PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation announced today that it has awarded $250,000 in ‘Get Kids Cooking’ grants to support youth cooking and nutrition education programs at school. An estimated 7,000 students at 25 schools coast-to-coast will participate in these new programs, with help from Sprouts.

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Each year, an estimated 3 million children benefit from hands-on nutrition education programs supported by the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation (Photo: John Diemer Elementary; Overland Park, KS)

“Hands-on experiences preparing fresh snacks and meals help kids build real skills and a positive connection with healthy eating,” said Lyndsey Waugh, executive director of the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. “At school, these lessons also bring science, math and problem-solving to life, making learning more engaging and fun.”

The schools were selected from more than 1,300 nominations submitted by Sprouts customers as part of its ‘Get Kids Cooking’ contest held in January. Each winning school will receive all the educational materials and supplies needed to operate a successful student cooking program. The grant, valued at $10,000, includes a mobile cooking cart, small appliances and kitchen essentials, classroom-friendly recipes, plus gift cards to purchase fresh ingredients at Sprouts, and a stipend for the educator teaching the program. A complete list of the selected schools is available at Sprouts.com/getkidscooking.

“This grant will help energize our culinary science program and give our school the extra boost we need to provide all 450 students on campus with regular cooking experiences throughout the year,” said Janet Ankrum, STEM/Exploratory Middle School Teacher at Catalina Ventura School in Phoenix. “It’s a dream come true for our students.”

Sprouts has championed school-based gardening and cooking programs since 2015, recognizing the positive impact growing, tasting and preparing fresh fruits and vegetables has in shaping a child’s long-term preferences for healthy eating. An estimated 3 million children across the country will participate in nutrition education programs funded by the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation this year. To learn more about the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, visit Sprouts.com/foundation.

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.

ABOUT SPROUTS FARMERS MARKET INC.

True to its farm-stand heritage, Sprouts offers a unique grocery experience featuring an open layout with fresh produce at the heart of the store. Sprouts inspires wellness naturally with a carefully curated assortment of better-for-you products paired with purpose-driven people. The healthy grocer continues to bring the latest in wholesome, innovative products made with lifestyle-friendly ingredients such as organic, plant-based and gluten-free. Headquartered in Phoenix, and one of the largest and fastest growing specialty retailers of fresh, natural and organic food in the United States, Sprouts employs approximately 35,000 team members and operates more than 440 stores in 24 states nationwide. To learn more about Sprouts, and the good it brings communities, visit sprouts.com/about.

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