Thursday, November 8, 2012

The Hershey Company donates $50K to E-town Area Education Foundation

At last Friday's Elizabethtown Bears football game, The Hershey Company pledged $50,000 to the Elizabethtown Area Education Foundation’s (EAEF) Investing in Our Children, Our Community, Our Future Capital Campaign.

Designed to raise funds for improvements to Elizabethtown Area School District’s Jane Hoover Field, the campaign has now raised more than $900,000. With The Hershey Company’s generous pledge, the campaign is now 54 percent toward its goal of $1.7 million.

From left, campaign honorary chairman Jack Cassebaum,
Robert Enck, Jim George, EASD Superintendent Michele Balliet.

The Hershey Company is dedicated to making a difference in the communities where we live, work and do business, with a particular focus on children at risk,” said Jim George, vice president of corporate social responsibility. “This is part of the legacy established by our founder, Milton Hershey. We strive to ensure that Mr. Hershey's legacy lives on and grows with our company through the support of initiatives such as the Elizabethtown Area Education Foundation’s Investing in Our Children, Our Community, Our Future Capital Campaign."

The EAEF launched the campaign to light and install artificial turf on Jane Hoover Field so that it is safer, can be use more often, and is more reliable for the growing number of school district and youth sport programs. In addition, increasing the number of uses of Jane Hoover Field decrease uses on Thompson Field so it will be a high quality grass field. The much needed upgrades will help to ensure the fields are safe and accessible to not only district programs but also the many community groups like GEARS, the Elizabethtown Boys Club, and Rheems Athletic Association that regularly use them. It is expected that the field improvements will be completed for the start of the 2013 fall sports season.

The foundation is spearheading the campaign so that private contributions will be used to improve school district athletic facilities with little to no impact on the district’s millage rate. Campaign chairs are Elizabethtown natives Barbara Andrews, Kevin Dolan, Robert Enck, and Joseph Murphy. Contributions to the campaign are tax deductible and will benefit E-town athletics and the community for current and future generations.

The Hershey Company is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. With revenues of more than $6 billion, Hershey offers confectionery products under more than 80 brand names. Corporate Social Responsibility is an integral part of the company’s global business strategy, which includes goals and priorities focused on fair and ethical business dealings, environmental stewardship, fostering a desirable workplace for employees, and positively impacting society and local communities.

The Elizabethtown Area Education Foundation formed in 1989 to provide scholarship opportunities for deserving Elizabethtown Area High School graduates. Over the years, the foundation has evolved to support more than just graduating seniors. The foundation now secures funding and awards monies that enrich and enhance learning in the district. Since launching its educational classroom grant program in 2009, the foundation has awarded grants totaling over $64,000 in monies to district staff for the implementation of innovative programs in the classroom.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you Hershey Company for making Elizabethtown an even better place for my three boys to grow up in. It is amazing that Milton Hershey's legacy continues on after one hundred years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with you wholeheartedly, Randy. It's great!

      Delete

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