CDPHP® Workforce Team Challenge Gives $12,000 to Capital District Community Gardens
Albany, NY (PRWEB) August 19, 2013 -- Capital Region residents will continue to have access to fresh food and green spaces thanks to support from the CDPHP® Workforce Team Challenge. Today, race organizers presented a check to Capital District Community Gardens in the amount of $12,352 to support the organization’s mission to nourish healthy communities.
CDCG was one of two local not-for-profits selected as a “charity of choice” to benefit from monies raised from the CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge, the largest annual road race between NYC and Utica. The event is organized by, and serves as a major fundraiser for, the Hudson Mohawk Road Runners Club (HMRRC), one of the largest running clubs in the nation.
CDCG operates eight programs, all of which nourish the region’s communities by providing access to fresh food and green spaces for all. CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge donation will support four of the non-profit’s programs: Community Gardens, The Produce Project, Squash Hunger, and The Taste Good Series.
The organization manages 49 Community Gardens, where 4,000 of the region’s residents are growing their own organic food. The Produce Project is a year-round job training program, through which CDCG creates academic and employment opportunities for Troy High School students by engaging them in the cultivation of crops on three acres of urban farmland. Squash Hunger is a fresh food donation initiative, through which CDCG collects more than 11 tons of produce each year and delivers it to shelters and pantries throughout the Capital District. The Taste Good Series is a six-week-long, nutrition education program for inner-city children in preschool through second grade.
“Fresh fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Capital District Community Gardens is working to improve the health of our communities, which is a cornerstone of CDPHP’s mission,” said Dr. John D. Bennett, president & CEO, CDPHP.
“HMRRC is pleased to partner with CDPHP in support of local charities such as Capital District Community Gardens through the CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge,” said Race Director Mark Warner. “This is a great opportunity for HMRRC to support good nutrition and healthy lifestyles.”
“We are grateful for CDPHP’s commitment to community health for everyone in our region. The support that Hudson Mohawk Road Runners Club and CDPHP are providing through the Workforce Team Challenge will enable our educational and healthy food access programs to reach thousands of additional families,” said CDCG Executive Director Amy Klein. “With this generous donation, we will teach more inner-city children the joy of eating fresh vegetables, deliver more produce to local pantries and shelters, and empower more families to grow their own food.”
About CDPHP®
Established in 1984, CDPHP is a physician-founded, member-focused and community-based not-for-profit health plan that offers high-quality affordable health insurance plans to members in 24 counties throughout New York. CDPHP is also on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
About the Hudson-Mohawk Road Runners Club (HMRRC)
The Hudson-Mohawk Road Runners Club is the Albany area’s largest running organization. The club was formed in 1971 and today has nearly 3,000 members who come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life, as well as different running styles and speeds. Members are united in their love of running and desire to promote and participate in quality races and running-related activities. The club organizes more than 30 running events a year from a mile to a marathon at many different locations throughout the Capital District. These events offer something for everyone, novice and veteran alike.
About Capital District Community Gardens (CDCG)
Capital District Community Gardens is a 38-year-old nonprofit organization that nourishes healthy communities by providing access to fresh food and green spaces with 50 Community Gardens, The Veggie Mobile, The Produce Project, The Healthy Convenience Store Initiative, Squash Hunger and more.
Deanna Amore, Capital District Physicians' Health Plan, Inc., http://www.cdphp.com, +1 (518) 698-2934, [email protected]
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