GROW by Organics Unlimited Creates Disaster Relief Fund to Aid Communities
SAN DIEGO (May 27, 2015) – The GROW Fund, a nonprofit program developed by Organics Unlimited in 2005, has opened a special sub-fund earmarked to specifically aid in disaster relief. Administered by the International Community Foundation (ICF), it was created in light of recent natural disasters worldwide.
Beginning on May 11, 2015, a percentage of the funds derived from the purchase of GROW bananas will be directed toward the new disaster relief sub-fund. This allows for GROW to respond quickly if there is a devastating natural event near the communities in Mexico and Ecuador where GROW organic bananas are harvested.
“With so many catastrophic events happening around the world, we felt it was imperative to create a way to help our communities recover if disaster should strike,” said Mayra Velazquez de Leon, president of Organics Unlimited and GROW. “We have a social responsibility to support communities surrounding our banana plantations, as many workers live in areas plagued by storms.”
This special GROW sub-fund can be used in multiple stages of disaster relief, such as immediate response – providing food, water and medical treatment quickly after a catastrophe – or long-term, such as rebuilding schools and homes. In the wake of a disaster, ICF will produce a list of reliable third-party agencies that are able to provide relief as quickly as they reach the affected area; once Organics Unlimited approves a recommended plan, funds can be distributed to the organization(s) almost immediately.
“Our farms tend to be in areas often affected by natural disasters,” said Velazquez de Leon. “By creating a GROW disaster relief sub-fund, we can be as prepared as possible to assist if or when something devastating happens.”
To donate or learn more about GROW, please visit http://donate.icfdn.org/. To purchase GROW bananas, visit organicsunlimited.com.
About Organics Unlimited
Organics Unlimited is a San Diego-based distributor of organic tropical fruit from Mexico and South America, providing its traditional label as well as the GROW label. Its fruits are USDA certified organic for the U.S. and Canada through Organic Certifiers. For more information on Organics Unlimited and GROW, visit OrganicsUnlimited.com, GrowBananas.org, or call 619.710.0658. Check out the latest blog post from Organics Unlimited at: OrganicOdes.com, or find Organics Unlimited on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
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Improving the Health of our Consumers and our Growers
Photo courtesy of World Health Organization
This week, on April 7, we celebrated World Health Day. The WHO, organizers of the international day of awareness, focused its message this year on food safety: “From farm to plate, make food safe.”
The mishandling of foods can cause more than 200 diseases, from diarrhea to even cancer. This is why it’s important to make sure the food you provide to your customers is grown, transported, handled and stored using the highest of supply-chain standards. Thankfully, bananas do not often cause foodborne illnesses, but keeping the growing and supply chain processes contaminate-free is still very important.
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Photo courtesy of tumblr
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