Law Firm With an Appetite for Fresh Food - Holland & Hart Works With BVSD to Bring Salad Bars Into Elementary Schools
BOULDER (June 12, 2008) – Holland & Hart's Boulder office has set a fundraising goal to bring fresh salad bars called “harvest bars,” into all Boulder Valley School District elementary schools in the next year. This is a key element of the BVSD/business/community partnership to ultimately provide fresher, whole, closer-to-the-source foods for a sustainable school food operation. "A key community partner - the Our Love of Children Foundation, through their "Garden to Table" program already provides some of the fresh, student grown produce for the new harvest bars that are being paid for by a fundraising effort through the law firm's Boulder office.
In order to reach this goal, the firm plans to donate both time and money. Each member of Holland & Hart's Boulder office, in conjunction with the Holland & Hart Foundation, will donate personal time to this program in celebration of the firm's 60th anniversary. Attorneys and staff from the Boulder office have already begun working at the schools to help dig gardens and assist with nutrition education classes. In addition, the firm intends to raise up to $60,000, including client donations, to make a harvest bar a reality in each BVSD elementary school. Holland & Hart is the largest law firm based in the Mountain West.
Newly appointed BVSD Nutrition Services Director Sue Anderson praised Holland & Hart’s Boulder office pointing out that the district’s purchase of the harvest bars would have had to be spread out over several years. “Holland & Hart’s extraordinary fundraising effort could dramatically accelerate our program while hopefully freeing up thousands of dollars for our overall school food reform effort,” said Ms. Anderson, “I cannot thank them enough for their concern for our kids.”
About the Programs
The Boulder Valley Board of Education recently approved a $92,000 feasibility study with Lunch Lessons, LLC to determine how best to restructure the content and delivery of BVSD’s breakfast and lunch programs for its 28,000 students away from pre-packaged, processed foods to a fresher, scratch-cooked program. BVSD is hoping to be able to develop a three-year plan to achieve this goal.
Our Love of Children's Garden to Table program began in 2005 at Creekside Elementary and has now expanded to four more schools. By installing organic school gardens, the program informs students not only how food is grown, but also about the community, sustainability and ecosystems that support its growth. More information on this project can be found at www.ourluv.org.
About the Holland & Hart Foundation
Holland & Hart has a long history of community service. To celebrate the firm's 60th year, each Holland & Hart office has taken on a community project with an emphasis on the needs of children. Each of these 14 projects has been led by Holland & Hart Foundation volunteers. The Holland & Hart Foundation, founded in 1999 by a retired partner and his wife, represents the commitment of Holland & Hart from top to bottom to encourage, enable, and assist each of the firm's employees to work with each other on educational activities and programs that benefit the firm's communities. For more information visit www.hollandhartfoundation.org.