Enhancing Nutrition and Education Opportunities in Minnesota
The Cargill Foundation is part of an ecosystem of passionate change-makers, advocates, businesses and more working to make a difference in our community.
- Cargill believes all children must have nutritious food to fuel growth and learning.
- They believe in equitable access to STEM education as a pathway to prosperous careers.
- And they believe in preparing and inspiring children for post-secondary education, careers and beyond.
In 2019, the Cargill Foundation distributed $10 million to nonprofits in the Twin Cities, partnering with several Twin Cities organizations to minimize the opportunity gap for low income children and advance childhood nutrition. On any given day, 1 in 8 children (162,500) in Minnesota are at risk of hunger. The Cargill Foundation chose this pressing social issue in Minnesota as a priority because a stable, nutritious diet is proven to be a necessary foundation for children’s health, growth, learning and success.
“As a global food and agriculture company based in Minnesota, our employees across nations work to nourish the world in a safe and responsible way. Nutrition is at the core of what we do,” said Michelle Grogg, Vice President Global Corporate Responsibility and Executive Director of the Cargill Foundation. “We bring that same focus on nutrition to the Twin Cities through our funding and partnerships.”
Each year, the Cargill Foundation focuses its efforts on making a positive impact in Minnesota, where the company is headquartered and where the company has 17 facilities with more than 5,000 employees. In addition to the Cargill Foundation contributions, Cargill employees volunteer their time and expertise in community projects. Employees donate more than $1 million through the annual headquarters GIVE campaign, with donations matched at almost $500,000.
The Cargill Foundation recently announced it will give $4 million to Minneapolis Public Schools and AchieveMPLS over the next three years. The grants will support initiatives meant to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, in the schools through programs like STEM for All and Girls in Engineering, Math and Science. The grants also support career and college centers at 11 high schools in Minneapolis.
