Innovation for Good: Rainforest Foundation US

With an estimated 1.5 million Indigenous people calling the Amazon rainforest their home, RFUS prioritizes the health of rainforests as well as the rights of those who inhabit them.

“Supporting Indigenous peoples as the primary guardians of the rainforest is fundamental to everything we do,” says Executive Director Suzanne Pelletier, “this is not just about forest protection; it's about supporting their rights, livelihoods, and ways of life.”

Indigenous-centered policies

Protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples is beneficial in myriad ways—not only in terms of rainforest health, but also the well-being of the planet during a climate crisis.

“Deforestation is the second leading cause of carbon emissions on the planet,” says Pelletier, “and evidence demonstrates that forests protected by Indigenous peoples are better carbon sinks than even national parks, and they experience less deforestation than those not held by Indigenous peoples.”

RFUS supports and empowers Indigenous communities with training for territorial monitoring, land management, policy and institutional change, as well as land titling and legal intervention.

Advocacy for the rights of Indigenous peoples is a central tenant for RFUS and can be traced back to the organization’s inception. “We were one of the first organizations ... to integrate Indigenous peoples’ rights with environmental protection efforts on a large scale,” says Pelletier.

“Last year, we supported more than 200 Indigenous communities in strengthening their governance, administration, and financial capacities,” continues Pelletier. “This combined approach not only slows deforestation but also fortifies Indigenous communities to manage and protect their ancestral lands effectively.”

Save the Rainforest Bars

Aware that they had developed a special product in the form of a satiating superfood bar, Save the Rainforest Bar co-founders Lauren Feingold and Ashanty Williams wanted to give back to the Amazon rainforest, a source of the bar’s many nutrient-rich ingredients.

Giving thanks to Mother Earth

When Feingold and Williams decided to make their own superfood bar they knew that compromising on ingredient quality was out of the question.

“Many of our superfoods come from the Amazon Rainforest. Over the years we became more informed about our supply chain,” Feingold says. “We started to learn more about the Amazon region and how it’s been affected by deforestation.”

Feingold credits a business partner for introducing her to an executive director at Rainforest Foundation US. “We were immediately inspired by the powerful work RFUS has done and continues to do in order to protect the ancestral lands of the Amazon Rainforest,” she says.

An inspired pairing

For each purchase of Save the Rainforest Bars products, 5% of profits are donated to the RFUS.

“We understand the benefits of eating nutrient rich, functional ingredients only happens when you protect Mother Earth, the magical source of our amazing ingredients,” says Feingold. “It's been an honor to partner with such an important organization who has welcomed us to do our small part to protect the planet's health and wellbeing via donating proceeds of our bars and raising awareness of the importance of saving the rainforest.”

A healthy rainforest yields health ingredients

“Our ingredients are what set our bars apart from all the other bars in the market,” says Feingold, a self-professed athlete and chef.

Made in a raw, paleo facility with flavors including Mango Cashew, Mexican Chocolate, and Blueberry Matcha, Save the Rainforest Bars are a delicious and energizing way to experience organic rainforest superfoods while supporting the deforestation-fighting and rights-based activism of RFUS.

This article was originally published in the July-August 2024 issue of alive magazine (US edition).