The UPS Foundation, the philanthropic arm of UPS, today announced it will award more than $7.9 million to 37 non-profit organizations. These grants will support programs that champion diversity and inclusion by furthering economic empowerment, education, inclusion and mentorship.
 
As part of its latest charitable contributions, The UPS Foundation extended its partnership with the Paralyzed Veterans of America to support its Paving Access to Veterans Employment initiative. The agreement includes more than $1 million in cash and in-kind support over three years, beginning in 2016. Funding  provides job search and reintegration resources for paralyzed service members, and support for the annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games and awards dinner.
 
UPS’s continued dedication to the PVA and its PAVE program reinforces and supplements its own commitment to veterans as the company plans to hire 50,000 veterans by the end of 2018.
 
“We are honored to partner with organizations who are at the frontline every day advancing the values of diversity, inclusion, personal dignity and professional development, especially when these programs leverage our people and company expertise,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer at UPS. “Our nearly three-decade-long partnership with the PVA has given our employees the opportunity to volunteer with the PVA’s National Veterans Wheelchair Games and to forge personal relationships with servicemen and women.”
 
Martinez recently assumed the role of chief diversity & inclusion officer for UPS. In this expanded role, Martinez will help to develop, integrate and oversee the execution of programs at UPS as one of the largest private employers in the world. He will continue his role as the president of The UPS Foundation.
 
The UPS Foundation continues its long-time funding of organizations that promote diversity, inclusion and advancement around the world, including the following 36 grants for 2015:
 
Economic Empowerment
o   Funding to help the National Urban League operate program sites in five cities that provide entrepreneurial skills training for minorities.
o   Increasing economic stability and personal efficiency through expanded financial services resources and education, given to ACCION International and Opportunity International.
o   Providing support for and implementation of economic empowerment programs for Hispanic American families through grants awarded to Aspira of America, the Council for Economic Education and the Cuban American National HE Council.
o   Supporting program to foster commerce between tribal nations, government entities and businesses, given to the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.
o   Delivering career development and professional networking resources to disabled individuals, awarded to the National Organization on Disability and The Viscardi Center.
 
Education
o   Improving literacy, school engagement, college readiness and youth development, awarded to Africare, CHOICES Education Group, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Black Child Development Institute and the Nick Lowery Youth Foundation.
o   Providing funding for scholarships and fellowships to higher education institutions, given to the African Leadership Foundation, the American Indian College Fund, Brigham Young University, Clark Atlanta University, the Council of Independent Colleges, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Morehouse College, the Organization of Chinese Americans, Spelman College, Strive for College and the United Negro College Fund.
o   Supporting the National Federation of the Blind’s youth and adult Braille literacy programming.
o   Implementing programming to support career development programs for Hispanic college students, offered to the National Council of La Raza and the National Hispana Leadership Institute.
 
Inclusion
o   Providing career development and leadership training, awarded to Catalyst and Girls Incorporated.
o   Advancing organizations and programs geared toward social justice, given to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the Leadership Conference Education Fund.
o   Expanding volunteer opportunities for intellectually disabled individuals through Special Olympics Georgia.
o   Supporting the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing’s critical content development for the Listening and Spoken Language Center, an organization that assists 175,000 deaf and hard of hearing children along with their families and health professionals.
 
Mentorship
o   Contributions to the 100 Black Men of America organization to expand mentorship programs through an in-depth online platform.
o   Funding to the National Urban Fellows to support a fellow who will lead the St. Bernard Project, a New Orleans-based effort to rebuild homes for natural disaster survivors.