Tyson donation brings supplies to pre-k students

Tyson donation brings supplies to pre-k students Main Photo

11 Apr 2021


news, Manufacturing

Felicia Frazar The Seguin Gazette

Delia Molina, a bilingual pre-kindergarten teacher at Ball Early Childhood Center, saw a need for children to expand learning opportunities in the classroom and at home.

But with limited supplies and funding, Molina had to think outside of the proverbial box to fund a project that would put education materials in her students’ hands.

“This project is called Making Home Learning Fun,” she said. “They are transition backpacks with learning materials. It has scissors, pencils, colors, alphabet letters, numbers through 20. All of these educational materials that they can use at home.”

The backpacks also include an activities calendar for the parents to follow along, Molina said.

Molina put her project proposal on DonorsChoose.Org and received interest from some investors across the country and one major sponsor in her school’s backyard.

“Tyson had already told us that they would fund projects in Seguin for teachers because we have a plant here,” she said. “Because Tyson is doing a campaign for education this year, they will match funds for teachers up to $1,000.”

DonorsChoose.org is a website that connects educators with donors across the country to fund in-classroom projects.

“You can write grants under technology, you can write grants under literacy, you can write grants under STEM projects,” Molina said.

Tyson Seguin Complex Manager Jess Chadick visited with Molina and some of her students as they showed him what the company’s donation provided.

It is not uncommon for Tyson to support projects in the communities its plants are in, Chadick said.

“Mostly anything that is located in the communities where we have facilities is where we have a good chance of getting grants through our company,” he said. “We do it all of the time. It is something that our company takes pride in.”

Tyson has participated in disaster relief, such as barbecuing for Houston residents after Hurricane Harvey unleashed its wrath. Most recently, providing food and water to its employees and local food banks following the snowstorm that left many in the dark for hours and out of work for a week.

The company has a program in which it provides grants and funding to community-based projects. For more information on Tyson’s Corporate Giving Programs, visit bit.ly/2RbSZjR 

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