Village Farms Fresh recently partnered with the home improvement series Military Makeover hosted by Montel Williams. The company is featured in episode 2 of season 36, which airs on Lifetime TV beginning Friday, November 17 at 7:30 am ET and PT. Decorated U.S. Army veteran Carlos Colón-Ruiz, who resides in Arlington, Texas, along with his family, receives a home remodel during the series.
“Our company has deep roots in Texas, with a team that was profoundly inspired to help with this veteran’s surprise home renovation,” said Micheal DeGiglio, president & CEO of Village Farms International. DeGiglio is also a veteran who served in the U.S. Navy as an officer and jet aviator, as well as in the Naval Air Reserves, and retired at the rank of Captain.
Art Edmonds, Military Makeover and Mike DeGiglio, Village Farms International, Inc.
During Colón-Ruiz’s military career, he was deployed to Afghanistan, where he suffered serious injuries in the line duty. He was awarded the prestigious Purple Heart by then-President George W. Bush and received an Infantry Badge and Army Commendations medal.
“Village Farms Fresh’s support of our show helps us provide these makeovers for our veterans,” said Scott Moss, president & EVP of programming for Military Makeover and BrandStar Entertainment.
A group of Village Farms Fresh employees who reside in the Dallas Fort Worth area, where the company has a distribution center, volunteered their weekend to help renovate the veteran’s home. The afternoon was complete with a Texas-style bar-b-que in the backyard of the veteran’s home cooked up by a local chef while the teams finished up their efforts. The volunteers and crew devoured the food served featuring local produce grown at the company’s environmentally friendly Texas greenhouses. Juicy Beefsteak® tomatoes were the main course of a BLT sandwich, while a Caprese salad was served featuring Sinfully Sweet Campari® tomatoes. Yummy Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes were grill-roasted and then slathered in chimichurri sauce.
Village Farms Fresh team with Village Farms International Inc. president & CEO Mike DeGiglio.
The company gifted the family items for their new kitchen, including a basket of produce along with culinary accompaniments for the family to prepare their favorite healthy dishes. “It was a joyful afternoon full of grit and fun. I am proud the company championed this valuable effort to help a well-deserving veteran who gave to his country so selflessly,” says Taylor DeLeon, quality control and sales administrator for the company, who was a volunteer that day.
Socially responsible initiatives such as this partnership have always been important to the company in its home state of Texas.
For more information:
Helen L. Aquino
Village Farms Fresh
Tel.: +1 (407) 936-1190
www.villagefarms.com