Seattle, Wash. — The Institute for Natural Medicine (INM) and NOW Health Group (NHG), a Division of NOW Foods, are proudly introducing the Protocol for Life Scholarship, a pioneering initiative named in honor of the company’s visionary founder, Elwood Richard. With a generous six-figure investment spread over five years, this scholarship marks the single largest commitment ever made to advance naturopathic residency programs, reinforcing NHG’s deep-rooted commitment to medical education and training.
The Protocol for Life Scholarship is designed to enhance the accessibility, sustainability, and standardization of naturopathic residency training, addressing a critical need in the field. This investment will create more residency opportunities for future naturopathic doctors (NDs) while ensuring that programs maintain the highest quality standards. The flexible nature of the scholarship allows for its use across various aspects of residency training, providing essential support to programs that align with these goals.
“The Richard family was inspired by my mother, Betty Richard, who grew up very poor and received financial aid to go to college,” says Dan Richard, NHG’s vice president of global sales and marketing. “Our family is helping pay for residency education and training as a way to ‘pay it forward’ to others who also have financial needs. The important work INM does in whole-person health aligns very well with our company’s philosophy.”
Yalda Shokooh, PharmD, PhD, director of science and nutrition at NOW, shares this enthusiasm: “Supporting residency opportunities best serves people. I am very grateful for the generous donation from the Richard family and cannot wait to see the tremendous impact it will have on education.”
This scholarship comes at a pivotal moment for the naturopathic community, as residencies play a crucial role in the professional development of NDs. By expanding training opportunities and standardizing training, the Protocol for Life Scholarship addresses a growing need for highly skilled naturopathic providers in primary care, ensuring more practitioners are well-equipped to deliver effective natural and sustainable healthcare solutions.
For more information about INM’s efforts to advance naturopathic residency training, visit https://naturemed.org/community-resources/inm-residency-consortium.
About NOW Health Group
Founded by Elwood Richard in 1968 on the belief that natural is better, NOW Health Group (NHG) is still a family-owned company today. NHG comprises Puresource, Canada’s leading national distributor and manufacturer of natural health products; The Fruitful Yield, a chain of natural food stores in the Chicagoland area; and NOW®, the largest division of the company and manufacturer of more than 1,500 dietary supplements, foods, sports nutrition, beauty and health products, and essential oils sold in more than 100 countries. In addition, NOW offers nearly 200 SKUs through its health practitioner brand, Protocol For Life Balance®. NHG has over 1,800 employees across North America. After more than 56 years in the natural products industry, NHG remains committed to its original mission—to provide value in products and services that empower people to lead healthier lives.
About INM
The Institute for Natural Medicine is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to unlocking the human potential for health by promoting whole-person care rooted in the healing power of nature.
Media Contact
Wyn Delano
Institute for Natural Medicine
wyn@naturemed.org
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