BOSTON, May 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The #FirstRespondersFirst initiative was founded by Thrive Global and the CAA Foundation to help take care of first responders as they take care of our country. Ocean Spray, through its Atoka™ brand, is supporting the initiative, focusing on the need for healthcare workers to have wholesome nourishment that can be part of a healthy lifestyle as these heroes continue to battle an ever-evolving pandemic.

Atoka™—a new brand of herbalist crafted, plant-based functional beverages—is providing thousands of herbal tonics and shots to first responders in New York, D.C., Massachusetts, Washington State, and other locations across the country.  The functional beverages are made with restorative herbs and nutrient dense dark fruits, and are being provided to healthcare workers in a variety of blends, including the Calm Blend to help relax after a long day, and the Well Blend to help support general health and wellness.

"As frontline healthcare workers step forward to address this public health challenge, it's essential that we step forward to support them," said Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO of Thrive Global. "Ocean Spray's Atoka™ beverages provide a healthy way for these first responders to recharge and refresh themselves as they go about their life-saving work."

"We are humbled to support first responders during this pandemic," said Rizal Hamdallah, Chief Global Innovation Officer at Ocean Spray. "We hope our Atoka™ products are a way to help healthcare workers maintain wholesome nutrition for their own health and wellness as they continue to act selflessly and inspire us all with their courage and compassion."

Atoka™ will continue donations of its functional beverages to first responders.  In addition, Atoka™ products are now available direct-to-consumer on www.atokawellness.com to help people prioritize holistic wellness while staying at home.  Now more than ever, Atoka™ is dedicated to both help people care for themselves, and to help care for others during this unprecedented time.  

"We launched online knowing that people are looking for ways to expand their holistic health and wellness habits while at home.  We are trying to encourage people to not only maintain and improve their health and wellness habits at home, but also let them know that they are taking action to support our first responders, together," said Hamdallah.

About #FirstRespondersFirst:
#FirstRespondersFirst, an initiative of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation, takes a whole human approach to supporting first responder healthcare workers as they serve on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. #FirstRespondersFirst's fundraising call to action helps provide essential protective equipment, accommodations, child care, food, mental health support, and other resources to this demographically and socially diverse workforce, ranging from minimum-wage hourly workers in home-care settings to social workers, nurses, physicians, and beyond, through its implementing collaborators Americares, Direct Relief, World Central Kitchen, and Bright Horizons, with additional support from Cisco, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Mattel, and Modelo, among others. Powered by Thrive Global's behavior change platform, #FirstRespondersFirst also provides access to Harvard Chan School's evidence-based content, specifically tailored to this critical workforce, to help improve the physical and mental well-being of healthcare workers.  Dutch Bros Coffee, the country's largest privately held drive-thru coffee company, serves as #FirstRespondersFirst's premier corporate donor.

About OceanSpray:
Founded in 1930, Ocean Spray is a vibrant agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry farmers in the United States, Canada and Chile who have helped preserve the family farming way of life for generations. The Cooperative's cranberries are currently featured in more than a thousand great-tasting, nutritious products in over 100 countries worldwide. Leading by purpose, Ocean Spray is committed to the power of good—creating good, nutritious food that has a direct and powerful impact for the health of people and planet. All for good. Good for all.  For more information visit: www.oceanspray.com

For PR Inquiries:
JONESWORKS
Ayla Richards
TeamOceanSpray@jonesworks.com 
212-839-0111

SOURCE Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.