Deur donation to assist Cooking Matters program FREMONT– Stan and Lisa Deur of Newaygo County directed a $2,500 gift to Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial as part of the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. As part of its mission, Gerber Memorial used the funds to purchase supplies for Cooking Matters, a national evidence-based program that is being led by Gerber Memorial’s community health team. The program helps families shop for and cook healthy meals on a tight budget. It incorporates a Registered Dietitian and Health Educator in a classroom setting, who teach hands-on healthy cooking classes to families. Started for the first time this summer, Gerber Memorial’s new program features cooking demonstrations, nutrition information and taste tests, when families participate in trying out the meals. Attendees also get to bring food home. “Cooking Matters is connecting families in our community with food that is nutritious and which can be prepared without too much time, effort or money, and that kind of convenience and value is what we’re excited about,” said Jena Zeerip, Gerber Memorial community health lead. “We’re grateful to Lisa and Stan Deur and the Monsanto Fund for their generous support, and for helping us build a healthier community here in Newaygo County.” The funds helped Gerber Memorial purchase kitchen items, materials and ingredients for the cooking classes. Families gather at Tamarac for Cooking Matters sessions, which show parents and their kids how to prepare nutritious, delicious and affordable meals. The equipment and ingredients for the program are provided by a grant from Newaygo County residents Stan and Lisa Deur. During this session on June 21, the families learned how to make healthy turkey tacos. Since the program began in 2010, the Grow Communities program has partnered with farmers to support nonprofit organizations important to them in their local communities. The program has given more than $29 million to farming communities since its inception, including more than $3 million in 2018. Each year, farmers enter for a chance to direct a $2,500 donation to a nonprofit they care about in their community. The organizations reflect the makeup and character of rural America, including emergency response organizations, schools, youth agriculture programs, food banks and many others.
“Farmers play a pivotal role in rural communities, and through their commitment to the Grow Communities program, we are able to provide the monetary support these nonprofit organizations need to make an impact,” said Al Mitchell, Monsanto Fund president. “We’re proud to play a part in helping these rural communities grow and thrive.” To see if a nonprofit in your local community is a 2018 America’s Farmers Grow Communities recipient, visit www.GrowCommunities.com. You can also learn more about the Grow Communities program by checking out Facebook.com/AmericasFarmers. Each Year the America’s Farmers Grow Community program partners with local farmers to provide grants to local nonprofits Grow Communities, which is sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, provides farmers the opportunity to support and give back to nonprofit organizations they care about in their local communities by enrolling for a chance to direct a $2,500 donation to a nonprofit of their choice. Since 2010, the Grow Communities program has given more than $29 million to nonprofits across rural America.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
March 2024
Categories |