Last Saturday, Kern County Family Magazine attended the check presentation from Sprouts Healthy Community Foundation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County, witnessing the generosity of our local Sprouts!

As part of an orchestrated $3 million donation effort across all Sprouts Farmers Markets locations in the United States, the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation presented a donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County at the Sprouts Farmers Market located in Bakersfield (10650 Stockdale Highway). Erlinda Martinez, Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County, Area Program Director, received a $5,000 donation on Sept. 6 from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. The donation will launch the Growing Healthy Futures Program at the Stockdale Boys & Girls Club in Bakersfield. This program will provide hands-on learning opportunities about nutrition, sustainability, and food production, enhancing the well-being of our youth and teens. It will include gardening activities through new mobile/raised edible garden beds, healthy cooking classes through a mobile kitchen cart, and nutrition education classes to educate and engage children and teens while promoting healthy eating habits as part of the afterschool and out-of-school programming.

Nationwide, more than 550 nonprofit partners will share $3 million in funding from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. These grants support initiatives that provide children and adults with access to nutrition education, gardening and cooking programs, and other resources to support healthier living.

About BGCKC

For over 59 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County have delivered quality, life-changing services to youth. These youth benefit from trained, caring Youth Development Professional staff and volunteers who help young people take control of their lives, envision productive futures, and reach their goals. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County have 3 Clubs and 71 school sites in Arvin, Bakersfield, Frazier Park, Gorman, Lamont, Kernville, McFarland, Lake Isabella, Lebec, and Tehachapi.  Mission: To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.  www.bgckc.org

About the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation

The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, established in 2015, is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization focused on advancing nutrition education, nutrition access, and health and wellness programs in the states where Sprouts Farmers Market operates. Understanding that healthy habits are formed at a young age, the Foundation champions youth gardening and cooking programs that teach children skills for healthy eating and lifestyle choices that can be carried into adulthood. Through partnerships with hyper-local community organizations, the Foundation also works to expand nutrition access and wellness programs that serve families and adults. Since 2015, the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation has awarded $35 million in grants. To learn more, visit Sprouts.com/foundation.