Cargill collaborates with farmers, food makers and industrial customers to bring new ideas to the table.

Share this: 
.

 

Cargill Foundation giving helps 30,000 Twin Cities school children in 2009

Date: Jan. 25, 2010

Contact: Susan Eich, 952-742-6245, susan_eich@cargill.com

MINNEAPOLIS - Cargill is helping get pre-kindergartners ready for school, improve student academic performance and decrease the achievement gap between students through its ongoing support of key education programs in the Twin Cities. In 2009 the Cargill Foundation gave $7.1 million in charitable donations, the majority of which focused on in-school curriculum and eliminating barriers to education success. Through its funding, Cargill estimates it has served approximately 30,000 children annually. Cargill is one of the largest contributors to programs in the Minneapolis Public Schools, with funding averaging $3.7 million annually.

"Cargill's success depends on the health and vitality of the communities where we live and work. While Minnesota ranks very high in the nation on student performance overall, Minnesota has one of the highest achievement gaps in the nation between students of color and white students," said Mark Murphy, executive director of the Cargill Foundation and assistant vice president, Cargill Corporate Affairs. "Our funding helps create opportunities that will help close that gap and improve academic performance among socio-economically disadvantaged children. In 2009, we increased our support of science, technology, engineering and math programs to better prepare our K-12 students for a global workplace; increased our funding of charter public schools; and continued to support early childhood learning."

"Cargill funding has been vital in building an interlocking network of support for the 34,570 students in the Minneapolis Public Schools. With Cargill's generous help, we are able to equip students with the tools and knowledge to plan for continuing education and careers, to propel learners to greater academic achievement using arts-based strategies to teach core curriculum, and to augment science, technology and math education with after-school and summer enrichment programs. We are so thankful for our continued partnership with Cargill and the collaborative impact we are able to have on our students," said Maureen Bazinet, Chair of the Board of Directors, AchieveMpls.

Cargill Foundation funding that addresses key education needs include:

  • The Cargill Foundation is donating nearly $2.5 million over four years to the Science Museum of Minnesota to facilitate the introduction of the "Engineering is Elementary" (EiE) curriculum in all Minneapolis and Hopkins elementary public schools. The Foundation is also donating nearly $622,000 over five years to Project Lead the Way to help expand the use of the Gateway to Technology curriculum in public middle schools/junior high schools in Minneapolis and Osseo area schools. It is estimated that by the time current elementary students enter the workforce, three out of five jobs that pay higher than minimum wage will require graduates with a strong background in science, technology, engineering and math.
  • The Cargill Foundation is donating $2 million over three years to the Center for School Change at Macalester College to significantly improve the academic and operational performance of Minneapolis-area charter public schools that serve a high percentage of students from low-income families. The grant recognizes that while many charter schools serving these students bring a majority of their students to proficiency, less than 50 percent of students are proficient in reading and math at too many district and charter schools serving the same population. The Center for School Change at Macalester College and LarsonAllen LLP, will work in partnership on the charter school project.
  • The Cargill Foundation is helping middle school and high school students by funding activities that will lead to a successful college or career path. These activities include rigorous instruction through Advancement via Individual Development (AVID) for college and career planning through the "My Life Plan" program. Cargill has donated nearly $3 million over the past four years to these programs.

###

About Cargill Community Giving

Cargill gives back to communities by contributing 2 percent of its global consolidated pre-tax earnings (based on a three-year trailing average). Cargill donated $58.2 million in 50 countries during its 2009 fiscal year. Cargill provides support to organizations, projects and programs that fall in three focus areas: nutrition and health; education; and environmental stewardship. In the Minneapolis-St. Paul area the Cargill Foundation primarily invests in organizations and programs that demonstrate leadership and effectiveness in educating socio-economically disadvantaged children and eliminating barriers to their educational success.

About Cargill

Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 159,000 people in 68 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and is committed to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business. For more information, visit www.cargill.com.

.