[Charles Helmers Elementary School] – Charles Helmers Elementary School has entered the Seeds of Change Grant Program for an opportunity to win either a $20,000 or $10,000 grant and is asking the community to get out and vote for their application.

Helmers plans to transform an underutilized cement space into a beautiful and functional garden that will provide new teaching tools as well as new learning opportunities for the students.

The Grant will be awarded to organizations that help support sustainable, community-based gardening programs that focus on teaching people about the food they eat and how it’s grown. Helmers has teamed up with Lisa Ely, a television documentary producer and award winning author of the Kinder Gardens book series. With her years of experience working with PTA organizations, she has been able to install a number of school gardens throughout California.

Earlier this month, Helmers submitted an application highlighting how they would use a Seeds of Change Grant. Their mission is to create a program that will compliment classroom lessons by offering real life applications. Lessons may include 4th and 5th graders planting gardens based on the history of the California Missions, vine racing to help 2nd graders learn Common Core Math skills through measuring, or creating a sensory garden for special needs and kinder students. Children will also have the opportunity to reconnect with nature, develop a responsibility to the environment, gain an appreciation for fresh food, and experience the sense of pride that comes from creating something through teamwork.

From now through April 18, the community can get out the vote by visiting www.seedsofchangegrant.com and voting once per day. Just go to the submission gallery and search Charles Helmers or Valencia. After voting closes on April 18, the top 50 organizations with the most votes will move on to the final judging phase. Around May 3, Seeds of Change will announce 24 grant recipients: 12 school garden recipients and 12 community garden recipients. Of these grant recipients, two school gardens and two community gardens will receive $20,000 and 10 school gardens and 10 community gardens will receive $10,000.

For more information about Seeds of Change or the Seeds of Change Grant Program, please visit www.seedsofchangegrant.com A portion of the Seeds of Change 1 percent fund, the company’s commitment to donate one percent of net sales, is allocated to support the annual Grant Program. Residents can also follow the conversation on Facebook and Twitter using #SeedsofChangeGrant.

About Seeds of Change
Seeds of Change was founded in 1989 by passionate gardeners with a vision to make organically grown seeds available to gardeners and farmers, while preserving countless heirloom seed varieties in danger of being lost to the “advances” of modern industrial agriculture. For 27 years, we have remained true to our original vision by offering a wide selection of organic seeds including heirloom, traditional, and rare seeds. Our seeds are produced through a network of certified organic family farms and professional growers. Through these partnerships, we continually cultivate study and develop seeds with the goal of producing the finest certified organic varieties to share with our fellow gardeners and farmers. In 1997 our business expanded to also include Organic Food inspired by the notion that great taste and sustainability go hand in hand.   We now offer a wide variety of Ready to Heat organic Rice and Grain varieties. For more information about Seeds of Change visit www.seedsofchange.com for our seed products and www.seedsofchangefoods.com for our food products. For additional information, please contact us at the information provided above or at Seeds of Change, P.O. Box 4908, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220.