Dole Packaged Foods Honors Local Community With 2019 Rose Parade® Float

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Dec. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Dole Packaged Foods teamed up with FOOD Share (a Feeding America food bank) to announce the theme of its ninth annual Rose Parade® Float, Rhythm of Paradise.

The 2019 Rose Parade Float, Rhythm of Paradise, demonstrates Dole's commitment to hunger relief and its support for those in need within its local California community.

Leading the float is a 20-foot tall life-like sculpture of Lono, the Hawaiian deity and god of music and peace. Lono holds a sunburst, which has a special meaning on the float this year. The local California community has experienced significant challenges during the last half of this year, so the sunburst was created to "share the sunshine" and represent optimism, while showcasing how the community continues to band together towards a bright future. 

Rhythm of Paradise pays special homage to Dole's Hawaiian heritage and roots. Lush floral gardens, a cascading waterfall, live-fire tiki torches and a whimsical bubble enhance the tropical surroundings of the 24-foot float. Four drummers and three dancers will perform on top of the "island" while 10 dancers, including two fire dancers, flank the sides of the float at the street level.

This year's Rose Parade theme, 'The Melody of Life,' celebrates music ? a universal language that has the power to bring us together. The six-time Rose Parade Sweepstakes Trophy champion has a longstanding commitment to bring communities together with the goal to Let Sunshine In, Drive Hunger Out by helping those in need find their rhythm.

"Giving back is key to Dole's culture," said Dave Spare, Vice President of Marketing, Dole Packaged Foods. "Music is a universal language that has the power to bring people together. This year we want to tie in 'The Melody of Life' theme and inspire communities to come together to help those in need within their local communities."

Throughout its participation in the Rose Parade, Dole Packaged Foods has shown its commitment to providing convenient, nutritious, non-GMO fruits and snacks to help people live long and healthy lives, as well as using healthy and safe ways to grow its products to conserve Earth's most precious natural resources for generations to come.

Dole Packaged Foods is committed to hunger relief and stocking local food banks with more sunshine through its partnerships with local retailers and food banks around the country like FOOD Share. The company donates 1.5 million pounds of healthy food each year to support families in need through school drives, product donations and employee volunteerism.

About Dole Packaged Foods, LLC
Dole Packaged Foods, LLC is a world leader in growing, sourcing, distributing and marketing fruit and healthy snacks. Dole sells a full-line of packaged ambient fruit, frozen fruit, dried fruit, and juices. The company focuses on four pillars of sustainability: water management, carbon footprint, soil conservation and waste reduction. For more information please visit DoleSunshine.com or Doleintlcsr.com.

^®, TM & ©2018 Dole Packaged Foods, LLC.

About FOOD Share
Since 1984, FOOD Share has been feeding the hungry in Ventura County. It all began when eight friends banded together to provide food to those in need under a bridge in Ventura, CA. The early philanthropic movement started in a family garage, quickly outgrew a donated fire station in Saticoy and now operates in Oxnard, CA with two warehouses with a combined 36,000 square feet. Today, staff and volunteers distribute almost 12 million pounds of food, or 10 million meals annually through its 190 pantry and program partners. As Ventura County's regional food bank, FOOD Share provides food for over 75,000 hungry friends and neighbors monthly. FOOD Share is a member of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief network of food banks, as well as the California Association of Food Banks. For more information about FOOD Share, visit www.foodshare.com.

About the Pasadena Tournament of Roses^®
The Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that hosts America's New Year Celebration^® with the Rose Parade^® presented by Honda, the Rose Bowl Game^® presented by Northwestern Mutual and a variety of accompanying events. 935 volunteer members of the association will drive the success of 130th Rose Parade themed "The Melody of Life," on Tuesday, January 1, 2019, followed by the 105th Rose Bowl Game.  For more information, visit www.tournamentofroses.com. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

SOURCE Dole Packaged Foods