MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With the first day of spring right around the corner, gardeners across North America are eager to get their hands dirty and begin planting in their community plots. Fiskars, a leading global supplier of consumer products for the home, garden and outdoors, is ready to lend a helping hand and announce the recipients of the 2017 Project Orange Thumb garden grants. Out of more than 500 applications submitted, 30 recipients were selected to each receive $3,500 in gift cards and tools to support their own community gardens.
Fiskars’ Project Orange Thumb has provided over $1.7 million to more than 210 community groups in the 15 years since the program was started. With the goal of strengthening community ties, growing healthy food and beautifying community gardens across North America, Fiskars is proud to offer grants and tools to support local, hand-grown food sources.
“Fiskars is proud to support these passionate, hard-working non-profit organizations with Project Orange Thumb grants,” said Fiskars Americas President Paul Tonnesen. “The potential of these gardens is something to be celebrated -- not only for the healthy food they provide, but also for the community collaboration they inspire.”
Garden grant recipients include:
- Hot Springs Lions Club Foundation, Hot Springs, Ark.
- Abbotsford Community Services, Abbotsford, B.C.
- Highland Park Recreations Association, Victoria, B.C.
- Orange County Coastkeeper, Orange, Calif.
- FRESH-New London, New London, Conn.
- Cole Preston Foundation, Lake Worth, Fla.
- Promote Fox Lake, Fox Lake, Ill.
- Keys to Hope Resource Center, Michigan City, Ind.
- Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus, Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Safe Harbor of North East Kentucky, Ashland, Ky.
- Dakota Collegiate, Winnipeg, Man.
- Southwest Partnership, Baltimore, Md.
- Land’s Sake, Weston, Mass.
- Micah 6 Community, Pontiac, Mich.
- St. Paul City School, St. Paul, Minn.
- Madison Countian Allied Against Poverty, Canton, Miss.
- Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, Reno, Nev.
- Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, Albuquerque, N.M.
- PS 48, Staten Island, N.Y.
- Carter G. Woodson School, Winston-Salem, N.C.
- Rare Charitable Research Reserve, Cambridge, Ont.
- Weavers Tale Retreat Center, Inc., Portland, Ore.
- Tioga United, Philadelphia, Pa.
- The Compass School, Kingston, R.I.
- Regina District Food Bank, Regina, Sask.
- Knoxville Garden and Arboretum, Knoxville, Tenn.
- Nelson Middle School PTA, Frisco, Texas
- Alleycat Acres, Seattle, Wash.
- John Muir School Garden, Madison, Wis.
- Feeding Laramie Valley, Laramie, Wyo.
For further information on the Project Orange Thumb program and the 2017 grant recipients, visit fiskars.com/ProjectOrangeThumb and view the community gardening infographic.
ABOUT FISKARS
Since its establishment in 1649, Fiskars Group has grown to be a leading functional and living products company with a strong brand portfolio, including Fiskars, Iittala, Gerber, Wedgewood and Waterford. Fiskars Group has employees in over 30 countries and is headquartered in Finland. With over 1 billion Orange-handled Scissors sold, Fiskars has grown to be the World’s #1 Scissors Brand. Fiskars promotes achievement and self-expression by focusing on easy to use, innovative tools to make gardening, cooking and crafting more enjoyable. Fiskars Americas is headquartered in Wisconsin. Please visit www.fiskars.com.
