The Wonderful Company Announces Recipients Of Its $1 Million COVID-19 Relief Fund

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wonderful Company, which is dedicated to harvesting health around the world, announced today that it has chosen its first 15 nonprofit organizations and schools in California's Central Valley, including its largest grantees, the California Farmworker Foundation, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County, and California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB), to receive funding from its COVID-19 relief fund. The special fund is part of the Wonderful Community Grants program.

The $1 million COVID-19 relief fund was established in August 2020 to support local programs, services, and resources that were affected by COVID-19 either by state and federal budgets cuts or in response to new critical need. Nonprofit organizations and schools that demonstrate community impact were eligible to apply for funding and with this round of grants, the relief fund has been fully distributed. 

Andy Anzaldo, chief operating officer of Philanthropy at The Wonderful Company, said, "On behalf of Lynda and Stewart Resnick, we are pleased to award 15 organizations with desperately needed funding. These non-profits have demonstrated that through their tireless efforts in the face of this devastating pandemic, they have had a profound impact on the Central Valley's wellbeing. It's an honor to recognize and further their contributions to the communities where our Wonderful families live and work."

"We are very thankful to The Wonderful Company for believing in our mission and funding our COVID-19 initiatives for Farmworkers in California. Many farmworkers find themselves in dire need of emergency assistance for rent, and this grant will help them, and their families, meet their housing needs," said Hernan Hernandez, Executive Director at The California Farmworker Foundation.

Diane Carbray, President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County, said, "The funding coming from Wonderful for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Del Rey and Mendota couldn't come at a better time! We rely heavily on this support for our clubs to continue to offer services and provide children with internet access in safe, quiet places while their families work."

"On behalf of CSUB's Center for Economic Education and Research, I wish to express my gratitude to The Wonderful Company for the grant that will enrich the academic experience for college students from Kern, Tulare, and Fresno county," said Nyakundi M. Michieka, associate professor of Economics and co-director of the Center for Economic Education and Research at California State University, Bakersfield. "By providing employment opportunities to these young people, many of whom are first-generation students, we can continue to change lives in the Central Valley."

Since its launch in 2016, the Wonderful Company Community Grants program has contributed more than $2 million to 90 grants, including nonprofit and city and county governments. This effort is part of a broader initiative in which the company has invested over $11 million to protect its workforce and fight COVID-19. Each year, The Wonderful Company invests millions of dollars in far-reaching community development, education, and health and wellness programs across the Central Valley and beyond, with the goal of enriching and enhancing the lives of our employees who live there.

Assets here: https://bit.ly/3hGeRLJ 

About The Wonderful Company:
The Wonderful Company is a privately held $5 billion global company dedicated to harvesting health around the world. Its iconic brands include FIJI® Water, POM Wonderful®, Wonderful® Pistachios, Wonderful® Halos, Wonderful® Seedless Lemons, Teleflora®, JUSTIN® Wines, JNSQ® Wines, and Landmark® Wines.

The Wonderful Company's connection to consumers has health at its heart and giving back in its DNA. To learn more about The Wonderful Company, its products, and its core values, visit www.wonderful.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To view the current Corporate Social Responsibility report, visit www.wonderful.com/csr.

About Stewart and Lynda Resnick:
Philanthropists and entrepreneurs Stewart and Lynda Resnick are co-owners of The Wonderful Company, a privately held $4.6 billion global company dedicated to harvesting health and happiness around the world through its iconic consumer brands, which include Wonderful Pistachios®, Wonderful® Halos®, POM Wonderful®, FIJI® Water, JUSTIN® Wine, and Teleflora®.  The Resnicks have a long-standing commitment to sustainability and giving back. Their philanthropy includes historic gifts to local institutions including UCLA, LACMA, and Caltech, and a transformational effort in California's Central Valley where they support paradigm-changing work in community engagement, health and wellness, and education.   

SOURCE The Wonderful Company LLC