The Raley’s Companies – including the divisions of Bashas’, with grocery stores in Arizona and New Mexico, and Raley’s, with locations in California and Nevada – partnered with Captain Planet Foundation to deliver learning gardens at six elementary schools. 
Each Captain Planet Foundation Project Learning Garden, an investment of $6,000, includes raised bed gardens, lesson kits, schoolyard garden supplies, a fully equipped mobile garden cooking cart and strategies for garden maintenance.
Schools that already had a garden received an expansion package and money for maintenance and upkeep.
School gardens are an effective way to teach children about a variety of topics, including nutrition, science, social studies, math and language arts.
Residents of Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico could nominate schools in their states to receive a Learning Garden. The school had to be located within a 10-mile distance of a Bashas’, Bashas’ Diné Market, Food City or Raley’s store.
The six schools that received a Captain Planet Learning Garden include:
Bashas’ Operating Company
- Hidden Hills Elementary School, 1919 E. Sharon Drive, Phoenix;
- Porter Elementary, 1350 S. Lindsay Road., Mesa, Arizona; and
- Grande Innovation Academy, 950 N. Peart Road, Casa Grande, Arizona.
Raley’s Operating Company
- Pioneer Union School, 6860 Mount Aukum Road, Somerset, California;
- Alyce Taylor Elementary School, 252 Egyptian Drive, Sparks, Nevada; and
- Mount Rose K-8, 915 Lander St., Reno, Nevada.
“We’re committed to educating the next generation about where their food comes from,” said Chelsea Carbahal, VP of community impact for The Raley’s Companies. “Partnering with Captain Planet and watching students get excited about growing and eating fresh fruits and vegetables in their school gardens is incredibly rewarding. Programs like this are key to improving access to healthy food and building a deeper understanding of our food system from an early age.”
“The Learning Gardens provide invaluable lessons for students as they learn about how some of the foods they enjoy eating are grown, as well as getting the chance to taste fresh food they had a hand in cultivating,” said Leesa Carter-Jones, president and CEO of Captain Planet Foundation. “We are thrilled to team up with Bashas’ and Raley’s to give more students the chance to experience the joys of growing their own food.”
About The Raley’s Companies
The Raley’s Companies is a private, family-owned company headquartered in West Sacramento, California. Since its founding in 1935, operations have grown to include more than 230 locations across four states and four Tribal Nations under eight banners: Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods, Raley’s O-N-E Market, Bashas’, Food City, AJ’s Fine Foods and Bashas’ Diné Market.
[RELATED: The Raley’s Companies Promotes 2 Executives]