­As part of its ongoing commitment to organic agriculture and desire to empower local communities, Nature's Path Organic Foods (Richmond, BC) announced the winners of the 5th annual Gardens for Good Grant.

The three non-profit organizations to receive grants for serving those most in need are Franklinton Garden (Columbus, OH), Mercy Gardens (Decateur, IL) and Growing Chefs (Vancouver, BC).

Arran Stephens, co-CEO and founder of Nature's Path, said it is "a privilege to support these incredible organizations that are making significant changes in their local communities and who share our vision to provide organic food for those who might not have access to it."

"We are honored to have them as partners on the path towards leaving the earth better than we found it," added Stephens.

Franklinton Gardens strives to build a critical consciousness about the potential of urban agriculture to positively transform the urban landscape, donating to food pantries, community meals, after-school children's programs and is sold at EBT-friendly markets the company helped establish, reported Nature's Path.

Mercy Gardens is a project collaboration between two non-profits in Decatur, IL that brings healthy, organic food to approximately 300 food insecure men, women and children daily, as well as training low-income citizens to become organic gardeners, according to Nature's Path. The programs created will be incorporated into a job skills training program in an effort to teach low-income people agricultural, construction and interpretive skills.

The Growing Chefs Classroom Gardening Program inspires students to care for their organic windowsill gardens and provides lessons on healthy eating, gardening and plant growth, local and urban agriculture and healthy food systems. Students learn nutritional information and gardening and cooking skills to take home and share with their families and communities, reported Nature's Path, adding the grant will help bring the program to 46 classrooms, eight communities and more than 1,300 children.

The winners were selected from 136 entries from non-profit organizations making an impact at the local level and from among nine other finalists who earned the most public support, according to Nature's Path. The three winners each receive a $15,000 cash grant for their community garden project and technical design and production mentorship provided by Organic Gardening magazine.

For more information, visit www.us.naturespath.com.