Contact:
Kathy Reincke
kar@wkkf.org
La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO, issued the following statement:
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The W.K. Kellogg Foundation applauds President Barack Obama and his administration for their leadership in expanding access to high-quality early childhood education. Today’s announcement of $750 million in federal grants, more than $330 million in corporate and philanthropic support and the launch of the “Invest in US” challenge will catalyze momentum for public and private investment in early childhood education for all children. The announcements made at the White House Summit on Early Childhood Education are critical steps in the right direction toward improving and increasing access to early childhood education.
For decades, the Kellogg Foundation has been supporting early childhood education efforts to put all children on a path to success. We concentrate our investments to support high-quality education from birth to age 8, with a targeted focus on children and families who face barriers based on race or income. This year, the foundation will make early childhood education investments of more than $68 million. The investments we’ve made across the nation and in our priority places of Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans are greatly needed by the children and families we support.
The Kellogg Foundation is pleased to support the Invest in US campaign, which includes many of our grantee partners. Philanthropy can play a significant role in supporting the expansion of quality early childhood education, though foundations cannot do this alone. Sustainability of this effort lies in connecting the systems and funding streams across national, state and community partners to work together in prioritizing support for early childhood education.
We are thrilled knowing these new investments will put thousands of children on the path to success and will continue to be strong supporters of high-quality early childhood education.
About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.
The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti.
