Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Portland (OR), Spokane (WA) and Findlay (OH) selected as first-place winners for the 2026 Healthy and Sustainable Communities Awards

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — American Beverage, the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America (ABFHA) and the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) today announced nine winning cities of the 2026 Healthy and Sustainable Communities Awards.

The 2026 grant recipients – Portland (OR), Sacramento (CA), Arlington (TX), Findlay (OH), Riviera Beach (FL), Schenectady (NY), Spokane (WA), Bridgeport (CT) and Rochester (MN) – received a total of $1,000,000 in grants for their initiatives promoting healthier lifestyles and advancing environmental sustainability.

“Strong communities are built locally, by leaders who understand their cities and the people they serve,” said Kevin Keane, president and CEO of American Beverage and president of the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America Board of Directors. “For more than a decade, America’s beverage companies have been proud to partner with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to support cities that are turning innovative health and sustainability ideas into measurable, community-driven results. We congratulate this year’s winning mayors and cities for their leadership and impact, and for showing what’s possible when local leadership is matched with sustained investment and collaboration.” 

The announcement took place during the 94^th Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, DC, where mayors from across the nation gathered to celebrate their peers’ dedication to creating vibrant, healthy, and sustainable cities.

Including this year, since the launch of this partnership in 2012, these awards have invested more than $8 million in 93 cities across the nation. The initiative reflects America’s beverage companies’ long-standing commitment to tackling critical health and environmental challenges with community-driven solutions.

“The partnership between the American Beverage Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors is truly one of a kind,” said USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran. “For more than a decade, we’ve invested millions in programs that make a real difference on the ground – helping cities strengthen communities and improve outcomes for children and families across the nation. At a time when local leaders are being asked to do more than ever, this partnership stands as a powerful example of how public and private sectors can work together to deliver real results.”

First, second and third place awards were presented to cities within three categories based on population. Descriptions of each winning program can be found below.

SMALL CITY WINNERS

First Place
Findlay, OH – Mayor Christina Muryn
Findlay’s Urban Prairie Pilot Project – A Model for Sustainability will convert flood-damaged, city-owned turfgrass in the Blanchard River floodplain into a five-acre native prairie with trails, trees, educational features, and long-term ecological management in partnership with Wild Toledo and the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership. The project is designed to improve stormwater infiltration and water quality, reduce flooding and erosion, cut maintenance costs by 80–90%, increase biodiversity, provide accessible green space and environmental education, and create a replicable model for prairie conversion on flood mitigation lands.

Second Place
Riviera Beach, FL – Mayor Douglas Lawson
The Healthy Wallets, Healthy Lives Initiative in Riviera Beach is a 12-month, multi-generational intervention for 150 low-to-moderate-income families that combines financial literacy (“Penny”), nutrition access and education, including produce vouchers (“Plate”), and zero-cost recreation and mentorship in parks (“Park”). The initiative is designed to increase fiscal stability (e.g., 70% of households establishing an emergency health fund), reduce non-mortgage debt, improve or stabilize youth BMI percentiles, boost caregivers’ confidence in sourcing and preparing healthy meals, and build a scalable model linking economic and health gains.

Third Place
Schenectady, NY – Mayor Gary McCarthy
Live Well Schenectady is a multi-component health initiative using parks and city services to provide fresh produce, gardening education, community garden connections, running programs, “Fishing with a Firefighter,” and water conservation/trash cleanup activities for residents. The initiative is designed to increase healthy habits and physical activity among youth and older adults, tackle food disparities, and ultimately reduce EMS and health-related 911 calls, resulting in cost savings and improved community well-being.

MEDIUM-SIZED CITY WINNERS

First Place
Spokane, WA – Mayor Lisa Brown
The expansion of Spokane’s Student-Led Youth Wellness Zone will allow students in Northeast Spokane to lead projects that address youth anxiety, food insecurity, and climate-related stress through schoolyard forests, greenhouses, composting, and food distribution, in partnership with schools, the city, and community organizations. The initiative is designed to increase youth civic engagement and leadership, expand access to fresh food, improve environmental resilience (trees, composting, biodiversity), and strengthen mental well-being and academic engagement for participating students.

Second Place
Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Joseph Ganim
Bridgeport will create The Greenhouse Impact, an intergenerational greenhouse program pairing 15 fourth–fifth graders in the Lighthouse After School Program with 15 seniors from the East Side Senior Center to learn about native plants, grow fruits/vegetables in a year-round greenhouse, and connect to community gardens. The initiative will establish a successful greenhouse garden, develop environmental stewards across generations, promote healthier eating and food security among students and seniors, and build social bonds between youth and older adults, with potential expansion to other sites.

Third Place
Rochester, MN – Mayor Kim Norton
Through Move to the Market: Incentivizing Health, Equity, and Local Foods, the city of Rochester will distribute food vouchers to low-income families that are redeemable at The Village farmers’ markets and increase in value when patrons walk, bike, or otherwise physically move to the market; purchase excess produce from farmers for redistribution to food-insecure families. The initiative is designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, reduce food insecurity (with targeted reductions in self- reported insecurity and obesity), grow market attendance and farmer sales, and link physical activity to food access in a culturally relevant way for immigrant and low-income communities.

LARGE CITY WINNERS

First Place
Portland, OR – Mayor Keith Wilson
The Waste and Wellness Package in Portland will expand a peer-led environmental workforce under the Mayor’s Office to employ 20 workers with lived experience of homelessness or poverty to collect micro-debris, recover hard to recycle materials, support public restrooms, and protect stormwater/green infrastructure. The initiative will create paid jobs for 20 peer environmental workers, remove 8–12 tons of small debris, divert 10–15 tons of reusable or hard to recycle materials from landfills, improve stormwater function and cleanliness at Portland Loo sites, and increase public engagement around hygiene and environmental stewardship.

Second Place
Sacramento, CA – Mayor Kevin McCarty
Through Field Trips for Fresh Food Access, the city of Sacramento will provide free field trips and related activities that bring students from disadvantaged schools to farmers’ markets and a community garden using free youth transit, pairing curriculum with “Kids Bucks” produce vouchers, garden visits, and parent education on CalFresh/Market Match. The goals of the initiative are to increase students’ exposure to and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, raise awareness and use of CalFresh/Market Match, reduce inequities in field trip access, and strengthen family engagement with local food resources.

Third Place
Arlington, TX – Mayor Jim Ross
Through its Feeding Children, Fueling the Future initiative, the city of Arlington will expand and modernize its summer meal program and build the capacity to operate as a Texas Department of Agriculture–approved Contracting Entity for the USDA Summer Food Service Program, using recreation centers as meal sites. The initiative is designed to increase the number of children receiving summer meals by at least 25% in the first year, achieve CE certification and a self-sustaining, federally reimbursed meal system, and move toward universal summer nutrition access for eligible children citywide.

About American Beverage 
American Beverage (AB) is the trade association that represents America’s non-alcoholic beverage industry. Today, AB represents hundreds of beverage producers, distributors, franchise companies and support industries. Together, they bring to market hundreds of brands, flavors and packages, including regular and diet soft drinks, bottled water and water beverages, 100 percent juice and juice drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas. To learn more about American Beverage, visit americanbeverage.org.

About the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America
The American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America (ABFHA) is dedicated to strengthening communities from coast to coast to create positive change for our nation. Since the Foundation’s inception, we’ve provided millions of dollars in grants directly to organizations and cities that are making a real impact on the lives of real people. To learn more about ABFHA, visit beveragefoundation.org.

About the United States Conference of Mayors – The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Follow our work on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and Medium. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/americas-beverage-companies–us-conference-of-mayors-award-nine-cities-1-000-000-for-the-healthy–sustainable-communities-grant-program-302674468.html

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors

Portland (OR), Spokane (WA) and Findlay (OH) selected as first-place winners for the 2026 Healthy and Sustainable Communities Awards

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — American Beverage, the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America (ABFHA) and the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) today announced nine winning cities of the 2026 Healthy and Sustainable Communities Awards.

The 2026 grant recipients – Portland (OR), Sacramento (CA), Arlington (TX), Findlay (OH), Riviera Beach (FL), Schenectady (NY), Spokane (WA), Bridgeport (CT) and Rochester (MN) – received a total of $1,000,000 in grants for their initiatives promoting healthier lifestyles and advancing environmental sustainability.

“Strong communities are built locally, by leaders who understand their cities and the people they serve,” said Kevin Keane, president and CEO of American Beverage and president of the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America Board of Directors. “For more than a decade, America’s beverage companies have been proud to partner with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to support cities that are turning innovative health and sustainability ideas into measurable, community-driven results. We congratulate this year’s winning mayors and cities for their leadership and impact, and for showing what’s possible when local leadership is matched with sustained investment and collaboration.” 

The announcement took place during the 94^th Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, DC, where mayors from across the nation gathered to celebrate their peers’ dedication to creating vibrant, healthy, and sustainable cities.

Including this year, since the launch of this partnership in 2012, these awards have invested more than $8 million in 93 cities across the nation. The initiative reflects America’s beverage companies’ long-standing commitment to tackling critical health and environmental challenges with community-driven solutions.

“The partnership between the American Beverage Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors is truly one of a kind,” said USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran. “For more than a decade, we’ve invested millions in programs that make a real difference on the ground – helping cities strengthen communities and improve outcomes for children and families across the nation. At a time when local leaders are being asked to do more than ever, this partnership stands as a powerful example of how public and private sectors can work together to deliver real results.”

First, second and third place awards were presented to cities within three categories based on population. Descriptions of each winning program can be found below.

SMALL CITY WINNERS

First Place
Findlay, OH – Mayor Christina Muryn
Findlay’s Urban Prairie Pilot Project – A Model for Sustainability will convert flood-damaged, city-owned turfgrass in the Blanchard River floodplain into a five-acre native prairie with trails, trees, educational features, and long-term ecological management in partnership with Wild Toledo and the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership. The project is designed to improve stormwater infiltration and water quality, reduce flooding and erosion, cut maintenance costs by 80–90%, increase biodiversity, provide accessible green space and environmental education, and create a replicable model for prairie conversion on flood mitigation lands.

Second Place
Riviera Beach, FL – Mayor Douglas Lawson
The Healthy Wallets, Healthy Lives Initiative in Riviera Beach is a 12-month, multi-generational intervention for 150 low-to-moderate-income families that combines financial literacy (“Penny”), nutrition access and education, including produce vouchers (“Plate”), and zero-cost recreation and mentorship in parks (“Park”). The initiative is designed to increase fiscal stability (e.g., 70% of households establishing an emergency health fund), reduce non-mortgage debt, improve or stabilize youth BMI percentiles, boost caregivers’ confidence in sourcing and preparing healthy meals, and build a scalable model linking economic and health gains.

Third Place
Schenectady, NY – Mayor Gary McCarthy
Live Well Schenectady is a multi-component health initiative using parks and city services to provide fresh produce, gardening education, community garden connections, running programs, “Fishing with a Firefighter,” and water conservation/trash cleanup activities for residents. The initiative is designed to increase healthy habits and physical activity among youth and older adults, tackle food disparities, and ultimately reduce EMS and health-related 911 calls, resulting in cost savings and improved community well-being.

MEDIUM-SIZED CITY WINNERS

First Place
Spokane, WA – Mayor Lisa Brown
The expansion of Spokane’s Student-Led Youth Wellness Zone will allow students in Northeast Spokane to lead projects that address youth anxiety, food insecurity, and climate-related stress through schoolyard forests, greenhouses, composting, and food distribution, in partnership with schools, the city, and community organizations. The initiative is designed to increase youth civic engagement and leadership, expand access to fresh food, improve environmental resilience (trees, composting, biodiversity), and strengthen mental well-being and academic engagement for participating students.

Second Place
Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Joseph Ganim
Bridgeport will create The Greenhouse Impact, an intergenerational greenhouse program pairing 15 fourth–fifth graders in the Lighthouse After School Program with 15 seniors from the East Side Senior Center to learn about native plants, grow fruits/vegetables in a year-round greenhouse, and connect to community gardens. The initiative will establish a successful greenhouse garden, develop environmental stewards across generations, promote healthier eating and food security among students and seniors, and build social bonds between youth and older adults, with potential expansion to other sites.

Third Place
Rochester, MN – Mayor Kim Norton
Through Move to the Market: Incentivizing Health, Equity, and Local Foods, the city of Rochester will distribute food vouchers to low-income families that are redeemable at The Village farmers’ markets and increase in value when patrons walk, bike, or otherwise physically move to the market; purchase excess produce from farmers for redistribution to food-insecure families. The initiative is designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, reduce food insecurity (with targeted reductions in self- reported insecurity and obesity), grow market attendance and farmer sales, and link physical activity to food access in a culturally relevant way for immigrant and low-income communities.

LARGE CITY WINNERS

First Place
Portland, OR – Mayor Keith Wilson
The Waste and Wellness Package in Portland will expand a peer-led environmental workforce under the Mayor’s Office to employ 20 workers with lived experience of homelessness or poverty to collect micro-debris, recover hard to recycle materials, support public restrooms, and protect stormwater/green infrastructure. The initiative will create paid jobs for 20 peer environmental workers, remove 8–12 tons of small debris, divert 10–15 tons of reusable or hard to recycle materials from landfills, improve stormwater function and cleanliness at Portland Loo sites, and increase public engagement around hygiene and environmental stewardship.

Second Place
Sacramento, CA – Mayor Kevin McCarty
Through Field Trips for Fresh Food Access, the city of Sacramento will provide free field trips and related activities that bring students from disadvantaged schools to farmers’ markets and a community garden using free youth transit, pairing curriculum with “Kids Bucks” produce vouchers, garden visits, and parent education on CalFresh/Market Match. The goals of the initiative are to increase students’ exposure to and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, raise awareness and use of CalFresh/Market Match, reduce inequities in field trip access, and strengthen family engagement with local food resources.

Third Place
Arlington, TX – Mayor Jim Ross
Through its Feeding Children, Fueling the Future initiative, the city of Arlington will expand and modernize its summer meal program and build the capacity to operate as a Texas Department of Agriculture–approved Contracting Entity for the USDA Summer Food Service Program, using recreation centers as meal sites. The initiative is designed to increase the number of children receiving summer meals by at least 25% in the first year, achieve CE certification and a self-sustaining, federally reimbursed meal system, and move toward universal summer nutrition access for eligible children citywide.

About American Beverage 
American Beverage (AB) is the trade association that represents America’s non-alcoholic beverage industry. Today, AB represents hundreds of beverage producers, distributors, franchise companies and support industries. Together, they bring to market hundreds of brands, flavors and packages, including regular and diet soft drinks, bottled water and water beverages, 100 percent juice and juice drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas. To learn more about American Beverage, visit americanbeverage.org.

About the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America
The American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America (ABFHA) is dedicated to strengthening communities from coast to coast to create positive change for our nation. Since the Foundation’s inception, we’ve provided millions of dollars in grants directly to organizations and cities that are making a real impact on the lives of real people. To learn more about ABFHA, visit beveragefoundation.org.

About the United States Conference of Mayors – The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Follow our work on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and Medium. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/americas-beverage-companies–us-conference-of-mayors-award-nine-cities-1-000-000-for-the-healthy–sustainable-communities-grant-program-302674468.html

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors

Organizations support forestry career credentialing and develop pipeline for Georgia’s forestry industry.

FORSYTH, Ga., Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF) is proud to announce the official launch of ForestryWorks® of Georgia. This program, approved by the Georgia Department of Education, will offer career-ready Forestry Certification and a free End of Pathway Assessment (EOPA) for Georgia students.

Developed through a partnership between ForestryWorks and GFF, this new initiative is designed to provide students with career-ready skills for employment in one of the South’s largest and most critical industries – forestry. ForestryWorks of Georgia EOPA exams are currently being offered across six pathways within the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources career cluster – Forestry Management Systems; Forest Mechanical Systems; Forest/Natural Resources Management; Forest/Renewable Energy; Forest/Wildlife Systems; and Agriculture Leadership in Forestry.

“Providing industry-recognized exams helps validate student learning and opens doors to high-paying, meaningful careers in Georgia’s forestry industry,” shared Kaitlyn Marchant, program manager for agriculture education at the Georgia Department of Education. “We’ve been part of the program’s development from the beginning, with schools across the state piloting the curriculum to ensure high-quality content, strong programming and industry relevance.”

Environmental education and innovative programming have long been central to GFF’s mission. By collaborating with industry and academic partners, the organization continues to expand its education initiatives with relevant, high-quality content and assessment tools aligned to industry needs. “This unique education resource provides engaging opportunities for every Georgia high-school student to learn about forestry’s significant impact on our everyday lives while exploring the many career paths available in this critical natural resource sector,” stated Matt Hestad, senior vice president of the Georgia Forestry Foundation.

“In welcoming our newest partner, we are excited to deliver a curriculum that utilizes Georgia-based examples and aligns directly with Georgia’s six forestry-related CTAE pathways under the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Career Cluster,” shared Maggie Pope, director of education at ForestryWorks.

The Forest Worker Certification earned by students is recognized by Georgia’s forestry industry and was developed to ensure students have access to modern, industry-recognized assessment tools that validate learning outcomes. Participating schools will have access to a fully virtual testing platform, student certification management, and teacher support.

To learn more, visit ForestryWorks of Georgia

About the Georgia Forestry Foundation
The Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF), established in 1990, is a 501 (c) (3) organization that acts as the educational arm of the Georgia Forestry Association. Their mission is to sustain Georgia’s forests through funding and support of leadership development, policy studies, and education to enhance the economic, environmental, and community value of working forests for Georgia. For more information, visit www.gfagrow.org.

About ForestryWorks®
ForestryWorks is the workforce development initiative from the Forest Workforce Training Institute (FWTI), a 501(c)3, established in 2018 to develop a pipeline of workers for the forest industry. ForestryWorks® partners with a network of state forestry associations, councils, educational organizations, and government agencies to implement workforce development programming unique to the needs of the forest industry in each state. For more information, visit Fwww.ForestryWorks.com.

Media Contact: Glo Camacho
glo@gfagrow.org
(786) 399-6291

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/partnership-brings-career-ready-forestry-certification-and-free-end-of-pathway-assessment-to-georgia-students-302674311.html

SOURCE Georgia Forestry Foundation

USI Highlights Why Housing Revitalization Must be Paired with People-Centered Community Investment

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Recent research from Harvard’s Opportunity Insights confirms that families living in communities in HOPE VI revitalization sites experience significantly improved long-term outcomes when community programs are present. Experience from community transformation efforts across the country affirm these findings. These positive outcomes are the direct result of intentional strategy, sustained investment, and authentic partnership.

According to Esther Shin, president and CEO of Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI), the success of these efforts is rooted in comprehensive, people-centered approaches which include community-based competent, trust-based support; collaboration that multiplies impact; coordinated, individualized family support; expanded access to opportunities that changes children’s trajectories; human capital investment paired with housing revitalization; and authentic community voice and leadership.

“The Opportunity Insights study underlines what USI and other nonprofits working in this space have known and what we have worked tirelessly to address since our founding – that families know what they need and systems should listen to the earned wisdom, to align in service to those needs. Our collective successes have grown over the years by utilizing programs like HOPE VI and Choice to support children, families, and communities actualizing their journey towards thriving,” Shin said.

Since 1978, Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI) has partnered with cities and housing authorities to secure public and private resources. USI currently serves over half a million people in 63 communities across the country. “What starts out as a housing transaction becomes something far more powerful; a national model for how low-wealth families can not only stabilize but thrive,” Shin added. 

USI’s recent work, Framing the Future with Love, reinforces what decades of practice have shown; trust, consistency, and genuine care are not soft concepts, they are structural necessities. Families persist when systems are reliable, relationships are authentic, and support does not disappear when funding cycles end.

Community revitalization policies are rooted in evidence and experience and not bias and assumptions. Unlike housing construction, where progress is visible within months, human transformation unfolds over years and decades. Programs such as HOPE VI and Choice Neighborhoods demonstrate that comprehensive community transformation works, but only when investments extend beyond housing to include health, economic opportunity, education, housing stability, and community engagement.

Urban Strategies, Inc.
Founded in 1978, USI is a national nonprofit leader that works at the intersection of housing, community and economic development. USI supports communities undergoing revitalization while working with partners to develop economic opportunities, cradle-to-college/career success, high quality health services and a range of comprehensive service supports. The organization is leading people efforts and neighborhood transformation in 63 communities across the nation. USI’s mission is to promote community-based economic development by leveraging investment and providing access to services, financing, and strategies that create sustainable businesses and clear pathways for families and neighbors to build generational wealth and live stable, prosperous lives. For more information: www.usi-inc.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/investing-in-people-not-just-places-delivers-positive-results-for-families-302674384.html

SOURCE Urban Strategies, Inc

New food-grade material sets a higher standard for safety, performance, and environmental responsibility.

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ – Mondi Products™, the innovative manufacturer behind the original patented 1020 Propagation Tray and Mini Greenhouse Humidity Dome, announces the launch of Avara Technology. This proprietary, food-grade material is engineered to elevate safety, performance, and sustainability across horticultural tools and cultivation systems.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/mondi-products/9362551-en-mondi-products-launches-avara-technology-sustainable-horticultural-innovation

Developed to meet the evolving demands of professional growers and environmentally conscious industries, Avara Technology is food-grade certified, BPA-free, non-off-gassing, reusable, recyclable, and incorporates reclaimed ocean plastics. This breakthrough material represents a major milestone in Mondi’s ongoing mission to deliver safer, more sustainable, and high-performance solutions for modern cultivation.

“Avara Technology is more than a material, it’s a vision for the future of horticulture,” said Marko, President of Mondi Products. “It was developed to meet the real-world needs of growers who demand safety, sustainability, and durability. Avara reflects our commitment to innovation that protects both people and the planet.”

Avara Technology: Designed for a More Responsible Future

Engineered for safety, sustainability, and long-term performance. Avara Technology delivers:

• Food-grade certification – Engineered for food contact and edible crop applications.
• BPA-free and non-off-gassing – Promotes healthier environments for plants and people.
• Reusable and recyclable – Reduces waste and supports circular manufacturing.
• Made with reclaimed ocean plastics – Actively contributes to cleaner ecosystems.
• Professional-grade durability – Built for long-term, repeat use.
• Scalable applications – Suitable for agriculture, packaging, and beyond.

Do It All With Mondi

Mondi Products are designed around how growers actually work: handling, moving, measuring, and managing crops at every stage of propagation. Across Mondi’s propagation trays and Mini Greenhouse humidity domes, patented engineering and purpose-built details give their products the “it” factor, turning everyday tasks into a streamlined performance that saves time, improves consistency, and protects plant health.

Tag it. Integrated tag slots keep plant identification visible and secure.
Tab it. Reinforced tab points enable quick, controlled separation.
Measure it. Growth-tracking gradients on the Mini Greenhouse and precision markers on the tray support accurate measuring.
Grab it. Grip channels provide fast, confident handling throughout the grow cycle.
Vent it. Patented two-finger Easy Vents delivers precise environmental control.
Lift it or lock it. Patented channels and clips prop domes open for airflow or lock them securely for transport. (Clips sold separately.)
Trust it. Manufactured with Avara Technology, food-grade certified and sustainability-driven.

Mondi’s it. Thoughtful design, engineered for real growers.

A Smarter System for Growers

Mondi’s modular propagation ecosystem is built for efficiency and adaptability. Trays, domes, and accessories work seamlessly together—inter-nestable, stackable, and easy to store or ship. The result is a smarter way to propagate: less waste, more performance.

Watch for the updated products as they make their way into the market.

Explore Avara Technology in Action

Learn more about Avara Technology and Mondi’s upgraded propagation systems at avaratechnology.com, mondiproducts.com, or through your local Mondi distributor.

Mondi, in partnership with Avara Technology, offers custom and private‑label product solutions for qualified partners across horticulture and related industries. Connect with us to discover what we can create together.

About Mondi Products

Mondi Products™ is committed to advancing cultivation through thoughtful design and sustainable innovation. With more than two and a half decades of experience serving professional growers and industry partners, Mondi leads with quality, purpose, and a deep understanding of what modern cultivation demands.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mondi-products-launches-avara-technology-a-breakthrough-in-sustainable-horticultural-innovation-302674322.html

SOURCE Mondi Products

ATLANTA, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Habitat for Humanity International announced today that it is continuing its long-standing partnership with Nissan. For more than 20 years, Nissan has supported Habitat through disaster recovery efforts, new home construction, team builds, and community development work in communities in the United States.

As part of its 2026 commitment, Nissan will partner with 10 Habitat affiliates across the United States, including Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area (Jackson, Miss.); Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville (Nashville, Tenn.); Habitat for Humanity Rutherford County Area (Murfreesboro, Tenn.); Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County (Pontiac, Mich.); and Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity (Dallas, Texas), to support home building projects. Nissan will also donate durable work trucks to aid Habitat’s efforts. The 2026 Nissan Frontier recipients are Holston Habitat for Humanity (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area. Since the partnership began in 2005, Nissan has made financial contributions of more than $21 million and donated more than 160 vehicles to local Habitat affiliates to support the non-profit’s efforts.

“At Nissan, we believe mobility is about more than the vehicles we manufacture. It’s also about helping people move forward in life. That’s why partnering with Habitat for Humanity is so important to us. Safe, stable housing strengthens families, fuels economic opportunity, and builds the kind of resilient communities where people can thrive,” said Ali Tonn, Nissan’s senior manager of Philanthropy. “We’re especially proud of our employees, who bring this commitment to life by volunteering their time and talent on Habitat build sites across the country. Their dedication reflects the heart of our company and our shared belief in creating brighter, more sustainable futures for the communities we serve.”

Nissan first partnered with Habitat when the company donated 50 trucks and mobilized employees to support rebuilding efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Over the years, Nissan employees have logged more than 180,000 volunteer hours to help build more than 300 Habitat homes in nine markets. Nissan has previously sponsored Habitat’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project and the Home is the Key campaign.

“For more than two decades, Nissan has been instrumental in our efforts to create a world where everyone has a safe, decent and affordable place to call home,” said Charlita Stephens-Walker, vice president of corporate partnerships and cause marketing at Habitat for Humanity International. “We are extremely grateful to have a partner like Nissan that shares our commitment to supporting families and strengthening communities, and we are excited to see what all we will accomplish through our partnership this year.”

About Nissan

For more information about Nissan products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissanusa.com. You can also follow Nissan on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

About Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is a movement of people in your local area and around the world, working together to build more prosperous and vibrant communities by making sure everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home. Since our founding in 1976 as a Christian organization, together we have helped more than 65 million people globally build their futures on their own terms through access to decent housing. We’ve done that by working alongside people of all walks of life to build, repair and finance their homes, by innovating new ways of building and financing, and by advocating for policies that make constructing and accessing housing easier for everyone. Together, we build homes, communities and hope. To learn more, visit habitat.org. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nissan-and-habitat-for-humanity-international-celebrate-21-years-of-partnership-302674304.html

SOURCE Habitat for Humanity International