Hayes Elementary School in Davenport is now home to a 100-square-foot greenhouse thanks to a donation from a retired NFL football player and United Healthcare.
On Monday, former University of Iowa placekicker and NFL player Nate Kaeding cut the ribbon on a new swing set and greenhouse for hundreds of kids at Hayes.
Kaeding says the $20,000 donation is in line with the goals of his "Dreambuilders Foundation," a pro-athelete, philanthropic non-profit.
"Kids get to learn not only the importance of eating proper food but also how the food is grown and where it comes from, and integrating that into the school is awesome. The other element of Dreambuilders is staying active and kids getting at least 30 to 40 minutes of activity in, and there's no better place to do that then at the elementary school's playground."
The greenhouse will be used by the school's Green Team, which will harvest fruit, vegetables, and plants throughout the year.
United Healthcare estimates it donates about a quarter of a million dollars to local school districts each year.