Tour de Fresh brings 46 more salad bars to U.S. schools in its 5th year

Celebrating five years of success, Tour de Fresh presented by the California Giant Foundation, continues to support Salad Bars to Schools in a big way – this year, by bringing 46 salad bars to four school districts across the country.

Tour de Fresh 2018

Nearly 50 cyclists came together July 23-26 to ride 300 miles from Lake Tahoe to the coast of California in an effort to bring more access to fresh fruits and vegetables in schools. On the final day of the ride, a $141,000 check was presented to the United Fresh Start Foundation, which has since grown to over $147,000, that will donate at least 46 salad bars to schools in four school districts across the country.

"Despite the challenges of the terrain and weather this year, we were able to finish this ride as more than just friends coming together for a cause – it really became 'Tour de Family' by the last day," said Charles Nelson, a top fundraiser with more than $11,000 in personal donations and rider for Mission Produce. "It's exciting to be a part of something so personal, as all of us have kids in our lives that we want the best for – the generational impact that Tour de Fresh has on families all across the nation is unbelievable once you see it firsthand."

Salad Bars to Schools, led by the United Fresh Start Foundation, has facilitated donations to fund more than 5,300 salad bars across the country in the last eight years to benefit more than two million students. In alignment with Salad Bars to Schools mission, Tour de Fresh has now raised nearly $750,000 to fund more than 250 salad bars nationally.

"Everything we do stems from a deep passion and commitment to providing a better future for kids," said Cindy Jewell, vice president of marketing for California Giant Berry Farms. "Riders are responsible for personally fundraising $3,500 in addition to months and months of training that go into the 4-day ride, all so that one school can provide fresher options to its kids – the impact of that one salad bar means thousands of students' health habits are changed."

Tour de Fresh would not be possible without support from its sponsors – Americold, And Now U Know, Atlas Produce, California Giant Berry Farms, CHEP, Church Brothers Farms, CLIF Bar, Coosemans Worldwide, Crunch Pak, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Del Monte, DMA Solutions, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, EBX Logistics, Emerson, Fight Like a Girl Foundation, Fruit Growers Supply, Good Foods, iTrade Network, JAZZ Apple, Lipman Produce, Mann Packing, Markon, Mission Produce, Ocean Mist Farms, Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Oppenheimer, Pajaro Valley, ProAct, Produce Marketing Association, Renaissance Food Group, Robinson Fresh, Sakata Seed, Sunkist, Tanimura & Antle, Taylor Farms, Tsamma, TQL, United Fresh, Valley Produce, and Western Precooling and Wonderful Company.

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