Wonderful Company awards $1.2M in grants

The Wonderful Company recently awarded $1.2 million in grants to 32 nonprofit organizations in the Central Valley.

Since its inception, the Wonderful Community Grants program has donated over $4 million to 57 organizations and 165 schools in the Central Valley.

In Shafter, the Community Action Partnership of Kern received a grant to distribute free, fresh produce to people in Delano, Shafter and Wasco. Also in Shafter, the Kern County Department of Human Services received a grant to increase enrollment of people in the CalFresh program in Delano, Shafter and Wasco.

In Wasco, the Kern County Library received a grant to provide books, resources and literacy programs to residents in Wasco, Delano and Lost Hills. The library will also convert a sprinter van into a library on wheels for outreach events.

“The Wonderful Company invests more than $30 million each year in community development, education and health and wellness initiatives across the Central Valley and beyond,” The Wonderful Company’s Rachel Ostroff said. “The Community Grants program is at the heart of the company’s ongoing Wonderful Neighbor commitment to support Central Valley communities and is intended to help inspire increased engagement with local and regional organizations.”

“The Wonderful Community Grants program’s goal is to serve as a catalyst for change in the Central Valley, where our employees live and work,” said Andy Anzaldo, chief operating officer, corporate social responsibility at The Wonderful Company. “We are honored to support the missions of so many deserving and impactful organizations. It’s only when we work together that we have the opportunity to create meaningful change in our communities.”

The grants directly support programs with an emphasis on health and wellness, community beautification, family support and COVID-19 recovery efforts in the towns of Avenal, Delano, Del Rey, Firebaugh, Mendota, Sanger, Shafter and Wasco. Nonprofit organizations and schools with a history of producing tangible results and that demonstrated a clear community need were eligible to apply for funding.

Other cities receiving Wonderful grants include Avenal, Delano, City of Delano, Del Rey, Firebaugh, Mendota and Sanger.

For more information, visit http://www.wonderfulcommunitygrants.com.