OXO Announces New Nonprofit Partners as Part of its 1% for The Planet Giving Commitment
Sustainable food systems, food insecurity, access and recovery are the focus for all new grantees and their causes
OXO, an award-winning consumer brand from the Home and Outdoor business segment of Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE), has added new nonprofits to its growing global network of partners as part of it 1% for the Planet commitment.In 2020, OXO partnered with 1% for the Planet®, a global community of brands giving back to environmental nonprofits driving positive impact. OXO commits 1% of annual sales to select nonprofit organizations, and since joining 1% for the Planet, has provided millions of dollars in funds and resources to groups that are addressing some of the most pressing environmental issues to date.
OXO’s carefully curated group of grantees has steadily grown since joining 1% for the Planet in 2020, from five, to 13, and now 20 total nonprofit partners. With this growth comes a refined focus of the strategic areas for giving, partnering specifically with nonprofits that are part of our global food system, from seed to kitchen to compost pile. OXO is donating money, time and resources to partners working to improve sustainable food systems, food education, recovery & access.
With its new group of nonprofit grantees, OXO will expand its international reach from the United States to France, Germany, the UK, Japan, and Australia.
- GreenWave has several outposts around the United States training a new generation of restorative ocean farmers to build the foundation for a new blue-green ocean economy, one that creates jobs, mitigates climate change, and grows healthy food.
- Aux Arbes Citoyens, based in France, builds a nationwide network of sustainable orchards in urban environments to increase access to healthy food. The group organizes volunteer groups to collect and distribute fruit from these mini orchards to those in need, strengthening local communities.
- Eat REAL was founded in 2012 by health advocates wanting to improve and bring transparency to food systems in U.S. based schools. Its school certification model increases access to real, healthy food in schools by verifying that district food service leaders have made and maintain meaningful improvements to student menus.
- Farmers for Climate Action works with farmers across Australia to influence key decision makers to adopt economy-wide climate policies, ensuring farmers can remain prosperous long-term as the challenges of a changing climate, including extreme weather risk, come to bear.
- The Farmlink Project connects farmers and agricultural organizations that have surplus produce across the western U.S. to food banks and access groups, acting as the link that makes food redistribution possible. In addition to feeding those in need, Farmlink Project aims to keep food waste out of landfills to continue to reduce harmful carbon emissions from reaching our atmosphere.
- The Giving Grove provides healthy calories and strengthens communities through a nationwide network of orchards that dramatically increase access to healthy food. Volunteers plant and care for fruit trees, nut trees, and berry brambles that improve urban environments, increase tree canopy, and provide a sustainable source of free, organically grown food for neighborhoods facing high rates of food insecurity.
- Second Harvest increases food security in Japan by getting healthy but otherwise discarded food from retailers, farmers and manufacturers and redistributes it to those in need. The organization aims to strengthen the food lifeline and build a food safety net so that food banks are used as public assets in communities throughout Japan.
- Support + Feed is an intersectional nonprofit organization dedicated to creating an equitable, plant-based food system and combating food insecurity and the climate crisis. Founded in Los Angeles by Maggie Baird, Support+Feed has expanded to ten US cities, worked with over 80 community organizations, and supported local economies across the country.
- Tafel Deutschland supports more than 2 million people in Germany affected by poverty. The group recovers high-quality food that can no longer be sold and passes it on to people who cannot afford a balanced diet. With 60,000 helpers, the Tafel is one of the largest socio-ecological movements in Germany, saving around 265,000 tons of food every year.
- The Orchard Project is the only national charity in the UK dedicated to the creation, restoration, and celebration of community orchards. Their mission is for every household to be within walking distance of a productive, well-cared-for, community-run orchard.
These organizations join an existing roster of global nonprofits making change both in their local communities and on a national scale, including:
- Big Green, based in Colorado, creates healthy places where kids can learn and grow. Through outdoor learning environments and programming.
- Soul Fire Farm, based in Petersburg, New York, is a Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-centred community farm committed to ending racism and injustice in the food system.
- City Blossoms, based in Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit that cultivates the well-being of local communities through creative programming in kid-driven gardens.
- FareShare, based in London, is a network of nonprofit food redistributors, taking good quality surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it as meals to community groups and food banks across the UK.
- Food Recovery Network, based in Washington, D.C., is made up of 4,000 college students, dining providers, food suppliers, and local businesses in the fight against climate change and hunger.
- Harlem Grown, based in Harlem, NY, inspires youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition.
- OZHARVEST, based in Australia, is a leading food rescue operation feeding people in need and engaging the community to combat food waste, climate change, and hunger.
- Trust for Public Land, based in Los Angeles, California, creates parks and gardens protects land for people, ensuring healthy, liveable communities for generations to come.
- Rodale Institute, based in Pennsylvania, is dedicated to growing the regenerative organic movement through rigorous research, farmer training and consumer education.
To date, OXO’s nonprofit partners have garnered impressive results in their efforts:
Sustainable Food Systems- 1,036 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions prevented from entering the atmosphere.
That’s the equivalent of:
- 2,571,573 miles driven by an average passenger vehicle
- 131 homes' energy use for 1 year
- 126,032,983 smartphones charged
- 330,000 gallons of stormwater absorbed annually through green infrastructure
- Over 11,000 volunteers and 1,000 farmers engaged in OXO’s 1% for the Planet-funded programming
Food Access & Recovery
- 855,210 meals provided to those in need
- 1,015,774 pounds of food rescued and recovered, resulting in 846,478 meals
- 29,457,434 gallons of water saved in food recovery efforts
Food Education
- Over 100,000 students and over 9,000 teachers engaged in OXO’s 1% for the Planet- funded programming in over 300 schools
- 739 hours education and training provided with over 190 workshops and events held
- 29 educational activities and curriculums created and nearly 200 workshops and trainings held
“We’re delighted by our partnership progress to date and are thrilled to continue to build our global nonprofit network,” says Larry Witt, President of Housewares, Helen of Troy. “As a brand founded and rooted in the kitchen, we’re working with grantees who we know make vital change in the areas of sustainable food systems, food access and recovery, and food education, ensure that our planet and future generations thrive.”
For more information on 1% for the Planet commitment and nonprofit partners, please visit https://www.oxo.com/1-percent.
