OUR STORY
The Story of Planet Bee's Grassroot Start
2000
Bill and Debra Tomaszewski discover backyard beekeeping, sparking their passion for the natural world.
2006
Concerned by Colony Collapse Disorder, they realize the potential impact on pollination and food crops.
2010
Organized action begins under the name Marin Bee Company, offering free seminars, installing beehives, and collaborating with nonprofit organizations, community gardens, schools, and corporations.
Later that year, recognizing the lack of youth engagement in environmental issues, they begin developing a STEM education program for schools alongside their existing initiatives.
2012
The organization rebrands as Planet Bee Foundation, expanding its focus to include school programs alongside community and corporate programs.
2015
In March of 2015, Planet Bee Foundation receives its 501(c)(3) status, solidifying its nonprofit status.
Later that year, the Environmental STEM Education Program expands to include native and honey bees.
2019
Gaining a few big partnerships, Planet Bee expands programming with corporations, museums, and libraries to impact community members.
2020
Amid the pandemic, Planet Bee's educational programs scale up nationwide, adapting to meet the demand for virtual learning.
Present
With hubs in the San Francisco Bay Area, DC/NJ/NYC and Philadelphia, Planet Bee collaborates with schools, nonprofits, and corporations across the US and Canada, impacting over 500,000 individuals and continuing to grow its reach.
The Planet Bee Story begins in 2010, when Bill and Debra, a passionate husband and wife team, discovered their love for beekeeping. Disturbed by the impact of Colony Collapse Disorder on bees and pollination, they began offering free seminars, installing beehives, and partnering with various organizations to address the crisis. Recognizing a lack of youth engagement in environmental issues, they created an educational program that initially targeted schools but later expanded to include community and corporate initiatives. Committed to accessibility, they ensured all educational materials were free for public schools, supported by donations and sponsorships.
In 2015, Bill and Debra founded Planet Bee as a nonprofit organization, broadening their Environmental STEM Education Program to cover native bees and adapting to virtual learning during the pandemic.
With hubs in the San Francisco Bay Area, DC/NJ/NYC and Philadelphia, Planet Bee collaborates with schools, nonprofits, and corporations across the US and Canada, impacting over 500,000 individuals and continuing to expand its reach. Planet Bee offers a variety of programs, including asynchronous and synchronous Environmental STEM lessons focused on bees, the HarvestED curriculum that educates about plant life and soil, Community Science Programs, and Educator Professional Development. Through these diverse initiatives, Planet Bee fosters environmental stewardship and STEM education on a broad scale.