Greenwich Pre-School & Whole Foods Collaborate on Veggie Garden

Mother Nature delivered a scorcher on Wednesday, the day Whole Foods Market volunteers and Putnam Indian Field School students and parents constructed and planted garden beds on the grounds of their school.

Despite the heat and humidity, the team managed to plant fall vegetables including spinach, broccoli, lettuce, carrots, kale and herbs.

Every year, for two weeks in September, Whole Foods Market raises money through a register campaign for Whole Kids Foundation.

"All the money goes into a pool that supports schools local schools," explained Whole Foods employee and volunteer for the day, Ashley Larkin. "Funds raised are put toward building gardens, school salad bars or enrichment programs so teachers can teach kids about healthy eating."

This year is the first year that every Whole Foods store is doing a kids day of service. On Wednesday, six Whole Foods employees volunteered in the mid-day heat to start a garden at Putnam Indian Field School .

"We could do any project we chose. We could partner clean up a local park, build a garden," Larkin said. "One of the schools even made cards at the Sandy Hook School."

At Putnam Indian Field School, pre-school mom Katie Currie originally approached Whole Foods about the project, and Wednesday's afternoon of digging and planting was what ensued.

According to Larkin, any school can apply for a grant at Whole Kids Foundation.  Grants are 100% underwritten by Whole Foods Market. 

In Greenwich Whole Foods Market is located at 90 East Putnam Ave. Putnam Indian Field School is located at 101 Indian Field Rd.