FTPF has been endorsed by independent charity evaluators for its superior “program effectiveness” and use of “best practices.” And most importantly, FTPF’s groundbreaking mission benefits the environment, human health, and animal welfare—all at once.

FTPF orchards provide decades of harvest with little maintenance, as we install protective fencing and irrigation systems as needed.

Results from a single FTPF orchard include:

• Alleviating hunger and improving health by providing essential human nutrition
• Improving the environment and combating global warming through the known benefits trees
• have for the air, soil, and water
• Helping animals by providing habitat, shade, shelter, and nutrition
• Empowering volunteers to take action for their environment and in their own lives
• Enriching communities by creating beautiful, healthy landscapes that benefit overall well-being

Currently, FTPF focuses on six important program areas:

1. Fruit Relief

Fruit Relief involves donating orchards and harvest to alleviate hunger in low-income areas
and to benefit needy individuals and families. Some recent examples:

FTPF launched an innovative program to distribute thousands of fruit trees, free of charge, to needy families and charitable institutions, such as schools and orphanages, in the Tana River Delta region in Kenya. FTPF also donated the labor of planting the trees at households and provided aftercare to ensure they thrive. At our partner nursery in Kenya, fruit tree saplings are grown organically from seed before reaching an age suitable to be transplanted within the community. Harvest from other crops grown at the nursery (e.g. vegetables, papayas, bananas) are also be donated to local schools, orphanages, and health clinics.

FTPF has similarly distributed fruit trees in Northern India (Vrindavan) and has planted a a 260-tree orchard at a hunger relief site which serves 1200 free meals every day. To date, FTPF has created backyard orchards for more than 700 needy families in 27 villages. The director of the hunger relief group wrote: “For us and for our children, FTPF’s orchard donation to supplement our hunger relief efforts will literally save lives.”

2. Fruit Tree 101

Fruit Tree 101 as featured on The Today Show, is a program that brings fruit tree orchards to schoolyards so students can improve the quality of the air and water while creating a source of healthy nutrition in school lunches for decades to come.

Not only do schoolyard fruit orchards help the environment, but they give teachers the opportunity to hold class outside when it’s time for science lessons. Students of all grades participate in an interactive curriculum, administered by FTPF educators, teaching the importance of trees for the environment and fruit in the diet— culminating in group tree planting exercises that empower the next generation of environmental stewards.

One teacher from a participant school in Hayward, Calif., noted that “Fruit Tree 101 might be the most memorable experience for our students during their entire high school careers.”

Last year alone, FTPF planted edible schoolyard orchards at more than 30 public schools.

3. Reservation Preservation

Reservation Preservation provides fruit and nut tree orchards to low-income communities on Native American reservations. The harvest not only provides healthy sustenance, but also a potential source of income. Orchards last for generations are donated strictly for the benefit of the tribe for improved nutrition and environmental benefits. Participating tribes have described the project as a mobilizer for the community with profound “healing” effects.

For example, in conjunction with the Havasupai tribal administration in Arizona, FTPF established community fruit tree orchards which are open to all members of the tribe, and planted the remaining trees in residential backyards to provide a healthy source of easily-accessible nutrition for decades to follow. The reservation has no roads leading in and is thus difficult to supply with a consistent source of fresh produce. The village is often referred to as the most remote in the country, requiring that the trees be airlifted down via helicopter. As a result of the project, Supai is the first town in the world where every household has access to fruit trees in their backyards.

4. Global Cooling Zones

Global Cooling Zones help directly offset carbon dioxide emissions by distributing free fruit trees to residents and creating public fruit tree orchards in metropolitan areas, with an emphasis on city parks and regions devastated by natural disasters. Park visitors can breathe the fresh air created by the trees and then enjoy a healthy snack.

One recent example can be found at Kilbourn Park in Chicago, where FTPF created the first-ever mature public fruit tree orchard in a major metropolitan city park. Some of the trees measured more than 20 feet in height and 5000 pounds in weight. FTPF held a workshop through the city's Organic Gardening Series” to provide training and inspiration for community members to plant more trees.

Another example involves distributing 700 high quality fruit trees to residents of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in conjunction with the city’s parks department, for hurricane relief.

5. Roots of Recovery

Roots of Recovery involves planting fruit trees at facilities where the harvest will help patients and residents—places such as drug rehabs, hospitals, and health centers.

FTPF recently made a 72-tree orchard donation to a world-renowned nonprofit healing center in Arizona that helps patients recover from debilitating illnesses through diet and lifestyle choices. The center will use excess harvest to donate to local food banks. FTPF has also donated trees to drug recovery centers for women in Santa Rosa and San Diego, California, including banana, mulberry, loquat, grapefruit, jujube, and stone fruit trees. Volunteers from the rehab programs expressed a great sense of accomplishment and therapy as a result of planting trees.

6. Orchards for Animals

Orchards for Animals improves lives for rescued animals on sanctuaries by providing fruit trees for shade, shelter, enrichment, and healthy diets. When the trees mature, animals are able to enjoy delicious fruits and foraging opportunities. During times of extreme heat or precipitation, animals can seek shade and shelter under the trees without being away from their food source. Fruit trees allow for the most natural diet available to animals, plucked fresh off the tree with nochemicals or pesticides.