Urban Farming™ and Lightlife®, the leader in meat alternative packaged
foods, established a partnership in 2012 to build healthier communities
together. Lightlife donated $150,000 to Urban Farming™ in that year to help support the
Urban Farming™ mission, which included support for over 25 standard sized, 20 by 20 foot Urban
Farming Community Gardens™ and 1,000 residential gardens across the United
States that are a part of the Urban Farming Global Food Chain®! The donation
helped to feed an estimated 137,000 people. Early in 2012, we collaborated on the “Plant
Our Future” campaign, and gave away thousands of tomato plant starter kits at
the Lightlife/Urban Farming exhibition booth during multiple trade show
conventions that focused on healthy and natural products. Following that, we
‘hit the road’ together from July through October for a seven-city U.S.
tour (Copper Mountain, CO; Ann Arbor, MI; Squaw Valley, CA;
Portland, OR; Baltimore, MD; Half Moon Bay, CA; Boston, MA) at multi-day
outdoor festivals to show Americans that a veggie lifestyle can be simple,
delicious and good for the planet. The Lightlife folks handed out samples of
their delicious new frozen entrees, while the folks at the Urban Farming booth
handed out free vegetable plants to consumers who then registered their
personal gardens online to become part of the Urban Farming Global Grow and Give Campaign™ and the Urban Farming Global Food Chain®. The
events and the partnership were a great success in 2012!
In 2013, Urban Farming™
and Lightlife teamed up for the second year in a
row to help teach families how to plant their own food and cut down on monthly
food costs. The partnership builds on the Urban Farming Global Grow and Give
Campaign™ which encourages over 100 million people to grow their own food and
add their gardens to the Urban Farming Global Map®.
Lightlife, the leader in frozen and
refrigerated meat alternatives, has contributed five percent of its profits to
organizations that support the earth and healthy lifestyles for the past 30
years. “Giving back has been an important part of Lightlife since the
beginning,” says Rocki Hunter, senior brand manager of Lightlife. “Because our
brand is always looking for ways to help communities across the country, we are
so happy to be making a donation to a cause that represents our mission so
well.”
In the second year of the partnership with Urban Farming™,
Lightlife made a sizable donation which helped to fund the following:
* Supported existing community gardens that are a part of
Urban Farming Global Food Chain® in Denver, Minneapolis, New York, Los
Angeles, Detroit and Cincinnati
* Provided free plants and other gardening resources to
help individuals and families start their own gardens.
* Spread the word about the innumerable benefits of producing
your own fruit and vegetables.
* Created a digital library that contains sustainable
living and educational resources.
Urban Farming™ has grown into a
global sustainable living titan. Starting with just 3 gardens in Detroit in
2005, by the third quarter of 2013, there were over 62,000 gardens registered
as a part of the Urban Farming Global Food Chain® in over 20 countries around
the world. From encouraging self-sufficiency through gardening, to holistic, healthy,
green and cost-effective living, Urban Farming™ intends to “Create an Abundance
of Food for All in Our Generation.”
A pioneer in vegetarian food
options, Lightlife has always believed that what you eat is strongly connected
to how you feel and live. Lightlife offers both vegetarian and vegan food
options, including new ‘Chik’n Patties,’ ‘Chik’n Nuggets’ and two new flavors
of ‘Chik’n Pot Pies.’ The Lightlife tagline, “Life is a Journey...Live Long,
Travel Light,” further embodies its passion to inspire the world to live
healthier and reflects a mindset of responsibility toward our earth's
resources.
“Urban Farming connects people to
opportunity so that they may move from stagnant, difficult conditions to
vibrant, healthy and productive lifestyles,” says Les Daggs, head of business
development at Urban Farming. “Our cause relates so well to that of Lightlife’s
and we could not be more excited for them to partner with Urban Farming and
support our efforts again this year.”
About
Lightlife
Founded in 1979, Lightlife is based
in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, and is one of the pioneers of vegetarian foods options. Lightlife is the leading
brand of refrigerated and frozen meat alternatives, with well-known products
such as Smart Dogs®, Gimme Lean®, Smart Deli®, Smart Bacon®, Smart Ground®,
Smart Sausages®, Smart Wings®, Smart Tenders®, and Non-GMO Project Verified
Organic Tempeh and various single serve frozen vegetarian meals. From vegetarian hot wings and delicious vegetarian hot dogs to vegan recipes, Lightlife is committed to not only
tasting good, but also doing good. Since the beginning, five percent of
Lightlife’s net profits have gone to supporting the earth and healthy
lifestyles, a commitment that Lightlife continues today. Please visit Lightlife
at www.Lightlife.com
on Facebook
or Twitter, @Lightlife.
