CAULIPOWER’s donation will deliver 100,000 meals of fresh produce to over 4,500 at-risk families. These are families who are suffering great hardship caused by COVID-19. In addition, the monies will support the development of the AHA’s national Teaching Gardens program.
Philadelphia, June 23, 2020 – CAULIPOWER®, makers of America’s #1 better-for-you pizza, announced a $1 million donation over three years to the American Heart Association’s food security and education programs. In the short-term funds will immediately provide over 100,000 meals to more than 4,500 high-risk families in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Birmingham between May and July.
The social and economic impact of COVID-19 has heightened the problem of food insecurity in under-resourced communities. Even before the crisis, in Philadelphia alone, 1 in 5 low-income households did not know where their next meal was coming from.
In Philadelphia, the joint program will provide almost 21,000 meals for local residents who are food insecure through a partnership with Food Connect, a local nonprofit that streamlines food needs with food vendors. In response to COVID-19, their Meals Initiative brings foodservice employees back into the workforce to prepare nutritious meals that are then distributed to those who deeply impacted by the pandemic.
“We are incredibly grateful for CAULIPOWER’s gift that gives us the opportunity to provide meals to families in North and West Philadelphia while supporting the local restaurant workforce,” said Jennifer Litchman-Green, vice president of Health at American Heart Association Philadelphia. “In collaboration with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, we also created and provided Food Connect with evidence-based nutrition guidelines to ensure healthy meals were prepared.”
“With schools closed nationwide, it was important that CAULIPOWER be able to continue supporting the American Heart Association’s mission of improving access to nutritious, fresh foods,” said Gail Becker, founder and CEO of CAULIPOWER. “I am incredibly proud that CAULIPOWER can help put real food on the tables of families when they need it most.”
In the medium-term, CAULIPOWER’s donation will help fund the American Heart Association’s 300,000-strong National Teaching Gardens Network and the creation of 100 new Teaching Gardens. The program and the gardens give schools and other community-based organizations educational resources to teach children about the benefits of healthy home-grown fruit and vegetables.
“Central to CAULIPOWER’s mission is making healthier foods accessible to all,” said Becker. “Through these teaching gardens, children learn first-hand how to grow healthy fruit and vegetables, making a real and lasting impact on children and their families.”
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a leading force for a world of longer, healthier lives. With nearly a century of lifesaving work, the Dallas-based association is dedicated to ensuring equitable health for all. We are a trustworthy source empowering people to improve their heart health, brain health and well-being. We collaborate with numerous organizations and millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, advocate for stronger public health policies, and share lifesaving resources and information. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
About the American Heart Association Teaching Gardens
The Teaching Gardens program directly addresses the necessity for access to healthy foods in underserved communities where food deserts exist. More information about the American Heart Association Teaching Gardens can be found here.
About CAULIPOWER®
CAULIPOWER® is on a mission to reinvent your favorite foods, one healthy meal hack at a time. CAULIPOWER’s first meal hack, cauliflower crust pizza, created a white-hot category in 2017. Today CAULIPOWER is America’s favorite cauliflower crust pizza, the #1 better-for-you pizza, #1 gluten-free pizza, and fastest growing frozen pizza brand in the U.S. In addition to cauliflower crust pizzas, the CAULIPOWER family of vegetable-forward meal hacks now includes baked not fried chicken tenders, flavored riced cauliflower, cauliflower tortillas, and sweet potato toast. Founder, CEO, and mother of two sons with Celiac Disease, Gail Becker, set out to innovate the frozen food aisle and left a global executive position to launch the company in 2016. Today it remains her mission to eliminate the need for consumers to choose between taste, convenience, and health. CAULIPOWER is brought to you by Vegolutionary Foods, a company of “never-been-dones,” inspired by what people want. Every CAULIPOWER purchase benefits the American Heart Association Teaching Gardens Network, a program installing edible teaching gardens in underserved public schools. Find one of CAULIPOWER’s 25,000 retailers and get recipe inspiration at eatCAULIPOWER.com.