Travelers’ Foundations Provide $15 Million to Community Organizations

Minnesota-based St. Paul Travelers and its two private foundations, St. Paul Travelers Foundation and St. Paul Travelers Connecticut Foundation, contributed more than $15 million in a total of of 418 grants to organizations that support community development, education, and arts and culture.

In the fourth quarter of 2005, more than 30 grants helped create opportunities and access to education for at-risk students.

“The primary focus of our giving philosophy revolves around access,” said Marlene Ibsen, president of the St. Paul Travelers Connecticut Foundation. “Whether it’s access to education, housing or cultural enrichment, we’re partnering with community organizations to build stronger communities and economic opportunities.”

Highlights of St. Paul Travelers’ fourth quarter grants that support access to education include:

* In Minnesota, The Metropolitan State University Foundation received a $90,000 lead gift supporting “The Power of YOU.” This ground-breaking program for at-risk youth in the Twin Cities is designed to increase post-secondary enrollment at three higher learning institutions.

* In Connecticut, the Capital Region Education Council received $20,000 in funding for a college support specialist at Hartford’s Bulkeley High School to assist students one-on-one with college applications and financial aid.

* To help students in five elementary schools develop a love for reading, a $30,000 grant was awarded to the Connecticut Humanities Council for their extended-day literacy program called Book Voyagers.

* A project support grant of $25,000 for a pre-collegiate mentoring program through Saint Joseph Ballet in California will help provide mentoring and arts education programming for underserved youth ages 9-19.

“In 2005, we continued our focus on initiatives that revitalize communities and create opportunities for low-income people,” said Mary Pickard, president of the St. Paul Travelers Foundation. “We strongly believe in supporting the work of nonprofits to ensure our communities have both strength and resilience.”

Highlights of St. Paul Travelers’ fourth quarter grants that support access to affordable housing include:

* The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Minnesota Chapter, received a $40,000 capital support grant for the Kingsley Commons project – the first-ever model of affordable housing and supportive services for people with MS.

* The Chinatown Community Development Center, Inc. received a $15,000 grant to support affordable housing services in low-income areas of downtown San Francisco.

* HousingLink in Minneapolis received a $15,000 operating support grant to help provide affordable housing opportunities to low-income families throughout the Twin Cities.

A complete list of grants made by St. Paul Travelers and its private foundations is available on the St. Paul Travelers Web site at http://www.stpaultravelers.com/about/community/index.html.

Source: St. Paul Travelers