EWING, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the CDC’s 2018 State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, only 12.2% of adults meet the recommended daily fruit intake with the driving factors being convenience and affordability. At a time when health and wellness are top of mind, vitafusiontm, America’s #1 gummy vitamin brand, is proud to announce that they have reached their goal of planting 200,000 new fruit trees by the end of 2020, as part of their eco-initiative with the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, with the mission to deliver fresh, nutritious fruit in underserved communities across the globe, as well as make a positive impact on the environment, by creating fresh air and enriching the soil.
Joining this endeavor, Tiffany Haddish, Josh Peck, Natalie Mariduena, along with a host of local voices in each planting city are bringing their passion to help vitafusion ensure communities have access to fresh, nutritious fruit. Emmy award-winning, actress and comedian, Tiffany Haddish says, “In many places across the U.S., grocery stores and fresh, affordable food have disappeared from low-income neighborhoods, I’m excited to partner with vitafusion gummy vitamins as they reach their goal of planting 200,000 fruit trees in underserved communities through their partnership with the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation! These fruit trees not only provide fresh fruit, but also help combat global pollution by reducing CO2. Now that’s something to celebrate!”
“vitafusion is deeply rooted in health and wellness, making the Fruit Tree Planting Project our mission to provide communities with the nutrients they need,” says Michael Vercelletto, Marketing Director at vitafusion. “In 2020, we recognize accessibility to wholesome food options continues to plight our society and we feel fortunate that we are able to do our part in bringing awareness of healthy living and environmental accountability. We look forward to seeing further impact as our trees grow along with the communities we serve for generations to come.”
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is an international nonprofit dedicated to planting edible fruit trees and plants to benefit the environment and its inhabitants. Since 2017, the vitafusion Fruit Tree Project has held 305 tree planting and/or distribution events around the world through the Fruit Tree Project, with 68 events in the U.S. and 237 internationally. vitafusion and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation have helped increase the accessibility of fresh fruit by planting trees at public schools, Native American communities, city parks, community gardens, low-income neighborhoods and hurricane-stricken areas.
The demand for fruit trees has steadily been increasing. At one planting site in San Francisco, the Sunset Community Garden, fruit trees have provided an incredible green oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle. Lance Mellon, the Garden Coordinator, says that the fruit trees planted have given gardeners a sense of ownership for each tree and entice some to give their trees extra special care. “The trees mean so much to everybody at the garden, and the garden is a blessing to all who enter and work the soil.”
Across the US and internationally, fruit trees have been planted in cities including Trenton, NJ; NYC (Staten Island, Randall’s Island, Bronx, Harlem, Manhattan, Brooklyn); Bentonville, AR; Minneapolis, MI; Seattle, WA; Houston, TX; Miami, FL; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco/Bay Area, CA; Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; New Orleans, LA; Atlanta, GA; Denver, CO; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, D.C. (upcoming); and Tribes: Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan (Mt. Pleasant, MI); White Earth Nation of Minnesota (Callaway, MN); and Bay Mills Indian Community of Michigan (upcoming in Brimley, MI).
Over the past four years, vitafusion has seen the fruit of their labor – many trees have already blossomed and have begun yielding fruit in many locations further generating excitement and enthusiasm for those who have joined in the plantings. The program has encouraged a pay-it-forward approach in which past recipients hold local workshops to ensure distributed fruit trees are producing abundant harvests and creating thriving food forests for the community. vitafusion’s milestone has already had an incredible impact, one that will only grow over time, helping increase access to 28 million pieces of fresh fruit in underserved communities, combat global pollution by reducing CO2, and generating 33 million pounds of oxygen each year.
For more information on the vitafusion Fruit Tree Planting Project visit: www.vitafusion.com.
About vitafusion™:
vitafusionTM, America’s #1 Gummy Vitamin Brand, is the only gummy vitamin brand with a fusion of natural fruit flavors and ChefsBest® award winning taste1 for select products.
For more than 12 years, vitafusionTM has been supporting a happy and healthy lifestyle with our gummy vitamins and supplements. With more than 30 types of gummy vitamins available, vitafusionTM has been advancing the dietary supplement industry with two simple words: “Vitamin Better.”
[1] The ChefsBest Excellence Award is awarded to brands that surpass quality standards established by independent professional chefs.
About Fruit Tree Planting Foundation:
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) is an award-winning international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat climate change, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. FTPF programs strategically donate orchards where the harvest will best serve communities for generations, at places such as public schools, city parks, community gardens, low-income neighborhoods, Native American reservations, international hunger relief sites, and animal sanctuaries. FTPF’s unique mission benefits the environment, human health, and animal welfare—all at once! For more information please visit www.ftpf.org.
