Green Our Planet is Growing

The oldest participant in Sands’ global three-year membership programme, Sands Cares Accelerator, which seeks to move charitable organizations to the next stage of their evolution, is the Las Vegas-based NGO Green Our Planet. Green Our Planet, which will complete the Sands Cares Accelerator at the end of 2022, has grown significantly over that time.

Green Documentary filmmakers Ciara Byrne and Kim MacQuarrie founded Our Planet in 2013 with the intention of using it as a fundraising platform for environmental projects. However, the founders changed the organization’s original focus to emphasise school gardening in order to boost STEM student achievement while promoting environmental conservation.

With the objective of expanding its hydroponics garden programme to reach more students and utilising a new project to offer hydroponic gardens to businesses as a funding source to construct gardens at more schools, Green Our Planet set lofty goals for its time in the nonprofit accelerator programme. The group also made advantage of Sands Cares Accelerator resources to expand its marketing capabilities and experience.

According to Byrne, Sands recognized development potential in us when we joined the Sands Cares Accelerator in 2020. “Through participation in the programme, we acquired the tools and the courage to realise an even bigger goal. Along with the investment, Sands provided us with priceless advice and guidance on how to sustainably expand our reach.

Green Our Planet

Green Our Planet’s HydroHealth programme, which was started during its time in Sands Cares Accelerator, is a B Corporation that uses a 1-to-1 model to fund one school hydroponics system for every system a firm purchases. Since launching HydroHealth, the company has successfully launched 10 hydroponics programmes at various businesses.

According to Byrne, “We’ve discovered that our hydroponics gardens at work have been a platform for colleagues to engage constructively at work, which has been a significant necessity during the pandemic.” “The gardens have been a source of healing for our company clients in addition to giving healthy green areas to businesses. Sands provided the financial assistance necessary to fund a marketing executive for HydroHealth, enabling us to launch this effort.

Green Our Planet has been able to expand its reach and ability to assist more students because every business garden permits a new school garden and curriculum. 160,000 students are currently served by hydroponic gardens operated by Green Our Planet in 16 states. The organisation is getting ready to add 250 more school gardens and hydroponics programmes when the new academic year begins in August. During its final six months in the Sands Cares Accelerator, Green Our Planet will concentrate on expanding its school hydroponics and HydroHealth programmes and utilising its improved marketing capabilities to produce fresh video lessons that can be used by educators, students, and staff members at participating businesses.

The Sands Cares Accelerator is a distinctive charity accelerator programme created and launched in 2017.