Troy-Bilt® And Katie's Krops Partner To Inspire The Next Generation Of Gardeners

CLEVELAND, Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Troy-Bilt^® was founded on a passion for gardening, introducing the first rototiller in 1937 and has stayed true to its heritage ever since. This commitment continues in Troy-Bilt's partnership with Katie's Krops as part of the Taking Root™ gardening program.

Katie's Krops is a youth-based nonprofit gardening grant and education program focused on ending hunger by encouraging 9- to 16-year-olds to plant vegetable gardens and donate the fresh produce they harvest to a local charity of their choice. There are currently 83 Katie's Krops gardens in 31 states.

The organization was founded in 2008 by then 9-year-old Katie Stagliano after she saw how big a difference she made by donating a 40-pound cabbage she grew to a local soup kitchen, the TriCounty Family Ministries. That experience sparked Katie's dream to end hunger and resulted in the creation of Katie's Krops.

"We're so grateful to have Katie's Krops involved with our Taking Root program to not only inspire the next generation of gardeners, but also support the Katie's Krops mission to end hunger right in our own backyards," said Megan Peth, brand marketing director at Troy-Bilt. "The work Katie is doing and all that she has accomplished is a testament of her hard work and the impact Katie's Krops is making on communities across the country. That's something we're so honored and proud to be a part of."

Taking Root funded six Katie's Krops gardens and donated equipment to all 83 gardens to help make sure growers have the proper tools they need for day-to-day maintenance to keep their gardens flourishing from season to season.

Troy-Bilt also helped break ground on three new Katie's Krops gardens and assisted growers in completing the installation of their gardens – everything from tilling soil to planting seedlings. Gardening experts from Troy-Bilt's Saturday6™ bloggers were also on hand to provide assistance and gardening advice to the young growers.

These groundbreaking gardens included:

• The Community Boys & Girls Club of Wilmington in Wilmington, N.C., where the garden's produce is used to help feed children from the club and their families
• The St. Vincent DePaul Youth Group in Richboro, Pa., where they donate the fresh vegetables from their garden to a local food bank
• The Merton Intermediate School in Merton, Wis., which donates its produce to various community charities in Merton

To date, all Troy-Bilt funded and supported Katie's Krops gardens have harvested and donated nearly 3,000 pounds of produce to their local charities.

"We are thrilled to partner with Troy-Bilt to empower kids to grow a healthy end to hunger across the United States," said Stacy Stagliano, president of Katie's Krops. "Troy-Bilt has provided Katie's Krops growers with the tools and expertise needed to grow a bountiful harvest. We are truly blessed to have their support."

To learn more about Taking Root and Katie's Krops, visit troybilt.com. 

About Troy-Bilt

In 1937, Troy-Bilt introduced the first American-made rototiller and since then has expanded its legendary expertise and durable product line to create a complete selection of the industry's finest lawn and garden tools. The company's award-winning product line includes top-quality tractors, mowers, tillers, cultivators, trimmers, snow throwers and a variety of outdoor power tools. Troy-Bilt machines are built to last and engineered to take on the toughest challenges to make jobs simpler and safer. Headquartered in Valley City, Ohio, and with multiple manufacturing locations across the country, including Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi, Troy-Bilt is committed to the communities it's a part of and keeping America working as hard as it can. For more information, visit troybilt.com or Troy-Bilt's Facebook Page.

About Katie's Krops

Katie's Krops empowers youth across the country to grow and end hunger in their communities, one vegetable garden at a time. The youth-based, not-for-profit was founded by now 17-year-old Katie Stagliano, who at the tender age of 9 grew and donated a 40-pound cabbage to a soup kitchen where it fed 275. Moved by the experience, she started Katie's Krops which currently has over 80 youth-run gardens in over 30 states.

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SOURCE Troy-Bilt