Belleville, Ill (April 9, 2014) – American Water Charitable Foundation and employees of Illinois American Water are partnering with Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) to plant an orchard at the East St. Louis Health Department, located at 650 N 20th Street in East St. Louis. Volunteers representing the American Water Charitable Foundation, Illinois American Water and the Health Department will join together to plant the various fruit trees on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 10 AM.
The fruit trees were made available through a program launched by FTPF and the American Water Charitable Foundation to create vibrant fruit tree orchards at schools, public parks, and in community spaces in 10 U.S. cities. This effort will help supplement public school lunches and food security programs with a source of much-needed, highly-valued fresh produce. The program, made possible by American Water Charitable Foundation’s support, will result in 10 orchards being planted in 2014, creating an annual output of approximately:
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• 19,250 pounds of fresh fruit harvest
• 86,625 pounds of carbon dioxide sequestered
• 68,250 pounds of oxygen created
• 2,625 pounds of air pollutants filtered from the atmosphere
“The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is honored to partner with environmentally-conscious organizations such as the American Water Charitable Foundation to bring fruit tree nutrition and environmental benefits to communities everywhere. This program will make our cities healthier and greener!” said Cem Akin, FTPF’s executive director.
"The American Water Charitable Foundation is excited to launch our orchard initiative, which was selected based on employee input and alignment with our focus on community sustainability and environmental education. The phenomenal collaboration with the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation and Illinois American Water is a partnership between organizations that share a common interest in fostering vibrant and healthy neighborhoods,” said Debra Vernon, manager, corporate responsibility and American Water Charitable Foundation President.
“Every day our employees provide valuable water service to the communities we serve. This life essential resource is critical to our daily lives. Fresh produce is also crucial to the health of our community, which is why we are excited to help provide East St. Louis with this nutritious orchard,” said Karla Olson Teasley, president of Illinois American Water.
To learn more about FTPF please visit http://www.ftpf.org/ FTPF is an international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat climate change, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. FTPF programs strategically donate orchards where the harvest will best serve generations of families, at places such as public schools, city parks, low-income neighborhoods, Native American reservations, and international hunger relief sites.
About American Water Charitable Foundation
Established in 2010 with a founding contribution from American Water, the American Water Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides a formal way to demonstrate the company’s ongoing commitment to being a good neighbor, citizen, and contributor to the communities where American Water and its employees live, work and operate. The Foundation helps support American Water employee-identified nonprofit endeavors.
About Illinois American Water
Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to more than 1.2 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.
Founded in 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 40 states and parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.
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