Haitian Orphanage Receives BPA-Free Baby Bottle Donation from Glendale Company

Hands and Feet Project to receive $30,000 in BPA-free infant feeding products to distribute to earthquake victims in Haiti

GLENDALE, Calif., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The January 12th earthquake in Haiti killed over a hundred thousand citizens and destroyed most of Haiti's infrastructure, devastating the poorest country in the western hemisphere and leaving the Haitian population desperate for the most basic necessities: food, water, and shelter.

In response, Green to Grow founders, husband and wife Michael Ritterbrown and Shelley Aronoff, announced the company will donate $30,000 in BPA-free baby bottles to be air lifted into Jacmel, Haiti to Hands and Feet Project, an orphanage with two locations that has opened its doors to families seeking shelter and basic supplies for survival.

"Families have lost everything they own at the bottom of a pile of rubble. We have powdered milk and formula to give out, but we don't have anything to put it in," said Bob Herdman, Executive Director of Hands and Feet Project. "We will distribute the Green to Grow baby bottles to mothers and caretakers in Jacmel and in Grand Goave, where we have a second orphanage. This donation is critical to providing care for infants in these regions."

It was nearly a week before Green to Grow located an organization able to help deliver their donation to the right channels in Haiti. "I spent hours on the phone with larger non-profit organizations such as Save the Children and the American Red Cross. They were grateful for our offer, but had no way to accept durable goods at that time," said Green to Grow Vice President Shelley Aronoff. "Then I found Hands and Feet Project. They are working with over 100 volunteer pilots who are loading their personal planes with supplies and flying from Ft. Lauderdale, FL directly into Jacmel. Because there is no accessible airport, they are using cement and dirt roads as runways. A network of volunteers is scheduling and arranging the flights -- at least two per day into Jacmel -- and coordinating the donation of desperately needed supplies. Hands and Feet Project is at the heart of these efforts; their commitment, and that of their volunteers, reflects the very best of humanity."

Green to Grow's donation of over 2,000 BPA-free baby bottles and 10,000 silicone nipples will be departing Glendale, CA to Ft. Lauderdale, FL on Tuesday, January 26, and should arrive in Jacmel by the end of the week. The donation to Hands and Feet Project is part of Green to Grow's Bottles to Babies initiative, whose ongoing outreach gives back to those in need while helping to educate them about issues related to their families' health and the environment. Last year, through their Bottles to Babies initiative, Green to Grow donated over $52,000 of BPA-free feeding products to non-profit organizations that serve low-income families in the U.S. and abroad.

Founded as a green company on the belief that corporations can be forces for good, Green to Grow seeks environmentally responsible manufacturing solutions and considers the environmental impact of every business decision made. The company uses 100% recycled/recyclable paper in all of its packaging and printed corporate materials and has partnered with 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate one percent of its annual sales to environmental literacy education in the K-12 curriculum.

The decision to launch Green to Grow with a line of BPA-free plastic and glass baby bottles grew from the founders growing knowledge and research on the potential dangers of bisphenol A -- a neurological, developmental, and reproductive toxicant -- and from their frustration over the lack of options in the market. The founders believed concerned parents like themselves would welcome safer alternatives. In their efforts to ensure the highest level of quality and safety, Green to Grow products are tested for chemical and mechanical requirements at laboratories in the U.S. and in Europe.

About Green to Grow

Founded in 2007 by husband and wife Michael Ritterbrown and Shelley Aronoff, Green to Grow is an environmentally and socially responsible manufacturer and distributor of BPA-free baby bottles and accessories based in Glendale, CA. Committed to providing parents with safe, functional, and attractive feeding options for families, Green to Grow products are free of BPA, phthalates, lead, and PVC. Green to Grow manufacturers and distributes a line of BPA-free plastic baby bottles, glass baby bottles, silicone nipples, starter/gift sets, organic cotton baby cloths, totes, and accessories.

SOURCE Green to Grow