News release from Kroger:
Kroger Announces $5,000 K-12 Education Grant to Price Elementary School
In support of K-12 Education and community service programs; part of Kroger’s $4.9 million commitment to education
(October 8, 2014) – Representatives from The Kroger Co.’s Central Division presented a grant for $5,000 to Price Elementary School at 1901 West State Boulevard in Fort Wayne at a presentation event today.
Kroger’s grant will support Price Elementary School’s literacy programs. Grant funds will be used to provide each child in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade with books and other materials. These additional books are intended to encourage reading in the home, thus increasing the students’ overall reading, parent engagement and overall academic success.
Kroger Quote:
Kroger District Chris Gomez said, “Strong support of education is an important responsibility for every corporate citizen. Kroger associates also are parents and grandparents who are involved in and concerned about their children’s education. Our decision to further strengthen historical support of education going back more than a century is motivated by two priorities; improving the educational opportunities available to our children and building the best possible workforce for our future. Even working collaboratively and supportively with so many partner organizations, we will not solve education-related challenges or remove barriers overnight, but we are very optimistic that an ambitious long-term strategy with measureable milestones will be successful. We are determined to have a strong, positive and measurable impact on student core skills. We also intend to strengthen our local school partnerships in as many communities as possible. Kroger looks forward to the catalytic impact of these investments in education and celebrating the academic success of our children.”The grant is part of larger $4.9 million K-12 education strategy, which includes: more than $1 million in commitments to 12 “best in class” partner organizations who have exceptional education programs; $75,000 per year to two grant programs for local schools and libraries in support of classroom programs, teaching excellence and transformational leadership; an estimated $750,000 per year for local schools and church preschools through the “Kroger Cares” program, a book donation program intended to boost literacy in low-income households and at least $150,000 in promotional support of K-12 education messages in local communities. This plan draws lessons from Kroger’s 131 years of support for local schools and libraries across the United States.
About the Kroger Co.
The Kroger Co. has been serving local communities for 131 years. The Kroger Central Division has 136 food stores, 114 pharmacies and 82 fuel centers operating under four banners; Kroger, Scott’s, Owen’s and Pay Less, with locations primarily in Indiana and Illinois, in addition to three stores in Missouri, one in Michigan and one in Ohio. Kroger Central Division is dedicated to supporting every local community it serves, contributing more than $14 million in 2013 to local organizations, primarily focusing on hunger relief, K-12 education, health causes and diversity. The Kroger Co. was recently named the most generous company in America in a Chronicle of Philanthropy listing detailed in Forbes Magazine. At Kroger we value: honesty, respect, inclusion, diversity, safety and integrity.