Multiple companies have reached out to do their part in the communities they work in. Berry companies such as Bobalu Berries and Driscoll's have provided berry donations to public institutions to help increase people's access to fresh, healthy fruit.
A truck filled with Bobalu's strawberries heads to California schools.
Bobalu Berries provides berries for Oxnard schools
Bobalu partners Bobby Jones and RC Jones reached out this week to local school districts offering donations of fresh strawberries to school kids and their families picking up lunches in the community. “We know there are still families that rely on school lunch every day to get them through difficult times. We are trying to make a difference providing fresh berries for each family to enjoy every week as we work through this crisis together” says Bobby Jones.
With assistance from the United Fresh Produce Association, the Jones family reached out to the Oxnard School Districts. Quickly, they were able to put a plan in place arranging donations of fresh strawberries to 4,000 elementary school families picking up weekly food packages and thousands of pounds of berries to Oxnard High School District students continuing to eat lunches provided every day.
Since schools are impacted with limited personnel despite additional resources needed, Bobalu Berries is providing direct delivery to the schools and will pick up the empty corrugated containers to ensure staff doesn’t incur additional logistic challenges during this critical time. Each of the two districts expressed great interest in receiving more fresh produce items to share with kids and families.
Driscoll's donates in China and in California
Driscoll’s also worked to make a positive impact on the community through outreach and donations. At the beginning of March, Driscoll’s of China collaborated with JD.com, an e-commerce platform, to donate fresh berries to the Union Hospital of Wuhan and other healthcare facilities throughout the Hubei Province.
A Driscoll’s statement read: “Much appreciation to the doctors, nurses and medical staff who are working tirelessly to contain the disease and tend to those affected by the pandemic outbreak.”
The company also deployed $1 million in charitable funds to augment the health care services being provided in the regions where they grow their berries. The company has selected four clinics that will each receive $250,000 to prepare for, and respond to, the pandemic. “We are now anticipating an increase in demand at the public clinics in the four largest berry growing regions in California – Salinas, Oxnard, Santa Maria, and Watsonville. Employee and independent growers’ donations to these response efforts will be matched by Driscoll’s, J. Miles Reiter, Driscoll’s Chairman and CEO stated.
For more information:
Cindy Jewell
Tel: +1 (831) 566-2202
Email: pr@bobalu.us
www.bobaluberries.com
Driscoll’s
Tel: +1 (800) 871-3333
www.driscolls.com