July 25, 2012

Businesses Give Back

Genevie Hatate
Stephanie Long
Todd Rozsa
1

I NTRODUCTI ON
We greatly appreciate the opportunity to submit a proposal for Businesses Give Back. We believe our
pilot program The Grub Club will help promote social responsibility and encourage community
engagement in the Dallas metroplex. By combining resources with the 4-H Club and Future Farmers of
America, we seek to offer students in the Dallas educational system a new experience. We believe that
nutritional knowledge and active lessons with food can enrich lives in our community, improve test
scores, and grow confident leaders. We are excited to get our hands dirty alongside Dallas youth to
achieve these goals, and we endeavor to ask for your assistance.

HISTORY OF ELLIOTTS HARDWARE
As a staple of Dallas, Elliotts Hardware has proudly served the Dallas community for more than 60
years. Our mission statement is that we specialize in making hard-to-find items readily available, and
providing the best service and selection to our customers every day (Elliotts Hardware, 2012). Since
first opening our doors in 1947, we have continued to provide our customers with a local, knowledgeable,
and friendly atmosphere. As a neighborhood hardware store, customers can find single nuts or bolts
without having to buy an entire box, as they would from a large retailer. Our customers have been known
to trek across town just to buy their goods and parts from Elliotts. We instill in our employees the
importance of valuing each and every customer so that we can better provide for the Dallas community.
We currently operate three stores: Dallas, Mesquite, and Plano. In addition to our highly acclaimed
customer service, our chains stock more than 100,000 varieties of items. With our reputable and long-
standing services, we at Elliotts Hardware have the necessary resources to supply the tools and materials
for this pilot program, and the ability to give back to the Dallas community.

PROBLEMATI C ISSUE
Anson Jones Elementary School is a pre-kindergarten through 6
th
grade campus in the Dallas Independent
School District. The school is located in the heart of Dallas, and houses approximately 85 staff members
and 950 students. Before-school and after-school transportation is only provided to special education
students (DISD, 2010). Thus, many children do not have the means to go home, until a parent is able to
pick them up, which tends to be several hours after classes have been released. Of the 950 students
enrolled at Anson Jones, 99% of the students either receive free or reduced lunches (School Digger,
2

2011). According to the Texas Education Agency, eligibility for the National School Lunch Program is
based on family income levels (TEA, 2012).
A teacher of 10 years, Mrs. Mary Cotton, a 4
th
grade teacher at Anson Jones Elementary School,
approached us with her concerns, that since most students are from low-income families, many children
only consume one meal a day; the lunch provided at school. Mrs. Cotton observed a strong relationship
between academic standings and under or malnourished students in her classes. Many of the students are
noticeably lethargic or uneager to excel in school. She has also noticed the children have a common
tendency to make poor food choices, mainly due to the unhealthy food options offered in the cafeteria.


Figure 1 - The percentage of students eligible for the free or discounted lunch program at
Anson Elementary School has steadily risen to a current rate over 99% (School Digger, 2011).


Figure 2 - With the exception of 2009, Anson Elementary School consistently ranks in the bottom 25%
of all Texas elementary schools (School Digger, 2011).

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Year
% Students Eligible for free/discounted lunch
% Free/Disc Lunch
0%
100%
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Year
Statewide Rank Position Percentile
Anson Jones Elementary School compared to other Texas Elementary
Schools
Texas State Percentile
3

Figure 3 Academic Performance Correlated with participation in school lunch (Legislative Analyst's Office. 2009)
In addition to Mrs. Cottons observations, many nutritionists and researches believe there is a direct
relationship between proper nutrition and improved grades. Jamie Oliver is a celebrity chef who has
garnered a lot of attention, and his own television show on the subject, in his quest to improve the
nutritional quality of school lunches. He has long claimed that the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in
the diets of school age children has a negative impact on their learning abilities (Belot & James, 2011). A
study was recently published in the Journal of Health Economics that specifically examined the
connection between nutrition and test scores using a menu based on Chef Olivers Feed Me Better
campaign (Belot & James, 2011). Using scores from standardized testing, Belot and James observed an
8% improvement in science scores among 11-year olds, and a 6% improvement in English scores for the
same group (2011). In addition, they observed a 15% decrease in absenteeism due to illness (Belot &
James, 2011).
Due to increased media attention from nutrition programs such as Chef Olivers Feed Me Better
program, great strides have been made toward providing healthier lunches for school-aged children.
However, after school, many parents find it easier and cheaper to feed their families from the dollar
menus of nearby fast food restaurants. There are eight fast food restaurants within half a mile of Anson
Jones Elementary School, while the nearest full service grocery store is over two miles away (Google
4

Maps, 2012). We at Elliotts Hardware would like to initiate a program that will expand on the progress
already made by movements such as Feed Me Better campaign. We believe we can do this by
increasing student access to a variety of fresh vegetables through a school gardening program we call
The Grub Club.
I NTRODUCTI ON TO THE GRUB CLUB
Our pilot program, The Grub Club, will be a daily afterschool program geared towards 4
th
and 5
th

graders at Anson Elementary. Mrs. Cotton has already volunteered to be the internal director for the club.
This program will run from 3:30 p.m to 5 p.m. A signup sheet will be available for parents to volunteer
or enlist their children in the program. Approximately 25 students will be able to attend each session.
Each session will teach the different aspects of the square foot gardening concept, and allow students the
opportunity to participate hands-on. This program will equip students with the knowledge and ability to
start their own personal gardens; which will then hopefully guide students to make better food choices
that lead to a healthier and better lifestyle. By working alongside other individuals and peers, students
will also be able to enhance their leadership and social skills.

SQUARE FOOT GARDENI NG CONCEPT
We plan to utilize Mel Bartholomews concept of square foot gardening to maximize crop yield and
minimize gardening space (Bartholomew, 2006). We will focus on plants that are suited for Texas
climate, and that have fast to moderate growth cycles, so that students are able to achieve the largest
possible produce yields (Masabni, 2009, p. 2). There will be a fall planting at the beginning of the school
year, and harvesting will take place up until the first frost of the season. An early spring planting will
follow after the last frost of the season, with harvesting to take place through the remainder of the school
year (Bartholomew, 2006, p.116). Each planter box yields approximately 126 plants throughout a typical
harvest and requires approximately 95 gallons of water per week (Square foot gardening, n.d.). All
gardening will be organic; instead of pesticides, plants with natural pest repellent properties (ex.
marigolds) will be planted in the garden to protect neighboring plants (Square Foot Gardening, n.d.).




5

FARMING LOGISTICS
Tomato

1
Tomato

1
Bean, Pole

8
Bean, Pole

8
Carrot

16
Onion

16
Spinach

9
Lettuce

4
Carrot

16
Onion

16


Pest control
plants
Lettuce

4
Pepper

1
Pepper

1
Pepper

1
Pepper

1
Figure 4 Proposed layout of a square-foot garden.

ON-SI TE COMPOSTI NG
Elliotts Hardware will provide one on-site composter. For the initial planting, we will provide bagged
compost until the gardeners have time to develop their own compost (usually 4-6 weeks.) (Compost
reviews, n.d.) The RotoComposter Compost Tumbler was selected because of its design; it allows the
gardener to enclose the compost to prevent vermin infestation and to eliminate odors (Compost
reviews, n.d.). Its rotating design also allows frequent turning of the compost and faster yields of
useable compost (Compost Reviews, n.d.). Kitchen scraps from the cafeteria, such as vegetable
peelings, egg shells, coffee grounds (teachers lounge), as well as grass clippings and leaves will be used
to develop the compost (Bartholomew, 2006, p. 92).
FARMERS MARKET
The crops harvested from the garden project will be sold at a student farmers market every Saturday
morning. Parent volunteers will help supervise the students as they sell their produce, and the teacher
6

volunteer who heads the program will monitor all cash transactions. Students, however, will actually run
the market.
All produce will be sold below market cost. The goal is not to make a profit, but to provide low-priced,
fresh produce to students in need. All proceeds from the sale of the produce will be put into a school
supply fund for the entire school. Students who take on leadership roles in the gardening club will have
input, along with Mrs. Cottons guidance, as to how the money is spent on school supplies.
STAFFI NG SOLUTI ON: PARTNERSHI P WITH 4-H/FFA
The Grub Club staffing needs are unique in that it requires people who have agricultural knowledge and
know-how, who also can work with children and actively participate in outdoor activity. Educators at the
school alone will not meet this demand. The 4-H Club and Future Farmers of America organizations can
provide volunteers with precisely the skills and tools necessary to help The Grub Club. Each
organization has educational and developmental goals for young people that mirror ours. In addition, they
offer a path beyond our program for our young leaders and farmers to follow to achieve goals and
employment in agricultural fields. The afterschool timing of our program should allow for not only adult
volunteers to participate with our elementary students, but also for High School members of local FFA
and 4-H Clubs to practice their craft and fulfill volunteer requirements.
The first line of FFAs mission statement exemplifies their similar goals for young people: The National
FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their
potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural
education.(ffa.org, n.d.) It is an organization focused on high school students, preparing them for
colleges and careers in agricultural and related industries.
Similarly the 4-H Club, whose focus begins with younger students, has agreed to supply their already
developed curriculum. For example, Food, Culture and Reading (4-h.org, n.d.) is a text available in
English and Spanish that explains the food pyramid using different countries and cultures. It also
includes a Family Take-home sheet which provides nutritional information, activities and recipes for
families to do at home. (4-h.org, n.d.) The 4-H Club is an organization that according to their web
page already has some 6 million youth members who are supported by 540,000 volunteers, 3,500
professionals and 60 million alumni.
FFA and 4-H staff members are dedicated to similar goals as The Grub Club. In addition, the staff
members are actively seeking to recruit new members and introduce children to their organizations. By
utilizing these staff members, we will have the best of all worlds and a motivated workforce.
7

BENEFI TS
The primary goal of this program is to not only provide students with access to fresh vegetables, but to
also teach them the skills to grow their own produce at home. However, the potential lessons are not
limited to gardening proficiency alone. This program also provides teachers the opportunity to translate
classroom topics into real world lessons in several different subjects. Science topics can be covered
through discussions of nutrition, plant biology, insects, weather patterns, composting, and recycling.
Social studies can be incorporated by exploration of native plants from cultures around the world. The
farmers market offers lessons in money management, introductory business concepts, as well as
leadership and social skills. Students also have the opportunity to learn about civic responsibility and
awareness by donating revenues from the farmers market to the school supply fund.
Benefits do not stop with the students directly involved in The Grub Club; the school supply fund will
improve classroom studies for all the students at Anson Jones Elementary School. Many Dallas schools
do not have enough textbooks or other necessary classroom supplies, and many teachers pay for materials
with their own money. The farmers market provides a small source of revenue to alleviate the financial
burden on the teachers of Anson Jones Elementary, but there are also several state and federal incentive
programs that offer grants to schools that implement nutrition programs like The Grub Club. These
potential grants offer a real opportunity to increase student access to first-rate study materials that are
necessary for curriculum improvements.
COST BREAKDOWN
Elliotts will build all the necessary planters in our Dallas location store. This will eliminate the need for
the program to purchase expensive premade planter boxes or to buy expensive tools to assemble the
boxes. We will follow the simple, low-cost plans from the ehow website to construct six garden boxes
for the pilot program (Crawford, n.d.). Vertical frames will be added to each box to support vine plants,
such as the pole beans and tomatoes, following Bartholomews specifications (2006, p. 148). We will
also provide all materials necessary for running the farmers market. The following is a breakdown of the
value of all materials to be provided by Elliotts Hardware for the start-up of The Grub Club:
MATERIALS AND TOOLS TO CONSTRUCT BOXES

Stanley 25 ft. Tape Measure 1 9.88 9.88
Ryobi 18-Volt ONE+ 5-1/2 in. Cordless Circular Saw with Laser 1 59.97 59.97
Ryobi 1/2 in. 18-Volt Cordless Drill Kit 1 69.00 69.00
8

Ryobi 21 Piece Black Oxide Drill Bit Set 1 9.97 9.97
Husky 3 in. Phillips Head Screwdriver 1 3.49 3.49
Ames 48 In. Steel Blade Round Point Shovel 1 10.97 10.97
Ames Garden Hoe 1 11.97 11.97
Paslode 2 in. x 16-Gauge 2M Galvanized Steel Straight Finishing
Nails 1 14.78 14.78
Workforce 10 oz. Steel Rip Hammer 1 4.96 4.96

SUBTOTAL

194.99



VARIABLE COSTS PER PLANTER BOX


2 x 6 x 8 #2 & Better Spruce Pine Fir Lumber 2 4.49 8.98
FastenMaster TimberLok #14 x 4 in. Coarse-Thread Hex Wood
Screws (12-Pack) 1 11.83 11.83
THERMOROCK 2.0 cu. ft. Vermiculite (Medium Grade) 1 20.97 20.97
Miracle-Gro 2.0 cu. ft. Enriched Sphagnum Peat Moss 1 9.47 9.47
25 lb. Organic Compost with Cow Manure 1 2.67 2.67
1 x 4 x 8 Furring Strip 3 1.72 5.16
Allied Tube & Conduit 1/2 in. x 10 ft. Electric Metallic Tube
Conduit
2 1.67 3.34
Weyerhaeuser 1/2 in. x 4 ft. Rebar
1 2.98 2.98
Genova Products 1/2 in. CPVC 90-Degree Mechanical x Mechanical
Universal Elbow
2 3.00 6.00
Viagrow 5 ft. x 15 ft. Garden Trellis Netting
1 6.97 6.97
Ames Ergo Gel Grip Hand Trowel 4 7.97 31.88
Ames Ergo Gel Grip Hand Cultivator 4 7.97 31.88

SUBTOTAL (1 box)

142.13

SUB TOTAL (6 boxes) 6 142.13 852.78



FIXED COSTS PER SCHOOL


True Temper 4 cu. ft. Plastic Wheelbarrow 1 34.97 34.97
RotoComposter Compost Tumbler 1 199.95 199.95

SUBTOTAL

234.92


9

FIXED COSTS FOR FARMERS' MARKET


SHALLOW HALF BUSHEL FLAT BOTTOM 24 2.65 63.60
Anti-Theft Security Cable Cash Box, Black (2 boxes) 1 23.50 23.50
Mainstays 6-foot Long Center-Fold Table, White 3 42.00 126.00

SUBTOTAL

213.10

GRAND TOTAL

1,495.79

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
As the Chamber is surely aware, Dallas uses a tiered water usage cost rating, which increases as water
usage by an organization increases. Anson Jones Elementary School likely consumes over 2 million
gallons of water per year, which would place them in a high tier bracket in terms of costs per gallon
(City of Dallas, 2011). The added water usage for this program could place the school in a higher rate
category. Even if funds are provided to cover the programs usage, the increase in the rate per gallon
could increase the schools water bill as well. We are seeking funds to help cover the water costs so that
our program does not have a negative impact on an already financially burdened school. As such we will
need to pay for at least 20,520 gallons of water per year at the cost of $2 per gallon (City of Dallas,
2011). We calculated that per box, we will need at least 92 gallons of water per week. Our plan is to start
with 6 boxes at the pilot school, which will result in an estimated cost of $25,000 per semester and a total
of $50,000 per year.
In order to meet this need we ask the Dallas Chamber of Commerce for $50,000 dollars to cover this
expense in our pilot year. Going forward, we would require a similar amount per year for each additional
school with the caveat that situations and the cost of water are not static. Of course, by coming to the
Chamber with our need, we would bow to City expertise on need and cost of water, especially for
projections far into the future and for multiple schools. We believe that with our relatively low cost for
the pilot program and significant room to grow, the Chamber will have the opportunity to fund and grow
The Grub Club for years to come.

10

REFERENCES
4-H. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.4-h.org/
Bartholomew, M. (2006). All new square foot gardening: Grow more in less space! (2
nd
ed.). Franklin,
Tennessee: Cool Springs Press.
Belot, M., & James, J. (2011). Healthy school meals and educational outcomes. Journal of Health
Economics, 30 (3), p. 489-504.
City of Dallas: Water utilities. (2011). Retrieved from
http://dallascityhall.com/dwu/billing_rates_monthly.html
Composter reviews. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://composterreviews.info/rotocomposter-compost-tumbler-
and-rotocomposter-jr.html
Crawford, K. (n.d.). How to construct a square foot garden bed. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/how_7329683_construct-square-foot-garden-bed.html
Dallas Independent School District. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.dallasisd.org/
Elliotts Hardware. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.elliottshardware.com/
F.F.A. Future Farmers of America. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ffa.org/Pages/default.aspx
Legislative Analyst's Office. (2009). Retrieved from
http://www.lao.ca.gov/2009/edu/academic_success/academic_success_0109.aspx
Masabni, J. (2009). Texas home vegetable gardening guide. AgriLife extension Texas A&M System, E-
502. Retrieved from http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/guides/E-
502_home_vegetable_guide.pdf
School Digger. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.schooldigger.com/go/TX/schools/1623001291/school.aspx
Square foot gardening. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nepanewsletter.com/square.html
Texas Education Agency. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.tea.state.tx.us/