Keter North America, a prominent manufacturer of outdoor storage and furniture products, has partnered with the nonprofit FoodCorps to help schools across the United States establish garden spaces. This collaboration aligns with FoodCorps’ mission to connect children with healthy food and Keter’s sustainability-focused “Green Spaces” initiative.
The partnership provides schools with the resources necessary to create hands-on garden classrooms. Schools can apply to receive donations of storage sheds, raised planting beds, seating, and organization products from Keter. In return, schools commit to using their gardens to educate students on topics spanning plant science, nutrition, biology, and environmental awareness.
Keter aims to support the holistic development of young minds by promoting outdoor learning environments. School gardens serve as gathering spaces that nurture community bonds, environmental consciousness, academic skills, physical health through fresh produce access, and emotional well-being through a sense of connection.
The company and its CEO, Alejandro Pena, consider sustainability a core priority distinguishing Keter in the furniture industry. Keter strives for eco-friendly and waste-reducing operations, along with manufacturing fully recyclable products made using recycled materials. Its “Green Spaces” initiative and partnership with FoodCorps represent an extension of these values into local communities.
For example, Pena inaugurated an outdoor classroom garden space at a Miami elementary school to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. Dubbed the “Food Forest,” this area will provide hands-on lessons in gardening, nutrition, and environmental topics while paying tribute to educators.
On Global Recycling Day in March 2023, Keter employees educated French schoolchildren about the importance of recycling, explaining common recycling symbols found on products. The company aims to incorporate 55% recycled materials into its goods by 2025, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable operations.
To receive aid through the Green Spaces initiative, schools must detail their motivations and plans for an educational garden area in an application. Requests should explain the project’s purpose, desired student outcomes, community involvement opportunities, and needs for donated Keter products. Schools must agree to facilitate garden construction, upkeep, and local media coverage if selected.
The effects of the Keter-FoodCorps collaboration could prove deeply impactful. School gardens offer many benefits spanning health, academic, and social domains. By enabling the establishment of these spaces, the partners are contributing to an educational gardening movement built on tenets of community resilience and eco-literacy. Their shared priorities of nurturing future generations and stewarding green spaces promise positive change for years.
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