The AdvoCare Foundation, established to make an impact on the safety and health of children in need through a focus on fighting childhood obesity, recently made a $25,000 donation to REAL School Gardens, a non-profit dedicated to helping disadvantaged children achieve academic success through experiential outdoor learning. The contribution will be given to the organization with an official check presentation Thursday, November 16. The funds will be used that day to support the rebuilding and revitalizing of the garden at Charles Rice Learning Center in south Dallas. Team members from AdvoCare, including AdvoCare founding family members, Allison Levy, President of the AdvoCare Foundation Board of Directors and Executive Vice President at AdvoCare, and approximately 30 local area Distributors will join Mary Freeman, Texas Regional Executive Director of REAL School Gardens, to enhance the garden.

“We love playing matchmaker between donors and worthwhile organizations in local communities,” said Freeman. “Learning literally comes to life in the garden - watching volunteers and students come together to make an impact is a wonderfully inspiring experience. Plus, studies show that learning gardens – when connected to intensive teacher training – can improve academic performance and increase a child’s adoption of a healthier, active lifestyle, making the AdvoCare Foundation the perfect partner for this initiative,” added Freeman.

REAL School Gardens will impact 15 markets across the country by 2020, ensuring that students get out of their desks and into learning, which is at the root of the organization’s mission. To date, REAL School Gardens has served over 68,000 students with partnerships in more than a dozen districts across the U.S., while helping to boost academic success with experiential outdoor lessons. At Charles Rice Learning Center, students and teachers alike will learn a variety of lessons in the garden from life sciences to health and nutrition - growing everything from perennials to herbs and vegetables.

“This garden project is near and dear to our hearts, and we’re blessed to be able to give to REAL School Gardens as we know what an impact healthy choices can have on our lives. We can’t wait to dig in the dirt with everyone and see the children experience the fruits of a collective effort with wonderful community partners like REAL School Gardens and Charles Rice Learning Center,” said Levy. “Hands-on learning in a school garden allows kids to champion the cause of living a healthy lifestyle while increasing nutritional awareness by connecting children to the process of growing fruits and vegetables. AdvoCare was established with one simple mission – to be advocates who care, so we’re thrilled to grow this partnership,” added Levy.

For more information about this partnership or about REAL School Gardens, Charles Rice Learning Center or the AdvoCare Foundation, please visit www.advocarefoundation.org.