The key to this successful innovation, according to Joseph Suarez, Executive Advisor, Community Partnerships & Philanthropy, is to trade on Booz Allen’s intellectual capital and to do what they do naturally as consultants – identify problem areas and then leverage intellectual capacity to address those challenges. Suarez calls intellectual capital the “sweet spot of Booz Allen.”

JOSEPH SUAREZ

Suarez reports that a critical ingredient is to “not have the hubris of thinking that we know all the answers.”  Booz Allen partners with nonprofit organizations to make this speaker series a success. Partners such as the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and the Catalogue for Philanthropy – Greater Washington “have their boots on the ground and know firsthand the challenges and needs facing the nonprofit sector.” Nonprofit partners provide invaluable feedback and insight, Suarez notes.

The speaker series targets a special niche of small to mid-size nonprofit organizations with budgets generally less than $3 million that provide vital services to the community such as homeless shelters, local meals and crisis centers. Booz Allen provides these essential nonprofits with professional development training, fundraising, and marketing techniques that can be implemented within their organization. The Booz Allen conference series offers expertise in areas such as forming effective boards, marketing strategies, fundraising techniques, and volunteering that will help them be more successful in their fundraising and marketing efforts – as well as weather the current economic challenges.

Booz Allen reports that leveraging its natural resources within the company and the assets that the employees bring is far more impactful than “just writing a check.” There is also an opportunity for Booz Allen employees to become personally involved as “skills-based volunteers.” A nonprofit that is in the Booz Allen Cares system can post skills-based volunteer opportunities in the employee engagement system to be matched with a volunteer. Recently, two analysts with expertise in business investments were paired with a nonprofit that needed expert advice on their office and residential housing locations.

Suarez says that “we know from participant feedback that we are creating a change and having an impact on the nonprofit organizations that attend our programs.” In fact, the feedback from nonprofits, according to Suarez, “is incredibly positive and with many coming back and telling us how they used the information they learned to increase their fundraising performance or engage board members.” There is visible evidence of the program’s success on area nonprofits as they leave the program with valuable tools to be more financially resourceful. Over the years there has been an increase in attendance at the speaker series and an increase in board members joining area nonprofits.

Another sign of measurable success is the lack of difficulty in getting top flight speakers because this program has become so well known. “Nonprofit experts request to speak at these seminars,” says Suarez. Booz Allen and the working committee screen its speakers to ensure each lecturer can provide real and practical examples that those attending can take back and test within their organization. Based on the success of this program in the Washington, D.C. metro area, Booz Allen hopes to eventually expand this program to other metropolitan areas.

Booz Allen’s willingness to tap into its “sweet spot” has generated sweet success for Washington, D.C. nonprofits.

Mass Mutual immediately solicited volunteers from its employee base to help with the disaster recovery and cleanup. They also provided interpreters to assist local non-English speaking families in completing applications for aid. Although the Community Rebuilding Fair was originally an opportunity for MassMutual to offer LifeBridge^SM, its free life insurance program to the public, the fair soon took on a life of its own.

The Community Rebuilding Fair grew into something very substantial that could significantly help the residents of their community on many levels. Fair participants were able to meet with legal, insurance, financial, housing, zoning, career, and construction and sustainability experts to ask questions and obtain assistance. A parenting coach was even provided to help answer any lingering questions children may have had about the disaster.

To coordinate this major undertaking, Mass Mutual first partnered with the United Way of Pioneer Valley to identify local agencies that were already offering assistance to affected families. Using a list of 10 agencies provided by the United Way, MassMutual sent emails inviting them to an informal meeting at its home office headquarters. The City of Springfield Office of Housing also participated. According to Tom Fiske, Program Specialist, “a spirit of collaboration and synergy was formed” at the meeting and “we took on more of a coordinating role.” As a result, MassMutual developed a press release and project plan and solicited feedback from the group. Ultimately, 30 agencies and city departments participated in this highly effective Community Rebuilding Fair.

The success of this collaboration was due in large part to the efforts of many MassMutual employees and departments. In addition to the entire Community Responsibility team, associates from other departments created fliers and promotional materials and promoted the event through their social media platform. Other departments at MassMutual  helped with the necessary but less glamorous “nuts and bolts” such as setting up the chairs and tables and overseeing the staging and sound systems that were brought in specifically for the fair.

MassMutual Chairman, President & CEO Roger Crandall also offered remarks and presented a $1.6 million contribution in recognition of MassMutual’s 160^th anniversary this year to assist in the rebuilding effort. MassMutual’s commitment to the Community Rebuilding Fair was apparent at every level.

Feedback from participating agencies was extremely positive. Many agencies reported back to MassMutual that they were pleased with the number of attendees who stopped by their booths and mentioned that it was a great networking opportunity between the agencies. Moreover, Fiske noted, information sharing among agencies allowed new resources to be provided to their respective constituents.

Tyco and Action Against Hunger are combining their individual strengths to create a more sustainable and effective solution to clean water access that neither could have accomplished individually. “The initiative, the first global corporate partnership for ACF International, employs an innovative model of collaboration designed to enhance our capacity while scaling up the reach and impact of our clean water programs,” said Nan Dale, Action Against Hunger’s CEO. She continues to challenge the corporate sector saying “we hope Tyco International’s visionary commitment to the Clean Water Access Initiative will inspire other corporations to join the NGO sector in tackling hunger and water issues.”

In 2010 Tyco had formed a Water Philanthropy Council which began the process of developing a CSR program that would involve the capabilities of the Tyco Flow Control Business. Little did that council know that these desires would be called into action so quickly when the Haiti earthquake struck. The Tyco Water Philanthropy Council saw this as an immediate priority demanding Tyco’s support and searched for an NGO partner with the resources and expertise to mobilize a quick and effective response.  Action Against Hunger/ACF was already working on the ground in coordinated programs with other major NGOs, and because of their impeccable track record and mission alignment with Tyco, the partnership began.  With funding from Tyco and Tyco Flow Control, ACF established a series of emergency water stations around Port-au-Prince to provide critical access to clean water.

Tyco International has dedicated more than $2 million during this three-year partnership for direct funding for targeted water projects as well as in-kind product and service support. Three core components of this partnership are:

• Action Against Hunger can request Tyco funding in response to natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. This will enable Action Against Hunger to work quickly and effectively to address humanitarian relief needs by providing clean water and other supplies to people in affected areas.
• Tyco will help directly fund ongoing Action Against Hunger projects that provide access to clean water in different areas of the world. Tyco will begin work in Indonesia’s NTT Province, where low access to clean water is a major contributing factor to poor health and malnutrition.
• Tyco will donate products and expertise in support of Action Against Hunger water programs.

“This partnership will help advance ACF’s mission to help needy communities gain access to sustainable clean water and sanitation,” said Patrick Decker, president of Tyco Flow Control. “In addition to our financial support, we will contribute products and the technical expertise of our people working in the water industry to support ACF teams working around the world.” Currently Tyco water and civil engineers based in Australia are consulting and collaborating with the Action Against Hunger program staff in Indonesia on the first community-based development project. The joint effort is managed by a steering committee representing both organizations.

For more information about the Clean Water Access Initiative visit www.actionagainsthunger.org.

For more information about Tyco International visit www.tycoflowcontrol.com/cleanwater.

This success comes on the heels of the mayor’s jobs rally in May, as the city faced cuts to all federal funding — the equivalent of 1,600 jobs. Thanks to the efforts of Boston’s business community and local foundations, the city expects to have employed nearly 10,000 teens this summer.

A signature initiative of the State Street Foundation, the YVP Collaborative’s Employment Initiative — through its workforce development and education working group — ensures that teens are placed in a job to help improve the community where they live. The areas of focus are three Boston neighborhoods in Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan particularly struggling with increased unemployment, street violence and drop-out rates. The YVP Collaborative has successfully raised awareness about the importance of all private and public funders working together using a set of youth violence prevention core principles — including a common public health framework — to support the most effective programs and services.

“State Street has led this initiative, which was introduced in 2007, as we wanted to impact the lives of young people in some of the toughest neighborhoods in Boston by taking on the difficult issue of youth violence,” said Joseph A. McGrail, Jr., vice president of State Street Corporation and manager of the State Street Foundation. “Our company’s corporate citizenship efforts focus on education with an emphasis on workforce development. Boston youth helped by this initiative are not just facing economic difficulties, but the effects of violence as well. To help them become self sufficient individuals and adults and prepare them for the workforce, we felt it was critical for us to come together with businesses, non-profits and government agencies to provide hope, direction, and opportunity for Boston youth who are an important part of our community.”

Over time, the return on investment in providing jobs to Boston’s youth can be measured in benefits to individuals, government and society as a whole. Preliminary results from a 2011 YVP Collaborative evaluation shows that summer employment opportunities can facilitate social and workplace skills, and improve attitudes toward attending school.

“Research suggests that it is through the provision of educational support, job training and professional development, structure and incentive that promotes the acquisition of skills that supports these youth in achieving their own goals,” said Dr. Gia Barboza, who leads the evaluation and is an assistant professor of African American Studies and Health Sciences at Northeastern University.

Two teens, Morgan McNeill and Rosalind Liriano, both 17 and from Dorchester, reflected on their summer job experience at Northeastern University. “This has been a learning experience for all of us,” McNeill said. “It has given us a better insight on our community. It has also helped us become more responsible, confident, and stronger leaders.” Liriano commented that, “with the leadership skills that we gained, we hope to use it to empower other youth in our community as well. And with this, we believe there is hope for a better tomorrow.”

Results of the evaluation will be highlighted at the YVP Collaborative’s 3^rd Annual Symposium on December 7, which brings together key state, municipal, community and business stakeholders invested in youth violence prevention.

While the YVP Collaborative views summer employment as a vital first step along a positive path for many youth, the group believes that sustaining the gains made during the summer with continued meaningful engagement throughout the school year is needed to change the trajectory of the teens’ lives. This year’s opportunities will conclude by the end of August and another 10,000 teens have indicated interest in jobs for the school year and the summer.

To fulfill the organization’s goals for next year, the YVP Collaborative is inviting more funders to contribute now and throughout 2011-2012 to help sustain school-year and next summer’s employment opportunities.

The 14 funders that supported the YVP Youth Employment Initiative include:

• State Street Foundation
• United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley
• The Boston Foundation
• A private donor to The Boston Foundation StreetSafe Program
• Hyams Foundation
• Klarman Family Foundation
• Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
• John Hancock Financial Services
• Eos Foundation
• The Boston Foundation Advised Fund Individual Donor
• Lenny Zakim Fund
• Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation
• Boston Private Bank and Trust
• Individual Donor (anonymous)

For the ninth year, Alcoa Foundation is sponsoring Alcoa employees on Earthwatch Institute expeditions. This year they are traveling to Brazil and China where they will work alongside leading scientists to collect data that contributes to a global sustainable forestry research project. These Earthwatch Fellows will tag and identify trees, measure their diameters, and gather, classify and identify leaf samples – data collection that is critical for scientists to be able to understand how to best manage forests in a changing climate. Fellows will also participate in sessions to learn how critical environmental issues relate to their lives and Alcoa’s approach to sustainability.

The 25 Alcoa employees come from the company’s operations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Spain, Suriname and the United States.  Selected from 220 applicants this year, the Earthwatch Fellows are venturing to Rio Cachoeira Natural Reserve in Paraná State, Brazil, and the Gutianshan National Nature Reserve in Zhejiang Province, China. Three employee teams – two in Brazil and one in China – are serving in weeklong stints between July 31 and Sept. 23.

“As a mining, manufacturing and innovation company, environmental sustainability is a priority at Alcoa,” said Paula Davis, president, Alcoa Foundation. “The Earthwatch Institute fellowship is an investment in helping our employees become environmental stewards and ambassadors. This experience will prepare them to advocate for and create more environmentally sustainable business practices and innovations where they work and live.”

Founded in 1971, Earthwatch (www.earthwatch.org) is an international environmental organization with a mission of engaging people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Since 2003, 119 Alcoa employees have served as Earthwatch Fellows and have ventured into the wilderness, forests and jungles all over the world to study climate change, water issues and sustainability, contributing almost 9,000 research hours. As Davis explained, the fellows’ missions don’t end when they return to their respective countries. When they are back on the job they make presentations on their experience and some do community work that ties back to their environmental work.

All full-time employees around the world at all levels of the company can apply for Earthwatch fellowships, according to Tricia Napor, employee engagement manager at Alcoa Foundation. The 2011 fellows’ jobs range from hot rolling mill operator to environmental engineer and commodity specialist.

All fellows this year are required to create an action plan around how they will share what they learn with their colleagues and communities, Napor explained. The fellows will brainstorm their plans with each other and the Earthwatch scientists to get advice and share ideas. After they return, Alcoa’s Environmental Health and Safety experts will advise them on how to implement and scale their action plans.

“The Earthwatch expeditions educate Alcoans on important environmental issues and empower them to return to their jobs and their homes as sustainability leaders. Fellows are inspired to share what they learned both within Alcoa and in their communities. Many fellows volunteer their time to work with environmental nonprofit organizations and also pioneer sustainability projects at work,” Napor remarked.

For example, when one employee returned from the Puerto Rico expedition, she joined her office’s Pollution Prevention Committee. They’ve held a number of volunteer activities including planting trees and an electronics recycling drive that saved 1,358 pounds of electronics from ending up in a landfill. They’ve also proposed new ideas around using wind turbines to provide their facility with clean power.

You don’t have to wait until the Earthwatch Fellows return or be an Alcoa employee to learn about their experiences. While the fellows are away, they will post videos, photos and stories about their experiences at www.alcoa.com/earthwatch.

Umpqua, a self-described community bank, is building tangible connections in the communities that it serves by strategically focusing its volunteer efforts. Umpqua Bank’s Connect program is an industry-leading volunteer program that provides associates with paid time-off each year — 40 hours for full-time employees and 20 hours for part-time — to serve at youth-focused organizations, schools and community development programs.

The Connect program has been so successful that it is utilized in recruiting efforts and is a source of pride for employees and communities alike. “Connect is one of our most valued programs,” said Ray Davis, president and CEO of Umpqua Bank. “It engages associates with their communities, providing local organizations with much-needed service and reinforcing Umpqua’s commitment to understanding and assisting the neighborhoods we call home.”

What is making this employee volunteer program stand out in the crowd? “Umpqua’s key to success is attributed to empowerment, creative and dedicated managers, and an inspirational president/CEO championing the program,” said Nicole Stein, vice president of Community Responsibility at Umpqua Bank.  “The Connect program gives associates freedom to drive what they do within the focus areas of Umpqua, and this self-determination is critical in its ability to appeal to each associate’s personal passion.”

Umpqua realizes that employees have diverse interests, but the bank wanted to have a rallying cry and commonality about issues that the community bank and employees could tackle together. It is strategically and categorically focused to be purposeful about how volunteer hours are used and benefitting the community.

The Cultural Enhancement Department (Umpqua’s version of human resources) and managers are critical to the Connect program. They are the best program advocates and are dedicated to the program values being understood and embedded into the Umpqua culture. Managers think creatively about scheduling volunteer hours and helping their teams meet self-determined volunteer hour goals. Although completion of volunteer goals is not yet formally a part of the employee review process, there is “positive peer pressure” to take advantage of the opportunity to give back outside of each employee’s personal time.

Umpqua has also shown its dedication to employee volunteerism through the high visibility of goals. Volunteer hours are loaded directly into payroll, emphasizing the integration of the program and commitment of the bank to having employees use this program. Now that the company has had success in its ability to engage and leverage employees for the betterment of the community, the future will be about finding ways to maximize employee hours and their impact.

For more information about the Umpqua Connect Program, visit www.umpquabank.com/connect

The Clorox Company best known for making bleach and other cleaning products, launched its first CSR report in October 2010. The report was a result of a long journey to build an integrated CSR strategy that today is organized around five pillars: People, Products, Performance, Planet and Purpose. But what I found most exciting is the company’s commitment to developing “green” products and to becoming more open and transparent.

In 2008, Clorox launched its Green Works line of natural cleaners in response to an emerging demand from consumers for natural household cleaners. Its acquisition of Burt’s Bees was another indication of its interest in offering natural products. Clorox’s entrée into “green” showed them the importance of transparency. At the time, Clorox recognized there was consumer confusion of what “natural” really meant. That’s why, at launch, Clorox listed Green Works ingredients on product labels and on its web site.

Clorox applied this approach to product transparency to the rest of its cleaning, disinfecting and laundry products, and voluntarily disclosed the ingredients of its products online as a way to stay ahead of government regulations and industry peers. Clorox’s CSR team also collaborated with its R&D team to provide a user-friendly glossary of terms so that consumers were able to understand the function of each product ingredient.

According to the Center’s 2010 Profile of Practice study, just 23 percent of companies surveyed reported that R&D folks work with the CSR team. At Clorox, since product safety is an integral part of its CSR strategy, the CSR team works closely with the R&D group to understand and be able to report publicly on product ingredients and the human and environmental health safety processes of its products.

While Clorox’ first CSR report provides limited quantitative data, it follows the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework, meeting a GRI-checked application level of “B” and includes specific goals and targets. Its issuance demonstrates the company’s commitment to become more transparent and report on its progress toward CSR goals in the future.

The next step for Clorox and everyone interested in social responsibility and performance is to move toward integrated reporting where the CSR and financial report are integrated into one overall report that provides investors with critical information about long-term business risks and opportunities. With the formation of the International Integrated Reporting Committee in August 2010, the process for developing an integrated reporting framework had moved a step further. Recognizing this important development, Clorox made the decision to issue its first CSR report, titled “Be Well, Every Day,” at the same date it issued its annual financial report titled “Perform Well, Every Day”. “We felt it was important to establish a standalone corporate responsibility report since we had a significant amount of content and data to share,” said Kathryn Caulfield, vice president, Global Communications and Corporate Responsibility. “However, we issued our CR and financial annual reports simultaneously to demonstrate the integration of CR in our business.”

“I am enormously proud of the charitable efforts made by all 30 Clubs this season. Their contributions have made a significant impact in communities across the country,” said Commissioner Selig. “I congratulate the entire Boston Red Sox organization, and particularly the Red Sox Foundation, for their commitment to the future of hundreds of young people from the inner-cities of Boston.”

“When John Henry, Larry Lucchino and I joined our partners to become owners of the Boston Red Sox, we pledged to not only field a competitive team, but to harness the passion of Red Sox fans to create positive change in our community,” said Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. “With the support of our players, sponsors and generous fans, the Red Sox Foundation has become a philanthropic force in our community. We are humbled to receive this award and accept it on behalf of Red Sox Nation.”

The Red Sox Scholar program is the educational cornerstone of the Red Sox Foundation and seeks to create a ladder of opportunity for inner-city youth. Each year, the Red Sox provide mentoring, tutoring, enrichment activities and a $10,000 college scholarship to 25 academically talented, but economically disadvantaged, Boston Public School students. Selected in the 5th grade, Scholars become part of the “Red Sox Family,” attending games, participating in afterschool programs and working closely with Red Sox staff to realize their future aspirations. Beyond the school year, Club employees help enroll the Scholars in summer camps or find part-time jobs, including working as summer interns for the Club.

“The Red Sox Foundation is a civic and charitable leader in our community,” said Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. “They demonstrate teamwork where it counts most, by helping open the doors to college for our talented Boston Public School students. We are especially honored that MLB has highlighted the Red Sox Scholars program. It shows the impact professional sports teams can have when, like the Red Sox Foundation, they join with our public schools and with cities across the country to help those struggling with poverty, illness, stigma and low expectations. We congratulate the Sox on this award.”

Funded by the Red Sox Foundation, the Red Sox Scholars program now serves over 200 low income students from 6th grade through their first class of Scholars, who are currently college freshmen. Each year, the new class of 25 Scholars is introduced during a Fenway Park pre-game ceremony where they are escorted onto the field by Red Sox players. For more information, please visit www.redsoxfoundation.org.

At Cummins Inc. they found a solution not by making a choice but by facing a challenge.

On the occasion of the company’s 90^th anniversary in 2009, 62 teams of Cummins employees from 11 different countries accepted a challenge to develop projects to improve the environment in their community.

The projects ranged in sophistication from simple recycling efforts to complex carbon footprint reducing initiatives.  When all was said and done, the 62 projects conserved an estimated 538 tons of greenhouse gases, the equivalent of 54,000 gallons of gasoline.

Cummins is a Fortune 500 company that designs, manufactures, sells and services diesel engines and related technology around the world. With headquarters in Columbus, Ind., Cummins serves its customers through its network of 500 company-owned and independent distributor facilities and more than 5,200 dealer locations in over 190 countries and territories with 40,000 employees worldwide.  Cummins focuses its corporate responsibility efforts on three priority areas: the environment, education and social justice/improving the human condition. The 62 projects that were part of the company’s 90^th Anniversary Environmental Challenge managed to hit every priority.

Here’s a sample of how:

• In India, the Kolha Rural Electrification team developed a way to power a rural village of 65 households by using Cummins generator sets running on locally available renewable energy — vegetable oil — produced from the Pongamia trees. The system at Kolha also holds the potential to create demand for greater quantities of vegetable oil for sale, creating an additional income source for villagers. The plan is to replicate this project in collaboration with the government in many remote Indian villages. 
• In Kent, England, the Inspire Orchard Project turned a 300-year-old disused orchard into a sensory and teaching garden for 120, disabled, deaf students. When completed, the work will allow plant life, wildlife and learning to flourish, giving some disabled students their best opportunity to experience nature.
• Problems with scarce drinking water were addressed by a project at the Wagholi School and Orphanage near Pune, India. Approximately 50 Cummins volunteers used rain water and ground water harvesting technologies to increase the level of the water table and make the surrounding areas greener. The project also simultaneously reduced the school’s economic burden and carbon footprint by providing an alternative to bringing in water tankers. 
• Cummins employees teamed up with the Parkview Villa affordable housing community for seniors and people with disabilities in Fridley, Minn., to increase recycling efforts by 50 percent. Working with residents to determine what they needed to participate in recycling, Cummins employees learned that connecting proceeds of recycling to the local Humane Society provided an additional incentive. And as the program grows, it can provide more employment opportunities through Rise, a local non-profit whose mission is to support people who have disabilities and other barriers to employment.

Cummins’ Environmental Challenge projects remind us that environmental issues and social problems all exist in the same world. It just takes an innovative approach to find where they intersect. It’s often the same place where solutions can be found.

“At Kohl’s we are … giving back to the communities that we serve. As kids and parents think about the new school year, we want everyone to dream big about how half-a-million dollars could impact their favorite school,” said Julie Gardner, Kohl’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “We believe that when communities thrive so does business. This program… [is] the cornerstone of the company’s Back-to-School campaign.”

How the Kohl’s Cares for Kids $10M Giveback works for contest participants

Kohl’s is asking its Facebook fans, which currently number more than 1 million, what their school could do with half-a-million dollars. Through Sept. 3, 2010, students and school supporters can visit www.facebook.com/kohls to share with the online community what their school could do with the additional funding. They can also cast their vote there for their favorite public or private schools that serve K-12 students. A winning school must have a least one submission about how the funds might be used. Fans can vote up to 20 times for their favorite elementary, middle or high schools, with a maximum of five votes for any individual school.

The top 20 vote-getting schools must meet contest criteria as outlined in the official rules and have school officials provide information on how their schools will use the money to support educational programs or initiatives. Winning schools will be announced in late September.

Supporting the Back-to-School campaign

The $10M Giveback Contest is the heart of this specialty department store’s Back-to-School campaign and will be supported by national advertising, direct mail, digital marketing, public relations and more. Components of the campaign include:

• Online/Digital components: Coinciding with the program launch, the contest will be supported with Facebook advertising and e-mails to Kohl’s customers.
• In-store presentations: Kohl’s customers will see the contest promoted in Kohl’s stores nationwide through store signage, receipt messaging and more.
• Television advertising: National and Hispanic brand spots will begin airing in July and run through the end of August.
• Print advertising: Inclusion of the contest in Kohl’s print advertising will start in mid-July and run throughout the voting period.
• Direct mail: Kohl’s will reach customers directly through various direct mail pieces starting in July and continuing through mid-August.

The $10 million donation comes from the Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl’s Department Stores, Inc. Kohl’s has raised more than $150 million for children’s health and education initiatives nationwide by donating 100 percent of the net profits of the program’s specialty merchandise, which include plush toys and books. In addition to Kohl’s Cares®, this organization’s philanthropic endeavors include: a scholarship program that has awarded more than $2.2 million in scholarships and prizes and will donate an additional $410,000 to kids this year; Kohl’s associate volunteer program that donated more than $10 million to nonprofits nationwide last year; and a fundraising gift card program.

For more information on Kohl’s philanthropic efforts, visit www.kohls.com/cares.