Kimbal Musk is giving away his personal, fully-loaded Tesla Model 3 to help raise funds for Big Green, a nonprofit organization aimed at fostering learning gardens and food literacy among schoolchildren in the United States.
There is no doubt that one lucky donor to Kimbal’s fundraiser will bring home the incredibly rare VIN#006 Tesla. Looking at the rationale behind Big Green and the nonprofit’s long-term goals, however, it becomes evident that this particular fundraiser is more than just about a car — it is about being part of a change.
An avid food enthusiast, Kimbal Musk has been vocal about the state of nutrition among America’s children for years. In a TEDx Talk in Boulder back in 2011, Kimbal described how unhealthy eating habits have become so ingrained in children, interacting with healthy food has turned into an unfamiliar experience.
“Over the past few decades, we have not been responsible stewards. We’ve changed America’s culture from a food culture to a fuel culture. For children, it’s even worse. Fat and sugar is all they know. Going to a vegetable garden is like going to the zoo,” Kimbal said.
Kimbal’s reservations about how America’s young and their unhealthy eating habits are well-founded. Last year, researchers from Harvard simulated future obesity rates for the United States’ kids; and the results were alarming. According to the Harvard study, over 57% of children in America today could be obese by the time they reach the age of 35. This is far more than figures outlined in CDC’s recent study, which suggested that nearly 40% of America’s population is obese today. A huge part of this problem, of course, is America’s culture of embracing processed, industrial food.
This is where Kimbal Musk’s Big Green is trying to make a difference.
“Habits form early and so should a good diet. It all starts with real food.” – Kimbal Musk
Big Green builds Learning Gardens in America’s underserved schools. According to the nonprofit’s official website, the modular gardens are designed to be outdoor classrooms that literally teach children how to dig into their education and thrive in real, nutritious food and healthy eating habits. Big Green has established hundreds of these Learning Gardens across America to date, and it is hoping to build more.
In a recent blog post, Kimbal expressed how he hopes to establish Learning Gardens in 100,000 schools across the country. To accomplish this ambitious, characteristically Musk-esque goal, Kimbal and his team at Big Green would need to raise enough funding.
Omaze, the organization helping in raising awareness for Big Green, will be giving away Kimbal Musk’s personal Tesla Model 3 as part of a fundraising initiative to build a healthier future for kids.
“This ambitious goal will require a significant investment of resources, funding, and human capital. We must scale in order to fundamentally and radically alter the school food environment and ensure that all kids nationwide enjoy healthier futures through real food. While we’ve engaged some of the top US companies like Wells Fargo, Gordon Food Service, Chipotle, The Kitchen, Walmart, we need more American companies to join our efforts.
Reaching 100,000 schools in our lifetime is not something I can do by myself. This is a BIG effort for everyone in America. We must all try to make a Big Green effort to be part of the real food solution. I’m now asking you — CEOs, Governors, Superintendents, parents, and teachers — to support real food education. It’s time to step up to make real food in America a possibility before industrial food takes another child’s life.
– Kimbal Musk”
Entering for a chance to take home Kimbal’s VIN#006 Model 3 starts at $10, which translates to 100 entries for the fully-loaded electric car. Larger contributions will help Kimbal’s non-profit provide seeds, plants, and supplies for school gardens, as well as aid in building kitchen kits to help teachers prepare fresh produce in the classroom.
Learn more about Kimbal’s Big Green initiative and how you can win his Model 3 at Omaze, ending April 24, 2018.
