WEST CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, September 18, 2026: Representatives of PanAmerican Seed® attended the Bradford Greenhouses 33rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament in Ontario, Canada, to officially present this year’s donation check from the Beacon® Impatiens “Beacon Shines The Light” charitable program. This year’s charity was “Roots for Youth,” which provides bursaries (scholarships) for post-secondary education. The organization has been the primary charitable focus of the Bradford Greenhouses Family Trust since 2018.

Following an outstanding 2026 gardening season, the Bradford Greenhouses’ “Roots for Youth” organization received a generous donation on behalf of Beacon® Impatiens to benefit the empowerment of young adults and teenagers who have experienced family hardships. The funds were raised through seed sales, charity amplification to consumer audiences, promotional T-shirt sales, and additional fundraising activities by the team.

“Seeing our Beacon Impatiens raise awareness and funds for worthy charities is one of the best benefits of choosing this product for your shade programs,” says Sarah Makiejus, Global Product Manager for PanAmerican Seed. “Beyond the innovation these genetics bring to the industry, they put smiles on people’s faces as they help make a difference – both in the garden and for the organizations they support each year.”

“Roots for Youth” Director and President, Len Ferragine, along with Director and Secretary, Jason Hemsworth, have witnessed first-hand how their organization’s bursaries have helped young people pursue post-secondary education and achieve their goals.

“We are extremely grateful to Beacon Impatiens, PanAmerican Seed, and everyone who helped make this donation possible,” says Ferragine. “This is an incredible example of how a community can come together to create meaningful opportunities for young people.”

Since its launch in 2019, the “Beacon Shines The Light” program has raised awareness and provided financial support to a carefully-selected charitable organization each gardening season. To date, the program has raised nearly half a million dollars for worthy causes. Visit the Beacon® Impatiens consumer website to learn about all of the partnerships over the years: www.BeaconImpatiens.com/ShineTheLight/

Beacon® Impatiens, known for its high resistance to impatiens downy mildew, is the product behind the annual “Beacon Shines The Light” charitable initiative. A new charity partner will be announced soon for the 2027 sales season. Stay tuned for its reveal, and for additional opportunities to promote and support this cause-marketing effort.

For more information about Beacon® Impatiens, visit www.beaconimpatiens.com. Contact your preferred PanAmerican Seed supplier for availability.

_{About “Roots for Youth”
Roots for Youth is a charitable foundation established in 2018 by the Ferragine family, founding owners of Bradford Greenhouses Ltd. (Ontario, Canada). The primary focus is to help fund students who are struggling due to difficult family or financial situations. The charity creates bursaries to reduce the burden of post-secondary education so that teens and young adults in need can plant their roots and grow to become productive members of the community. Learn more at www.rootsforyouth.com.}

_{About PanAmerican Seed
PanAmerican Seed is an internationally renowned breeder and producer of seed-raised flowers and vegetables based in West Chicago, IL, that produces high-quality and best-performing varieties. Research facilities in North and South America, the Pacific Rim and Europe enable us to test and evaluate new varieties under numerous climate conditions. Our state-of-the-art seed distribution center guarantees quick, efficient processing of orders for our worldwide customers. Visit www.panamseed.com for more information.}