ReciPEACE on Earth: Spotlight on Thresholds (+ 9 Other Charities We're Thrilled to Support)

2018 was a big year for us here at CAULIPOWER.

We launched a ton of new stuff –– paleo crust, two versions of pepperoni pizza, and cauliflower-based baking mix. We brought CAULIPOWER to the people with our shiny new Food Truck. We got to meet 55K of you on Instagram and 125K of you on Facebook. And we had so much fun hearing your submissions to Nominate Your School for a teaching garden in partnership with our fave nonprofit, OneSun. Needless to say, we have a whole lot to be thankful for!

Because we're so grateful for the love and support we've received, we decided to add to these wonderful celebrations by sharing the love with more amazing people and organizations working to make their communities better for everyone.

So this year, we worked with our favorite foodie influencers to learn not just about their favorite ways to CAULIPOWER the season, but also the charities nearest and dearest to their hearts (it was one of our favorite things to do last year, too!). We're happy to say that ReciPEACE on Earth was a huge success: we donated $1,000 to each of the 10 charities, plus a supply of CAULIPOWER pizzas to fuel their good works in the year ahead. And, just for fun, the post with the most "likes" won a year's worth of free CAULIPOWER pizza for the charity it supports.

It was a tight race, but we found ourselves a winner: Kale & Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza with Balsamic Glaze by Mia Zarlengo in support of Thresholds!

Without further ado, get to know more about Thresholds and how they plan to fuel good in 2019 and beyond!


CAULIPOWER: Tell our fans a little bit about your charity. What has been your most successful program?

Thresholds: Thresholds provides healthcare, housing, and hope to more than 15,000 people with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders in Illinois each year. We're one of the oldest and largest providers of recovery services. Many of our clients are disabled by their illnesses, and most come to Thresholds living well below the federal poverty line. Our goal is to help our clients recover and keep them living independently in their communities –– and out of the institutions where persons with mental illnesses and substance use disorders often go when they don't have access to treatment, like emergency rooms, jails, hospitals, and nursing homes.

We offer 30 innovative programs at more than 100 locations throughout the Chicago area, which include assertive outreach, case management, housing, employment, education, psychiatry, primary care, substance use treatment, and research. We also have specialty programs for particular populations, such as our Veterans Project as well as young mothers, homeless individuals, and those who have had involvement in the justice system.

CAULIPOWER: What initiatives are you most excited about in 2019?

Thresholds: In 2019, we'll be celebrating our 60th anniversary. Thresholds has a long history of innovation, and our future will contain more of those signature innovations. One example is expanding our MindStrong program, the first of its kind in Illinois. MindStrong is a multidisciplinary, evidence-informed program that treats young people right after experiencing psychosis for the first time. Most serious mental illnesses show up for the first time before age 24, but the average time before getting treatment is over six years. If we instead provide quality treatment right away, evidence shows that we can prevent a lifetime of disability and symptoms.

CAULIPOWER: What do you plan to do with your year's worth of pizza?

Thresholds: Our programs could not be successful –– and our clients could not recover –– without the help of our tireless, hardworking, and inspiring staff. They work so hard, often in difficult circumstances, to help our clients find hope and healing.

We're thrilled to have donated a total of $10,000 to ten incredible charities this holiday season. And since these posts beat our goal of 20,000 collective Likes, we're throwing a pizza party for all 10 charities!

Take a look at some of the other organizations who worked so hard to make the world a better place in 2018. We're incredibly honored to support them:

Shriners Hospitals for Children –– selected by Erin Wade
A health care system providing comprehensive care to children ages 0-18, specializing in orthopaedics, burn care, spinal cord injury, and cleft lip and palate.

Project Angel Food –– selected by Courtney Swan
A nonprofit agency dedicated to preparing & delivering healthy meals to Los Angeles people impacted by serious illness.

Baby 2 Baby –– selected by Dani Nemeh
A nonprofit organization that provides children living in poverty, ages 0-12, with diapers, clothing, and all the basic necessities that every child deserves.

City Harvest NYC –– selected by Charles Chen
The world's first food rescue program, dedicated to ending hunger in communities throughout New York City.

Reach for the Stars, in Miami –– selected by Leah Goldglantz
A charitable organization, in honor of Alan Epstein, that supports exemplary students in need of financial aid.

Breast Cancer Prevention Partners –– selected by Clara Norfleet
The leading science-based policy organization working to prevent breast cancer by eliminating exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation.

Feeding America –– selected by Katie White
A network of food banks leading the fight to end hunger in communities across the United States.

Red Rover –– selected by Becky LaChance
A national animal welfare nonprofit organization bringing animals from crisis to care, strengthening the human-animal bond.

Food For Thought Denver –– selected by Meredith Hohman
A registered 501(c)(3) that strives to eliminate weekend hunger for children in the Denver area by providing PowerSacks.

Thanks for making ReciPEACE on Earth! Here's to a healthy, happy 2019!