Addressing the Opportunity Gap in our Hometown Headquarters Community

Through partnerships with over 50 local nonprofits and schools, the Cargill Foundation focuses its support for low income children of color through targeted investments in childhood nutrition, STEM education and college and career readiness. Nearly 80% of the Cargill Foundation’s programmatic investments – $10 million annually – go to closing the opportunity gap for low income children of color in our Minneapolis – Saint Paul, Minnesota headquarters community. Some nonprofits we work with include:

• AchieveMpls: Since 2001, the Cargill Foundation has granted more than $17.4 million to AchieveMpls, the foundation of Minneapolis Public Schools, to support STEM education and college and career readiness. Through our partnership, students in kindergarten through senior year of high school are provided opportunities to break down perceived barriers to success.
• Appetite for Change: The Cargill Foundation supports Appetite for Change programs such as Community Cooks which brings families in North Minneapolis together to cook, eat, and learn about food, nutrition, and health. Appetite for Changes’ “Hungry for Change” program allows for holistic and integrated childhood nutrition programming, while empowering Black youth to lead.
• Pillsbury United Communities: The Cargill Foundation and the Pillsbury United Communities work together to support efforts advancing youth nutrition for low income children of color in North Minneapolis. Pillsbury United Communities’ projects include the Northside Food Systems program and North Market. North Market is a unique non-profit social enterprise uniting three elements of community health in one place: nutritious food, health care services, and community wellness events and education – located in what previously was a food dessert. Since 1990, the Cargill Foundation has contributed more than $3 million to Pillsbury United Communities.
• Meda (Metropolitan Economic Development Association): The Cargill Foundation supports Meda to accelerate minority business growth and economic development. Over nearly 50 years of partnership, hundreds of minority entrepreneurs have succeeded and continue to develop their businesses in inner city and suburban communities with high levels of unemployment. 

While Cargill heeds the call for an immediate response to the crisis highlighted by the killing of George Floyd and so many other African Americans, the Cargill Foundation is pushing for the systemic change needed in our local community to address racial discrimination and economic disparities.