The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Announces Community Garden Grant Recipients

MARYSVILLE, Ohio, March 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To mark the first day of spring and celebrate the start of the community gardening season, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation today announced more than 100 non-profit organizations nationwide will receive 2017 GRO1000 Grassroots Grants. The organizations awarded will use the funding to improve their communities through the development of public gardens and greenspaces.

Now in its seventh year, the GRO1000 Grassroots Grants are part of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation's support to bring gardens and greenspaces to more people and communities, particularly to those in need. GRO1000 will support the creation of more than 1,000 community greenscapes by 2018, which aligns with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company's 150^th anniversary.

"Helping communities across the country experience the powerful benefits of gardening and its ability to transform lives is a privilege for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation," said Foundation President and Board Member Jim King, who also serves as SVP and Chief Communications Officer for ScottsMiracle-Gro. "As we look forward to the final year of the GRO1000 program, we are committed now, more than ever, to connecting more communities to these benefits."

From children's learning gardens to pollinator habitats, urban farms to healing gardens, GRO1000 has supported over 830 community-based projects nationwide since 2011. Projects have resulted in more than 10.7 million square feet of greenspace revitalized, more than 266,000 pounds of produce donated annually and more than 65,000 youth positively impacted through hands-on experiences with nature, according to data collected from previous GRO1000 Grassroots Grants recipients. A full list of this year's recipients can be found at www.GRO1000.com.

In addition to the Grassroots Grants, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and its national partners, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Plant A Row for the Hungry, the Garden Writers Association Foundation, KidsGardening.org, and Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, are building public community gardens and greenspaces in New Bedford, Mass.; New Haven, Conn.; Rochester Hills, Mich.; and Santa Monica, Calif., in 2017. More information on the GRO1000 program can be found at www.GRO1000.com.

About The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation
The mission of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is to inspire, connect and cultivate a community of purpose. The Foundation is deeply rooted in helping create healthier communities, empower the next generation, and preserve our planet. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds non-profit entities that support its core initiatives in the form of grants, endowments and multi-year capital gifts. For more information, visit www.scottsmiraclegrofoundation.org.

Contact:Molly JenningsThe Scotts Miracle-Gro Company937-681-7683 (desk)561-350-5734 (mobile)Molly.Jennings@Scotts.comKailyn LongoriaFahlgren Mortine614-383-1633 (office)646-919-1234 (mobile)kailyn.longoria@fahlgren.com