Sharing the Joy of Books & Berries with Children in Driscoll’s Berry-Growing Communities Nationwide

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and Driscoll’s recognize that special moments are best enjoyed together, whether sharing a delightful berry treat or a captivating book with those you love. Hear from Marisa Christensen, Associate Marketing Manager at Driscoll’s, as she explores how our partnership fosters the joy of reading through their children’s book “A Sofia Special” and book celebration events that provided 1,800 books and literacy resources to students in communities nationwide. Visit Literacy Central to discover “A Sofia Special” and its accompanying resources.

The connection between berries and reading may not be immediately clear, but what both have in common is how an ordinary moment can be made more special by sharing it with someone else. At Driscoll’s, berries are so much more than a sweet snack or dessert ingredient. Berries conjure memories of cherished childhood experiences: family picnics in the park, weekend blueberry pancakes, and afternoons spent baking pies. These sweet moments are best enjoyed together, and there’s nothing more valuable to share with children than our time.

The same can be said about reading, which is why we chose to partner with RIF for a second year to share our children’s book, A Sofia Special, in the communities where we operate. Storytime is a treasured ritual for many young children. We saw how important reading together became for families during the pandemic and its aftermath, which is why Driscoll’s created a children’s book that focuses on sharing and resilience. Through this partnership, we have been able to spread a love of books and learning by bringing reading events to the communities that grow Driscoll’s berries nationwide.

Driscoll’s is dedicated to spreading joy through sharing, primarily through our delicious berries. Our commitment extends beyond the fruit we sell though; we strive to grow our berries in harmony with the communities and the environment that sustain us, a commitment we call “One Family, One Earth™.” Recognizing our responsibility to these vibrant communities, we invest in local health and education programs that promote social and physical wellness. Through this partnership with RIF, we have been able to support their mission of disrupting the U.S. youth literacy crisis while providing over 1,800 books to over 500 children this year in our growing regions of Plant City, FL; Salem, OR; Oxnard, CA; and Santa Maria, CA.

Last year, we received wonderful feedback from both employee volunteers and participating schools at the events near our headquarters of Watsonville, CA. None rang as clear as the delight from the kindergarteners through second-graderswho listened to the readings of A Sofia Special, especially when hearing it in Spanish, the first language of many. At this year’s events, each child was able to choose at least three books to take home along with an additional copy of the book in Spanish if they came from a Spanish-speaking household. In some cases, these books were the very beginnings of students’ own home library that they will cherish for years to come. To top it off, the children worked on literacy activity sheets with the help of Driscoll’s employees and enjoyed a berry feast, just as Sofia does in the end of her story. As a Driscoll’s employee, it was very rewarding when some of those children saw our brand logo on the napkins and proudly proclaimed “my mom/dad works for this company!” It is a gift for us to go into our communities and make a tangible impact on the lives that are touched by our business. It was also particularly inspiring to see our internal leadership come out to participate in the event, including our Oxnard District Manager Moises Hurtado and Driscoll’s Giving Director Matthew Quinlan, both of whom led lively book readings modeled after story time they have shared with their own children.

As we look to the year ahead, we are excited to explore opportunities to build on this partnership and reach even more children, perhaps by expanding online availability of our literacy resources and by partnering with some of our retail customers to bring reading events and other experiential activations to grocery stores. We encourage others to join us in celebrating the power of stories and the sweetness of shared moments!

Marisa Christensen is an Associate Marketing Manager for Driscoll’s social and environmental impact. She started her career in digital marketing at an organic salad company, where she found a passion for nurturing the health of people and of the planet. After three years of brand marketing at Driscoll’s, she transitioned into SEI Marketing where she aligns her values with storytelling about how Driscoll’s is positively impacting its communities and the environment with unique initiatives like this partnership with RIF.