Social Impact & Volunteering

The UPS Foundation Donates $7.6M To Champion Diversity and Support Veterans

Organization increases diversity grants by more than $1.5M, including contributions to Paralyzed Veterans of America
Jul 24, 2013 10:00 AM ET

ATLANTA, July 24, 2013 /3BLMedia / – For more than 60 years, The UPS Foundation has championed corporate citizenship and supported under-served and under-represented members of society on behalf of UPS (NYSE: UPS). Today, the Foundation announced it will donate more than $7.6 million to 41 non-profit organizations, an overall increase of over $1.5 million in grants since 2012. This includes more than $1 million in cash and in-kind support to the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) over a three-year period to help the organization expand its Paving Access to Veterans Employment (PAVE) initiative, an employment re-integration program for veterans. 

UPS’s dedication to the PVA’s PAVE program, and its mission to assist paralyzed veterans in their search for good jobs and meaningful careers, complements the company’s veterans hiring initiative. Earlier this year, UPS announced that it is committed to hiring 25,000 veterans over the next five years and giving more than 25,000 employee volunteer hours helping veterans and Veteran Service Organizations (VSO).

This year, with UPS’s support, PVA will expand the national PAVE Program by launching a Satellite Office Training Program for National Service Officers (NSO) currently located in VA hospitals across the country. With this expansion, PVA anticipates they will be able to serve another 2,000-3,000 veterans from 18 PAVE satellite office locations. Additionally, the UPS grant will allow PVA to introduce concurrent PAVE programs in California and Florida, benefiting 415,000 veterans and providing them with opportunities for training, counseling, and vocational rehabilitation as they enter the workforce.

“Supporting the PVA PAVE program is just one way UPS continues to recognize and support our military men and women for their service,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation. “We’ve partnered with PVA for 25 years and our support of the organization runs deep – from providing 300 employee volunteers for the National Veterans Wheelchair Games to making significant contributions to the American Gala annual tribute.”

Beyond veterans and military support, The UPS Foundation also continues its long-time funding of diversity organizations. Diversity is one of the four strategic focus areas for The UPS Foundation, and recently the company donated to the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest civil rights group focused on improving opportunities for Hispanic Americans. The UPS Foundation awarded nearly $1 million to support Escalera, a college and career readiness program benefitting high school juniors and seniors.

“From higher education and economic empowerment to leadership and inclusion, The UPS Foundation continuously seeks opportunities to champion diversity by aligning our corporate giving with organizations that make a difference in global communities,” said Martinez.

Other Foundation grants for this year include:

  • $1.1 million to the National Urban League toward the Entrepreneurship Center Program which combines direct entrepreneurial skills development from business mentors with targeted referrals, in addition to support for other programs and events
  • More than $215,000 in grants to organizations that assist people with disabilities including the National Organization on Disability, the National Federation for the Blind, and the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf
  • $200,000 to the Organization of Chinese Americans in support of the OCA-UPS Mentoring Asian American Professionals Program, the OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship Program, and various event sponsorships
  • More than $915,000 to organizations that provide youth leadership and mentorship including the 100 Black Men of America, Girls, Inc., National Hispana Leadership Institute and the Japanese American Citizens League
  • $805,000 to champion education and provide scholarships, event sponsorships and awards for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the American Indian College Fund, Brigham Young University, Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University

For more information about UPS’s corporate giving, please visit www.UPS.com/foundation.

About The UPS Foundation

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. Founded in 1951, The UPS Foundation, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2011, is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national, and global communities. In 2012, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $97.5 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

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