After more than $400
million in giving since 1948, the Foundation's best years
are ahead
MOLINE,
Ill., Nov. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
the John Deere Foundation is celebrating 75 years of supporting
families who live, work, and learn in John Deere home communities
and around the world. With more than $400
million in giving since its inception in 1948, the
Foundation has strengthened the work of thousands of non-profit
organizations that create meaningful, measurable, and long-lasting
impact on the lives of others.
As one of the first corporate foundations established by any
manufacturer in the United States,
the John Deere Foundation has built upon John Deere's legacy of
commitment to the people upon whom its success depends, especially
our neighbors. During the toughest times, from the Farm Crisis of
the 1980s to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation stepped up in
John Deere home communities to make sure that those closest to us
have access to nutrition, shelter, and education, all of which are
vital to self-sufficiency and dignity.
In recent years, the aspirations of the John Deere Foundation
have grown as John Deere's success has grown. In 2021, the
Foundation announced a commitment to award at least $200 million over the next decade, and since that
time has exceeded its goals, including:
- $68 million in total giving
- 42 million meals provided to families
- 290,000 marginalized youth served through educational
programs
- 9.7 million smallholder farmers supported to increase their
incomes and productivity
The impact of the John Deere Foundation on the lives of those it
serves is made stronger by the generosity of John Deere employees.
Through the Foundation's employee giving programs, which provide
matched funds to non-profit organizations that employees support as
volunteers and donors, John Deere's employees have helped direct
over $20 million of Foundation funds
into their home communities since 2021, including:
- 559,000 hours of volunteerism, including more than 260,000 in
2023 alone
- $10.3 million in employees'
personal donations matched
- $8.9 million in rewards for
employees' volunteering
- 6,000 non-profit organizations supported
"When John Deere employees volunteer for or give to causes that
mean something to them, they create a ripple effect that has an
immediate impact on individuals and families within our home
communities," said John May, CEO of
John Deere and Chairman of the John Deere Foundation. "The John
Deere Foundation has been a powerful catalyst for change since
1948, and we will continue to invest generously in organizations
that help relieve and uplift our neighbors. It's about treating
people with honesty, integrity, and respect—plain and simple."
Looking ahead to the next 75 years, the John Deere Foundation
will continue to innovate new ways to make an even greater impact.
One way the Foundation is already doing so is by providing
unrestricted support to non-profit organizations.
"Whenever we give freely to nonprofit organizations and provide
them with the resources they can use to better serve others, they
have a greater impact," said Nate
Clark, Global Director of Corporate Social Responsibility
and President of the John Deere Foundation. "Just like John Deere
works tirelessly to earn the trust of our customers, the Foundation
strives to earn the trust of the nonprofits and communities we
serve. This is our legacy and our future."
About John Deere
Deere & Company (NYSE: DE)
(www.JohnDeere.com) is a global leader in the delivery of
agricultural, construction, and forestry equipment. We help our
customers push the boundaries of what's possible in ways that are
more productive and sustainable to help life leap forward. Our
technology-enabled products including John Deere Autonomous 8R
Tractor, See & Spray™, and E-Power Backhoe are just some of the
ways we help meet the world's increasing need for food, shelter,
and infrastructure. Deere & Company also provides financial
services through John Deere Financial. For more information on
Deere & Company, visit us at
www.deere.com/en/news/.
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SOURCE John Deere Company