California Citrus March Attracts Hundreds To State Capitol
April 7, 2016 More than 300 people came together Wednesday for California Citrus Mutual’s (CCM) first annual Citrus Stride.
The 1-mile walk around California State Capitol Park was created to raise awareness about hunger and was the first initiative to celebrate April as Citrus Strong Month, which helps celebrate the positive impact that citrus has on California’s health, economy and environment.
With each Citrus Stride participant registered at the event, 1,000 pounds of fresh citrus was donated to community food banks and pantries through the Farm to Family program, meaning more than 300,000 pounds of citrus was raised.
“California citrus symbolizes strength – it is a nutritious and delicious option for health-conscious consumers,” says CCM President Joel Nelsen. “More importantly, people can trust that California citrus is grown by farmers who care about making our environment, communities, and economy stronger. What better way to celebrate our iconic citrus industry than to share the nutritious benefits of citrus with families and communities in need.”
CCM is a non-profit trade association of citrus growers, with approximately 2,200 members representing 70% of California’s 362,000-acre, $3 billion citrus industry.
Food donated to the Farm to Family program helps provide a solution for individuals, families, and children to alleviate hunger, and ultimately strengthen communities. In 2015, citrus growers collectively donated over 19 million pounds of fresh citrus to the Farm to Family program.
“One in four children and one in six adults regularly go hungry,” says Sue Sigler, Executive Director of the California Association of Food Banks. “We are all dealing with rising costs of living, including rising food costs. For many people, they need a little help from time to time. I’m excited to be partnering with the citrus industry on this wonderful event that will provide the relief of food security to families across the state.”
Subscribe Today For
