Mission
Captain Planet Foundation works collaboratively to
engage and empower young people to be problem solvers for the planet.
"When we connect with nature, we heal ourselves. When we protect nature, we heal the planet." - Ted Turner
Where We Came From
Based on the critically-acclaimed animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) was co-founded in 1991 by media mogul Ted Turner and producer Barbara Pyle as a corporate foundation of TBS.
In 2002, CPF separated from TBS and became a 501(c)3 public charity, with the stated mission to work collaboratively to engage and empower young people to be problem solvers for the planet.
What We Do
Over the past 30 years, more than 1.6 million children, as individuals, or with schools and non-profits in all 50 U.S. states and 90 countries, have directly participated in CPF’s programs, which have funded 3,300+ projects, impacting 10.5 million young people.
CPF’s operating programs include: Project Learning Garden which has provided 530+ U.S. elementary schools with onsite learning laboratories and healthy food access; Project Hero which is a nationwide, web-based learning platform for K-12 students to save locally threatened and endangered species & ecosystems; Project Giving Gardens which puts school gardens and young urban gardeners to work in the summer months to provide fresh, organically-managed produce to food banks and food pantries; and Planeteer Alliance, a global network of young people who are putting their passion and impatience for change into ACTION for the planet.
Through its four (4) main program areas, CPF invests in high-quality, solution-based programs that empower youth to become environmental stewards and global environmental changemakers.
We transform school gardens into food production spaces during the summer to grow fresh produce and feed community families.
Why We Do It
The environmental challenges facing the planet today and into the foreseeable future defy old answers and rote solutions. Climate change, habitat and biodiversity loss, population growth and migration, resource depletion, globalization – these changes present complex problems that will demand a different set of skills from the next generation of global citizens.
Tomorrow’s problem solvers need to be able to: think critically and creatively; examine and explore situations; innovate and design workable solutions; and see the relationship between local & global systems. They need to be active and motivated citizens who have learned to embrace their empathy and work together to create a sustainable, livable future for all. These future leaders, professionals, scientists, and citizens are today’s PreK – 12th grade students.
Captain Planet Foundation is committed to empowering them with the skills, knowledge, and relationships they’ll need to create & contribute to a community of solutions for the planet.
Our Values
COLLABORATION
We have a strong bias for collaboration.
EXPERIENCE
We believe children benefit from experiences in nature.
BIODIVERSITY
We recognize the value of biodiversity and respect for all life.
OPTIMISM
We celebrate fun, optimism, and empowerment.