PORTLAND, OR--(Marketwire - July 27, 2010) - Nau, the Portland-based sustainable, urban + outdoor apparel company, announces today the recipient of the second annual Grant for Change campaign, which sought individuals and organizations using design as a tool for positive change. Truck Farm, founded in 2009 by Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, is a 20-member mobile garden and documentary project showcasing innovative, urban agriculture and will receive a $10,000 grant from Nau to further their cause.
"Truck Farm displayed a high-level of creativity in rethinking an issue that is relevant to everyone, designing a solution that is hopeful and provocative," said Mark Galbraith, General Manager of Nau. "Thoughtful and informed design has always been at the core of Nau and Truck Farm used these principles to rethink an important social issue, bringing broader awareness to the problem through digitally accessible and effective communication. We are thrilled to announce them as the recipient of the 2010 Grant for Change."
Using green-roof technology, heirloom seeds and the help of his friend Curt Ellis, Ian Cheney transformed his grandfather's 1986 Dodge pickup into a mobile farm on wheels. With the truck bed full of vegetables and nutrient-rich soil, Truck Farm travels the country educating urban communities and schools about the benefits and possibilities of growing food locally in unexpected ways. Not only is the pickup designed as an inspiring educational tool and working garden, Truck Farm is a creative documentary project. With the $10,000 grant from Nau, the team plans to continue filming their endeavors and further converting their old Dodge into a mobile outdoor movie-house with an under-hood LCD projector and speaker system. Hitting the road again for schools and towns across the country, they will host events and project their film from the truck, educating communities on sustainable, urban agriculture projects.
"For the past year, we've been working, traveling and filming on a limited budget," said Ian Cheney. "This generous grant will provide the necessary financial support to continue spreading the word about community supported agriculture programs. We hope Truck Farm will inspire others to get creative about positive change."
The second annual $10,000 Grant for Change uncovered over 100 everyday individuals and groups who implement design in order to give back and positively impact their communities. Nau believes that design can provide compelling and effective solutions to the world's pressing challenges.
Contact Information:
Contact:
Carolyn Conners
212-528-1691
