ATLANTA, GA — The Taco Bell Foundation recently donated more than $500,000 in community grants to nine Georgia nonprofits that benefit local youth.
The donation is part of Taco Bell's record $32 million contribution to 700 organizations nationally, a 40 percent hike from last year's nonprofits, the company said in a news release.
"When you think about how this started, with fans giving a little extra at checkout, it's incredible to see that generosity grow into $32 million for organizations serving young people across the country," Morgan Tabor, executive director of the Taco Bell Foundation, said in the release. "What I love most about community grants is how local they are. Taco Bell franchisees know these organizations, they believe in their work and together we're helping more young people see just how much is possible for their futures."
In Georgia, Taco Bell sent donations to the following agencies:
Patch spoke with Taylor Ramsey, executive director of OneGoal Metro Atlanta, and Libby Saylor Wright, president and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, about the grants.
Here's what they had to say:
Q: Tell me a little about your organization and community work.
Ramsey: "Too many students graduate high school unsure about their futures and lack clarity on which postsecondary credentials provide value and open doors to their careers. OneGoal transforms postsecondary advising and support so that every student can define their own future. We work side by side with partner schools and districts to build their knowledge and capacity, ensuring that all their students can find success on their path after high school. Our unique approach, honed for nearly 20 years, equips everyday educators to provide career-connected advising, tailored to each student's aspirations and circumstances.
"And it's proven to deliver real student impact. Eighty percent of OneGoal high school graduates enroll in a postsecondary institution, and 73 percent of those who enroll persist one year after high school. ... Here in Georgia, OneGoal has been in operation since 2018 across metro Atlanta districts, including the Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County, Clayton County and City Schools of Decatur and have served over 2,500 students in that time."
Wright: "For more than 85 years, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta has been helping young people discover their potential, build confidence and prepare for what comes next. Today, we operate 26 clubs across nine metro Atlanta counties, providing high-quality programming after school and during the school breaks (summer, fall and spring) for young people from childhood through high school.
"Our work is centered on four interconnected areas: academic success, healthy relationships, character and leadership and life and workforce readiness. Together, these pillars help young people become not only successful students, but confident, capable and future-ready young adults who are prepared for college, careers and life. ... We serve young people and families across Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties."
Q: What does support from the Taco Bell Foundation mean to your organization?
Ramsey: "Our work is not possible without the support of organizations like the Taco Bell Foundation. It allows us to serve 1,500 students across our 14 school partners as we provide advising, continued support through a students' first year of their postsecondary journey so that they not only enroll but complete their degree or credential on a path to economic mobility. More than that, support from the Taco Bell Foundation sets a powerful example for the business community of what it looks like to actively invest in organizations supporting the next generation of students, workforce and leaders."
Wright: "We are incredibly grateful for the Taco Bell Foundation's longstanding investment in our young people. Their support helps us turn the idea of 'what comes next' into real experiences and opportunities for our teens.
"Through life and workforce readiness programming, young people can explore college and career pathways, build practical skills, develop financial literacy, visit college campuses and workplaces and connect with professionals who can help them envision a future they may not have otherwise imagined. Partners like the Taco Bell Foundation make that possible. Their continued investment helps us prepare more young people to be ready for the real world and, ultimately, to pursue greater economic mobility for themselves and their families."
Q: With the $60,000 grant, how many children in metro Atlanta could that assist?
Wright: "This investment will help support more than 400 teens across nine metro Atlanta counties each year. And the impact goes beyond this number. For each of those young people, this funding can mean a career experience, a financial-literacy lesson, an opportunity to meet a professional or a chance to begin imagining themselves in a career they may never have considered before."
Q: What does your organization plan to do with the grant money received from the Taco Bell Foundation?
Ramsey: "We will put it to work supporting our 1,500 students through our intensive advising program including college visits, career exploration, financial aid support, enrollment support and ongoing coaching."
Wright: "The Taco Bell Foundation's investment will support life and workforce readiness experiences for teens across our metro Atlanta clubs, including college and career fairs, college tours, law camp, financial literacy programming and employer site visits. Funding also helps cover the staff time, transportation, supplies and other resources required to make these opportunities accessible to our teens."
Q: How would your organization be impacted if there were no community support, such as that from the Taco Bell Foundation?
Ramsey: "No organization can accomplish their mission and serve their stakeholders alone. The Taco Bell Foundation provides critical support that allows us to serve our students and our local franchise partner, the JAI group has provided meal donations and student give aways that make dynamic programming possible and provides much needed motivation and celebration for our students."
Wright: "Community investment is essential to our ability to provide young people with the experiences and relationships that prepare them for the real world.
"Without partners like the Taco Bell Foundation, we would have fewer resources to provide career exploration, college access, mentoring, workforce-readiness experiences and other opportunities that help young people see and prepare for their futures. That is why partnerships like this matter so much. The investment is not simply supporting a program. It is investing in a young person's readiness for what comes next and the future of metro Atlanta."
Q: How can a school partner with OneGoal to expand your reach?
Ramsey: "Schools and districts can partner with OneGoal in support of their existing college and career readiness initiatives. We are prepared to work with schools across Georgia, both urban and rural, serving ninth to 12th graders on their paths to 4- and 2-year degree programs, as well as credentialing and certification programs."
Q: How can a person volunteer or partner with your organization?
Wright: "There are many ways to get involved with Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, and every one of them can help create a meaningful opportunity for a young person. Volunteers can mentor, tutor, lead workshops in areas like STEM, the arts or career development, participate in corporate engagement and community-service projects or support special events.
"Businesses can also partner with us to provide career exposure, internships, workplace visits, mentorship and other experiences that connect young people to the world of work. And our community members can amplify our mission by becoming advocates and donors."
More information: OneGoal Metro Atlanta and Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta.
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