<p> Whole Foods Markets is promoting fresh produce consumption and creativity this month through a series of offerings and initiatives. Whole Kids Foundation is launching its annual month-long fundraising campaign to help raise $3 million to increase fresh produce consumption and availability among consumers and students nationwide.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> In addition to the fundraising campaign, Whole Kids Foundation will be launching a National Salad Bowl Design Contest in a partnership with MySocialCanvas to help bring further awareness to the initiative, according to a press release. Teachers and students can create and submit their own unique salad bowl designs to the Whole Kids Foundation website up through November 30. The winning designer will receive free salads for a year from Whole Foods Market.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> “With one-third of the nation’s children overweight or obese, and 31.6 million children relying on lunch served through the national school lunch program each year, the opportunity to improve childhood nutrition in schools is real and immediate,” said Nona Evans, executive director of Whole Kids Foundation. “By bringing more fresh fruits and vegetables to school cafeterias and supporting learning environments that connect kids to how food is grown, we can help shape healthier eating habits for our children.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Shoppers can take part in the fundraiser by visiting Whole Foods Market on September 6th for Salad Bar Donation Day. For every purchase from a salad bar at stores nationwide, the company will donate 5% of the day’s net sales to Whole Kids Foundation to support salad bar grants for schools across the country. Whole Kids Foundation’s School Garden Grant Program, created in partnership with FoodCorps, will accept applications through October 31. All schools and garden-related nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply this fall for grants to support the implementation or expansion of on-campus teaching gardens.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Shoppers can also purchase products from participating brands, such as Mrs. Meyers, Yellow 108, or Peeled Snacks, make a direct donation at the register, text “SALAD” to 20222 to donate $10, or visit Whole Kids Foundation online to support the fundraiser.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.wholekidsfoundation.org" target="_new"> Whole Kids Foundation </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
