CORAL GABLES, FL - Turbana is KEEN on growing.

The company received hundreds of applications from all over the country when it announced last year that it was looking to partner with a community cause in its “Win 25K For Your Cause,” and thousands of votes have declared a winner: Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) New York.

“KEEN New York's mission has always been to provide programs designed to keep youth with disabilities healthy, while having fun,” Maggie Harrison, Executive Director of KEEN New York, said, according to a press release. “Our partnership with Turbana provides KEEN New York with an opportunity to create a gardening program right in the heart of NYC. This exciting collaborative project will teach our Athletes the importance of healthy eating and give them the skills necessary to grow an urban garden. KEEN New York is grateful to Turbana for its dedication to our "growing" KEEN New York family.”

KEEN is an organization that gives children and young adults in New York with developmental and physical disabilities recreational opportunities. Its new partnership with Turbana has allowed them to launch a new, more produce-focused initiative called “KEEN on Growing,” giving KEEN Athletes an opportunity to gain positive attitudes towards healthy eating, as well as having the chance to work collectively and develop responsibility.

“Our partnership is a perfect fit,” Marion Tabard, Marketing Director of Turbana, said. “Both KEEN New York and Turbana strive to empower communities, and the ‘KEEN on Growing’ program will give KEEN Athletes an opportunity to grow as individuals and develop social skills within a group setting.”

The partnering organizations had a kick off party on Sunday, June 7th, where they proudly reported an event of family fun, games, and where Athletes painted their own pottery and started their first vegetable garden.

According to the company, the “KEEN on Growing” program, which also shows Athletes the importance of community and environmental consciousness, is a product of Turbana’s larger “Growing Smiles, Sharing Goodness,” movement, which seeks to inspire individuals to eat smart, be active and get involved in their communities. It is based out of P.S. 206 Jose Celso Barbosa, where the kick off took place, and is open to members of the KEEN organization and students of the school with special needs.