As Beaverton Education Foundation celebrates our 35th anniversary, we recognize long-standing community partners like New Seasons Market. Since 2002, New Seasons has awarded more than $400,000 to BEF to help ensure all Beaverton students are inspired and prepared for bright futures.
“BEF has been one of our foundation partners since we opened our first store, and it’s been such an incredible partner,” says Jennifer Gregorich, New Seasons’ community investment program supervisor. “We love to collaborate with our community partners and find ways to work together to better our community. Our Cedar Hills, Raleigh Hills, and Progress Ridge stores have each supported BEF through our various give-back programs.”
New Seasons’ relationship with BEF first kicked off with New Seasons’ School Fruit campaign in 2002, when stores donated a portion of the profits from sales of a particular fruit — in this case, d’anjou pears — to their neighborhood school’s foundation. Its Cans for Kids campaign came next in 2006, and continues today, with BEF receiving funds when customers donate their redeemable cans and bottles. When the Bag It Forward campaign started in 2016, BEF was one of the inaugural organizations customers supported by using their own reusable bags instead of paper ones. Over the years, New Seasons has also provided other grants and in-kind donations to BEF.
“Equity is a core value of both New Seasons and BEF, which makes for a strong partnership. We support foundations rather than individual schools to ensure we reach as many public school children as possible,” says Jennifer. “We trust that BEF will distribute funds in an equitable way amongst all Beaverton schools and students.”
In addition to BEF’s commitment to equity, New Seasons appreciates BEF’s creative approach to finding solutions, adds Jennifer. The way the community engages with Beaverton’s Choice projects also caught its attention.
“When we give back and collaborate with community members to give back, it makes our whole community stronger,” says Jennifer. “We’re very committed to our original foundation partners from when we first opened our stores, like BEF, and we are excited to continue that partnership.”