NEWS RELEASE from San Diego Unified School District

 

 

 

 

News Release

 

January 13, 2020

 

Two Scoops of Service in San Diego

Hundreds of Ben & Jerry’s Franchisees Volunteer at Chollas Mead Elementary School

 

 

SAN DIEGO - Chollas Mead Elementary School looks a little sweeter this week, thanks to hundreds of Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop owners.

 

On Friday, Jan. 10, hundreds of Ben & Jerry’s franchisees descended on Chollas Mead to help beautify the campus in an effort to practice cofounder Ben Cohen’s pledge that “business has the responsibility to give back to the community.”

 

That pledge fits hand in hand with San Diego Unified’s mission to build a better San Diego through education, collaboration and community engagement.

 

“Our schools believe in the power of our students to change the world and build a better San Diego. Helping them do so is part of our mission,” said Superintendent Cindy Marten. “We share this commitment to social justice with Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. That is why we are so proud to partner with them on this amazing project.”

 

The ice cream franchisees were in San Diego for their annual meeting to discuss the year’s plans, new flavors and social mission campaigns. No word yet if #PeanutButterSD made the cut. The company’s practice is to make difference wherever they meet.

 

Cohen and co-founder Jerry Greenfield toured Chollas Mead to see the results of the project, meet with students and school staff, and thank the staff for supporting the children and the community. Ben and Jerry also met with Superintendent Marten and Principal Kristi Hunter-Clark.

To celebrate the completion of the beautification project, students and families were treated to an ice cream social, which included healthy-size servings of Ben & Jerry’s sorbet, dairy-free frozen dessert, and ice cream.

The project was coordinated by HandsOn San Diego. HandsOn San Diego’s mission is to strengthen communities through volunteer action and leadership development.

 

To learn more about Ben & Jerry’s including where you can find your closest Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop, visit: benjerry.com.

 

About Ben & Jerry's                
As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry's believes in a greater calling than simply making a profit for selling its goods. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream, yogurt and sorbet using high-quality ingredients. Ben & Jerry's incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices in a number of ways including a focus on values-led sourcing. In 2015 the company completed its transition to using entirely non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients by source as well as to fully source Fairtrade-certified ingredients wherever possible, which benefits farmers in developing countries. Ben & Jerry's products are distributed in 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Ben & Jerry's became a certified B Corp in 2012. The Ben & Jerry's Foundation's employee-led grant programs totaled $2.9MM in 2018 to support grassroots organizing for social and environmental justice around the country.

Media Contacts:

Maureen Magee, Communications Director, San Diego Unified School District

mmagee@sandi.net (619) 725-5578

Sean Greenwood, Ben & Jerry’s, Sean.Greenwood@benjerry.com (802) 233-0840

 

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