Kendall College Trust Receives $20,000 Grant for Summer Culinary Camp

Chicago, IL June 15, 2017

Conagra Brands Foundation Partners with Kendall College Trust, Making a Difference for Local Students

Kendall College Trust, a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit providing need-based financial support to Kendall College students pursuing degrees in hospitality, culinary arts, and business, announces an exciting new partnership with Conagra Brands Foundation. Receiving $20,000 as part of the organization’s first round of funding in Chicago, the generous grant supports KCT’s Summer Culinary Camp, teaching culinary skills to CPS students, in partnership with C-CAP, in underserved areas in Chicago.

Conagra Brands Foundation is on a mission to alleviate hunger in the communities where Conagra employees live and work. In its inaugural year of relocating its headquarters to Chicago, the Foundation set out to build partnerships with impactful organizations with a parallel mission, including KCT. Conagra Brands Foundation focuses the majority of its community-based investments on the broad array of issues related to food, including food security, cooking skills, and nutrition education, and in partnership with KCT, aims to decrease food insecurity for teens as they enter adulthood.

“We are honored to be a recipient of Conagra Brands Foundation’s first round of Chicago funding,” says Catherine De Orio, Executive Director of Kendall College Trust. “Not only will this grant help us to make our summer culinary camp even more impactful, it also marks the start of a growing partnership, advancing our continuing efforts to help as many students as possible each year.”

Established in 2016, KCT’s summer program helps a select number of CPS students attend culinary camps at Kendall College, sparking interest in culinary and hospitality careers at a young age. Partnering with CPS and C-CAP, a national nonprofit working in conjunction with CPS to prepare students for hospitality careers, KCT gives 48 students the opportunity to stay in Kendall College dorms and get their feet wet in the culinary world. With the support of donors including Conagra Brands Foundation, KCT gives this gift to students at an early age, not only establishing career goals, but also providing the tools to reach those goals.

“We are excited to support KCT’s Summer Culinary Camp and make a positive impact on these young people’s lives,” adds Jon Harris, President, Conagra Brands Foundation. “This unique educational opportunity builds upon the interest these students have in the culinary arts and provides direct access to an incredibly talented team of chef instructors. The ultimate goal is to expose these students to a rigorous culinary program and to set them up on the right track to succeed.”

For more information on Kendall College Trust, including ways to get involved, visit https://foundationforculinaryarts.org. To learn more about Conagra Brands Foundation, visit http://www.conagrabrands.com/our-company/corporate-social-responsibility/conagra-brands-foundation.

About Kendall College Trust
Kendall College Trust (KCT), a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit, provides resources and opportunities that support educational advancement and career development for students with financial need. Since its 2008 inception, Kendall College Trust has awarded over $2 million dollars in scholarship funds to help students complete their education. In summer 2016, KCT launched a program in partnership with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and C-CAP (Careers Through Culinary Arts Program) sending students in underserved communities to summer culinary camp, sparking interest and providing skills in the culinary arts. KCT provides nearly a quarter of a million dollars in scholarship funding annually to help students build a solid foundation for their future. For additional information on Kendall College Trust, call 312.752.2352, email info@kendallcollegetrust.org, visit www.kendallcollegetrust.org, or connect via Facebook @kendallcollegetrust, Twitter @KendallTrustChi, and Instagram @kendalltrustchi.

About Conagra Brands Foundation
Conagra Brands Foundation believes everyone has a right to healthy and nutritious food knowing that food insecurity exists in every U.S. county. The Foundation partners with exceptional national and local nonprofits with high-impact programs located in the communities where we live and work. By focusing our efforts within five areas: Direct Food Access, Cooking Skills, Nutrition Education, Healthy and Active Lifestyles and Urban Agriculture, we are able to be a leader in the fight against food insecurity in North America.

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