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Contact: Keith Aikens 269.969.2019 Keith.Aikens@wkkf.org
BATTLE CREEK, MICH. – The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) announced today the opening of its new Mississippi and New Orleans regional office, based in Jackson, Miss. WKKF has partnered with organizations in Mississippi and New Orleans for more than 40 and 10 years, respectively, with a shared vision of positive change for vulnerable children, families and communities.
The new office is located at Capital Towers, 125 South Congress. It will enable greater communication, coordination and collaboration with the local community by a dedicated Mississippi and New Orleans team.
“The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is committed to supporting local community organizations as they work toward improving the lives of children in Mississippi and New Orleans for at least a generation,” said William Buster, director for Mississippi and New Orleans programs. “We make this commitment because we know that real and durable change requires long-term support, and importantly, must come from within the community.”
The Kellogg Foundation supports nearly 100 organizations in the Mississippi and New Orleans region with a financial investment of more than $90 million. Current grants in Mississippi are concentrated in Jackson, Sunflower County and the Biloxi area; all focused on removing the barriers faced by many of Mississippi’s children, especially children of color. In New Orleans, foundation work is focused in Central City.
“We couldn’t be more pleased that the W.K. Kellogg Foundation is locating their regional office in Jackson,” said Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. “The foundation does important work and has proven to be an invaluable partner for our community. We look forward to an even closer relationship now and we welcome them to the Capital City.”
The foundation recognizes that success for vulnerable children depends on an intricate weave of elements and approaches. Program investments are made in the areas of Education & Learning; Food, Health & Well-Being; and Family Economic Security as these play interconnected roles in creating an environment in which vulnerable children are protected, nurtured, equipped and stimulated to succeed. WKKF also recognizes that the active pursuit of racial equity, including the eradication of structural racism and the fostering of racial healing, as well as a strong commitment to community and civic engagement are essential to creating a social context in which all children can thrive, including the most vulnerable.
The foundation takes a place-based approach to its work, concentrating its resources and efforts on several priority locations. In the U.S., those places include Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans.
“By opening local offices, we are both confirming our commitment to work in this region and creating a structure in which we can be most responsive to local efforts,” said WKKF Executive Vice President for Operations and Treasurer La June Montgomery Tabron.
About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.
The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Mich., and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti.