The George Wythe family is extremely excited to have Renew Richmond and Sabra Dipping Company come in and provide collaborative opportunities for our students and staff," said GWHS principal Reva Green.

Students join volunteers from Sabra and Renew Richmond to build on-site garden.
Students join volunteers from Sabra and Renew Richmond to build on-site garden.

"There is no better way to broaden Sabra's Plants with a Purpose into the community than with Wythe's dedicated staff and students," said managing director of new business Tracy Luckow. "The Sabra team is eager to work alongside the George Wythe High School students and learn about the transformative power of urban gardening in increasing consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables."

During the service day volunteers from Sabra and Renew Richmond will work with students at George Wythe High School to expand and enhance the garden area in the school's central courtyard. Activities include:

  • Installing garden towers
  • Planting fall crops
  • Education about soil preparation, fall crop care, watering, tower gardening, etc.
  • Planting perennials as beautification enhancements for the garden

Sabra is dedicated to introducing fresh new ways of eating and connecting. Last month, the Company launched its Plants with a Purpose pilot program in VA with an organic employee work-share garden on site at its LEED Gold certified hummus-manufacturing facility where the company employs more than 600 professionals. In comparison to areas of similar size, shockingly, Richmond has been described as the largest Food Desert in the country. 

Food Deserts, as defined by the USDA, are neighborhoods and towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, affordable food (specifically fruits and vegetables). It is estimated that more than 23 million Americans live in impacted areas. 

Sabra is one of the first companies in the U.S. to make this the sole focus of its CSR efforts and is setting a goal to be a corporate leader and catalyst to bring more attention and dedication to the cause. To launch the effort, Sabra has been collaborating with Renew Richmond, a non-profit dedicated to urban agriculture in underserved local communities in the region.

Sabra 'Plants with a Purpose' Guiding Goals:

  • Increase awareness around the issue of Food Deserts
  • Drive results by engaging with and educating the community, partnering with NGOs and non-profits emphasizing community-driven solutions
  • Support environmentally and economically sustainable solutions to increase produce consumption
  • Provide peer-driven nutritional and culinary workshops in target communities
  • Collaborate with health agencies and other private entities seeking to address the issue
  • Expand the program each year

About Sabra Dipping Company, LLC
Sabra Dipping Company, LLC is the leader in the refrigerated dips and spreads category and producer of America's top-selling hummus. Sabra's award-winning products offer consumers fresh new ways of eating and connecting and include more than a dozen flavors of hummus and a wide range of refrigerated dips and spreads including salsa, guacamole and Greek yogurt dip.  Sabra's range of offerings includes items that are non-GMO, vegetarian, gluten-free, kosher and vegan and can be found nationwide in club stores, supermarkets, specialty retailers and through food service.   Sabra operates a gold LEED certified factory in Virginia. Find Sabra at www.sabra.com, www.facebook.com/sabra and @Sabra on Twitter and Instagram.

Sabra Dipping Company was formed as a U.S./Canadian joint venture between Strauss Group and PepsiCo. The Sabra joint venture draws on both Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, and Strauss Group's expertise to continue building this growing business.

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Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140127/NY53102LOGO-b

SOURCE Sabra Dipping Company, LLC