At Bonduelle, the group that owns the Artic Gardens brand, we don’t just grow veggies! We work just as hard to change people’s eating habits and encourage them to add more vegetables into their diet. That’s why the Louis Bonduelle Foundation was launched in 2004. Today, it’s present in seven countries and every year it supports many projects all over the world. Over 200 projects working for healthy eating habits have benefited from its help since.
The Foundation’s mission
The Foundation’s mission is working to change eating habits in a sustainable manner while respecting people and the planet. Its approach to healthy eating habits is what makes it stand out because it ventures further than keynote speeches. The Foundation is there to help people go from the theoretical to the tangible. And to do so, projects are oriented around three main areas:
- To inform and sensitize : It produces and diffuses information intended to help people make real changes in their everyday behaviour. This information is available on the Foundation’s website.
- To support research: It encourages scientists in several disciplines including medicine, nutrition, sociology and agronomy, to advance their knowledge in the field of sustainable food.
- To take action in the field: It supports concrete projects led by local players whose goal is to guide consumers towards sustainable food.
Actions in the field
Very active in the field, the Foundation conceives its own projects, but it also supports many local projects for associations or other organizations. It’s also very present in the scientific community. In fact, it cofounded the Fondation Coeur et Artères, a heart and arteries foundation in France that does research in cardiovascular and associated diseases like diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemias, for example. It also conducts its own research and supports particularly with the Louis Bonduelle Award that’s presented every year to a researcher working in food research.
Call for proposals
Every year, the Louis Bonduelle Foundation launches a call for proposals for international, national and regional programs. It consists of inviting everyone who wants to put in place an initiative linked to the theme presented during the year of the call for proposals. The project topic is oriented around the three pillars already mentioned; in other words, to inform and sensitize, support and take action. More specifically, the topic is generally about nutrition, the evolution of eating habits or the link between environmental conservation and food. For example, in 2017, the Foundation launched a call for proposals entitled, “Vegetables for all: producing and supplying yourself differently” in the Europe-Russia zone. It was broken down into two sub-topics: gardens and the fight against food waste. In all, 90 projects were studies and 17 received financial support.
The process for submitting projects is relatively simple. Just go to the Submit your proposal section and follow the criteria for eligibility and exclusion. The Foundation will then review your project and according to assessment criteria, will determine whether or not it will receive support.
Quebec aspect
The Foundation has chosen a new approach for Quebec in 2018. It’s decided to partner with Québec en Forme in the framework of its 100° whose intent is to assemble engaged people to promote healthy lifestyle habits among young people. Together, Québec en Forme and the Louis Bonduelle Foundation will offer financing for local projects. To help community grocery stores, food banks, collective kitchens and schools, the two organizations have decided that the call for proposals will have the theme, “Supplying yourself differently: fruits and veggies all-year long for everyone”. During this call for proposals, 431 projects were submitted and 57 were selected to receive financial support of up to $10,000! For more information about the projects selected in Quebec, please refer to 100° (in French only).
Involvement in Canada
Here are some of the projects that have benefitted from the Foundation’s financial support the last few years:
|
Table de développement social de LaSalle (in French only)
|
Green Class – Project supported in 2016 Table de développement social de LaSalle is a concertation table that’s working to improve the population’s living conditions and quality of life. It targets health, urban planning, the environment, education, the economy, shelter, food safety, culture and sports. Green Class created an outdoor classroom where the growing stages, including germination, sowing and soil preparation, were taught. This project also let kids participate in building a garden. |
|
|
Craque-Bitume (in French only)
|
Let’s sow with little ones – Projet supported in 2017 Craque-Bitume is a Quebec organization active in urban ecology. To get people involved in the community and adopt a sustainable lifestyle, the organization orients its activities around eco-citizenship, urban gardening and composting projects. This initiative consisted offered workshops on gardening and the five senses to help kids discover veggies. The project allowed kids from six private daycares in Limoilou to explore the growing process of veggies and become familiar with their variety. |
|
|
La Maisonnette des parents (in French only)
|
Sharing vegetable gardens – Projet soutenu en 2017 La Maisonnette des parents is an organization located in the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie neighbourhood in Montreal. It helps enhance family life by supporting parents and families in difficulty. The Potager à partager project created gardening spaces and organized cooking workshops that encouraged kids and their families to eat veggies. |
The Foundation’s work in numbers
A wealth of information at your disposal
| Foundation news | Agriculture | Health benefits of vegetables | Experts column |
| Food waste | Plant-based proteins | Recipes | Healthy tips and cooking |
The Foundation releases a ton of information on its website. In The Magazine section, you can learn more about agriculture, food waste, the health benefits of veggies and gastronomy. There are lots of recipes you can access as well. In the ABCs of veggies, you’ll find the description and history of many veggies and gardening tricks. You can also access numerous articles and teaching kits to help your kids not only discover, but love veggies.
As you can see, the Louis Bonduelle Foundation plays an important role in promoting and creating a better life by eating more veggies. For more info on upcoming projects, to learn more about certain veggies or to discover all kinds of tips on veggie matters, go to the Foundation’s website. If you have a project related to nutrition, protecting the environment or the evolution of eating habits that you’ve been thinking about lately, visit 100° or go to the Submit your proposal section of the Foundation’s website.
Stay in the know about new projects and follow the Louis Bonduelle Foundation on Facebook or on its website!
