FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2017
Contact: Liz Kirkwood, Executive Director Contact: Timothy Young, Founder
FLOW (For Love of Water) Esch Road Foods
liz@flowforwater.org timothy@foodforthought.net
FLOW (For Love of Water) and Esch Road Foods Join Forces to Encourage Great Lakes Stewardship and Expand “1% for the Great Lakes”
It’s called 1% for the Great Lakes, but it grows out of 100% enthusiasm for these majestic waters on the part of Timothy and Kathy Young, Founders of Esch Road Foods.
When Food For Thought launched Esch Road Foods, it was named after the founders’ favorite beach in the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Known as “Esch Beach” to locals, the beach held a special meaning for their family, and from the beginning, they committed to using Esch Road Foods to making a difference for the Great Lakes. One piece of that includes their commitment to donate 1% of sales to non-profit organizations that seek to protect and educate on the Great Lakes.
Taking inspiration from Patagonia’s 1% for the Planet campaign, the company launched “1% for the Great Lakes,” created a logo and displayed it proudly in hopes of inspiring both individuals and businesses to do the same. This year, Esch Road Foods devoted all of its 1% to FLOW (For Love of Water) for their inspiring legal and educational work around threats to the Great Lakes. FLOW and Esch Road Foods are partnering to expand the concept of “1% for the Great Lakes” and encourage other business owners and individuals to pledge to join the movement. “Business leaders like Timothy and Kathy Young are models of business environmental stewardship,” said Liz Kirkwood, the Executive Director of FLOW. “Their Great Lakes commitment runs deep.”
In the coming months, FLOW and Esch Road Foods plan to connect with additional Great Lakes Basin business owners to expand the dialogue about Great Lakes stewardship and encourage more people to commit to contributing “1% for the Great Lakes.” Timothy Young, founder of Esch Road Foods, said, “Ultimately, our vision is for ‘1% for the Great Lakes’ to become a movement open to businesses, individuals and other groups, pledging in a variety of ways. Our hope is that folks will use their imaginations and give what they can. Is it 1% of your tax return? 1% of your income? Or if you are a business owner, is it 1% of your sales? That’s up to you. It only matters that we make a commitment. No one can do that except you.”
To learn more, or to join the “1% for the Great Lakes” movement, email FLOW at info@flowforwater.org.
About FLOW (For Love of Water):
Everything is reflected in the name: For Love of Water. FLOW’s mission is to empower people with public trust strategies that will protect the Great Lakes forever. Learn more at flowforwater.org.
About Esch Road Foods:
While founded in 2012, Esch Road Foods comes with a long history of award-winning specialty foods. In 1995, Timothy and Kathy Young founded Food For Thought on their organic farm adjacent to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northwest Michigan. Esch Road Foods is their newest line that represents what is great about the Great Lakes. This line is nothing but premium products that are all natural and made in small batches on the farm. 1% of all sales is donated to Great Lakes conservation. Learn more at eschroad.com.
Dear Timothy & Kathy: I live 2-1/2 hours north of your store but next summer I will drive down to shop at your business and spread the news among all of my friends about your passionate support of our most valuable natural resource. Thank you for your commitment to protecting our Great Lakes. Sincerely, Lynn (wildlife photographer, Alanson, MI)