A win for the bees! Customers of The GIANT Company donate to Planet Bee Foundation’s education programs through the Healing Our Planet Register Round-Up Campaign.
Planet Bee Foundation, leading innovator of inclusive pollinator and environmental STEM education, is proud to announce that they are the recipients of a $631,530.47 donation from The GIANT Company to support bee-focused agricultural education. Funds for this donation were generously donated by customers of The GIANT Company as they chose to “round up” at the register during the months of March through May as part of the Healing The Planet Campaign at GIANT, Martin’s, and GIANT Heirloom Market stores.
From almonds to zucchini and countless fruits, vegetables and nuts in between, nearly one-third of our food supply depends on pollinators, making bees an essential part of our food supply chain and ecosystem,” said Nicholas Bertram, president.
The partnership between The Planet Bee Foundation and The GIANT company is evidence of the incredible impact two like-minded organizations can have on the greater good of the community and planet. Students and educators across Pennsylvania will benefit from the resources this donation will provide, as Planet Bee Foundation uses the funds to expand its hybrid learning program that offers standards-based environmental STEM lessons to schools, both virtually and in person, at no cost as a commitment to growing the next generation of green leaders. Expansion of the educational program will include the continuation of Planet Bee’s educational lessons, professional development for educators, community programs with local organizations and beekeepers, and a Spanish translation.
“At The GIANT Company, we’re working hard every day to heal our planet, but we know we can’t do it alone. Our customers clearly share our passion for sustainability and we’re incredibly grateful for the more than $631,530.47 they donated to Planet Bee Foundation during our recent fundraising campaign,” said Jessica Groves, manager of social impact, The GIANT Company. “Planet Bee is on a mission to change the world, one bee at a time, and we’re excited to be on this journey with them as we work to create a green-minded generation by educating and empowering others to build long-lasting care of struggling bee populations.”
“The support and generosity shown by customers of The GIANT Company is astounding!”, said Debra Tomaszewski, Planet Bee Executive Director. “A donation of this magnitude enables us to reach a wider audience of learners and communities in Pennsylvania, creating an impact that will last for generations to come. Providing children with environmental awareness and a respect for bees from an early age is the surest path to creating the changes our planet needs to thrive. It is with great gratitude that we accept this donation from The GIANT Company. We are honored to partner with them on this vital journey to healing our planet.”
Team members of The GIANT Company joined Debra Tomaszewski, and Danielle Klein, lead educator for Planet Bee, in the pollinator field at The GIANT Company on June 25th for the presentation of the check. Following the presentation of the donation, Planet Bee had the privilege of joining volunteers from The GIANT Company as they welcomed members of the Carlisle, PA community to their campus for “Fresh Air Friday''. Families of GIANT team members joined other local families for outdoor summer fun including face painting and traditional backyard games like corn hole and frisbee tossing. Planet Bee’s tent was buzzing as participants gathered around a live observation hive and played bee games aimed at furthering the appreciation for the amazing work of both native and honey bees. Planet Bee began as a grassroots organization created by co-founders Debra and Bill Tomaszewski as a means to share their passion for bees and environmental stewardship with under-represented communities, bringing equitable access to quality STEM education to students from all backgrounds supporting STEM and agricultural careers.
The donation from The GIANT Company will go directly to continuing this mission through Planet Bee’s initiatives of:
Offering standards-based environmental STEM lessons to schools across Pennsylvania at no cost, bringing opportunities to under-resourced districts and reaching a broader audience of learners. Today’s learners are tomorrow’s leaders! It is our responsibility to empower the next generation to care for our delicate environment and food systems.
Translating Planet Bee’s STEM program to Spanish, opening doors to a diverse community of learners. In our commitment to social justice we recognize the importance of reaching all communities and breaking the barriers that language differences may bring.
Providing educational opportunities to communities through educational institutions, parks and recreation departments, libraries, summer camps, and other local partners Not all learning takes place in the classroom. Sharing our program with the community is our way of giving back to those that have supported our program through the Healing Our Planet round up campaign.
Planet Bee is thrilled to welcome The GIANT Company to our hive as we embark on creating a greener tomorrow. Working with a company that puts people and the planet first, provides a unique opportunity to bring communities together in support of the critical role bees play in maintaining sustainable food systems and our fragile environment.
In addition to the generous support of Planet Bee’s educational programs, donations were also made to Rodale Institute and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.