HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Snacks is pleased to announce it is donating $25,000 in 2021 to Whole Kids Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Whole Foods Market. The company's contributions will be affiliated with the organization's Young Entrepreneurs program. A portion of the investment will be awarded to Roots for the Home Team, a Minnesota, St. Paul-based, youth-led business that gives teens opportunities for critical thinking and leadership while teaching culinary and business skills. From May 5^th to June 1^st, for every bag of HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs or Tortilla Chips sold at Whole Foods Market, the brand will donate a portion of proceeds to Whole Kids Foundation.

Whole Kids Foundation's Young Entrepreneur Pilot Grants support youth-led business programs that are improving the way kids eat through gardening, plant-forward cooking, or nutrition education. These grants support kids to become entrepreneurs because the skills needed as a successful young business leader will benefit them for a lifetime.

Roots for the Home Team began when entrepreneurial dietitian Sue Moores, who believes that eating well should be a delight, not drudgery or a duty, was inspired by community youth garden programs. They teach kids to appreciate and enjoy food by immersing them in its creation. She decided to take the concept a few steps further into the food chain, and have those same youth turn their produce into delicious salads, then work selling those salads to a bigger audience. 

"At HIPPEAS, we are all about the 'peas' and love and are continuously looking for opportunities to support local communities and families," said HIPPEAS VP of Marketing, Lindsey Valliere. "We are incredibly inspired by the work that Whole Kids Foundation is doing with budding entrepreneurs through the Young Entrepreneurs program. The focus around health, nutrition, education and entrepreneurial mentorship really hits home for us and we are so grateful to be able to directly support the amazing Roots for the Home Team organization."

"We are so grateful to have such strong support from Whole Foods Market vendors, like HIPPEAS, who share our passion for inspiring families and empowering kids to make healthier food choices and our work on the Young Entrepreneurs program," said Nona Evans, Whole Kids Foundation executive director. "With this grant contribution, we will be able to directly impact Roots for the Home Team in its effort to educate kids on nutrition and enjoying food by immersing them in its creation and essentially taking their concepts into the food chain."   

HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs and Tortilla Chips are USDA Organic, certified gluten-free, vegan, and available at Whole Foods Market.