SAINT PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 2005--St. Paul
Travelers (NYSE:STA) and its two private foundations donated more than
$2.6 million in the first quarter of 2005 to support community
organizations based in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St.
Paul, Minn. and in the Hartford, Conn. region, as well as
organizations in various communities across the U.S. Included in the
quarterly grants is more than $1 million awarded to support education
programs and improve college access for low-income students and
students of color.
"There are so many young people who have what it takes to be
successful, and it is our obligation to help them achieve their
potential," said Mary Pickard, president of the St. Paul Travelers
Foundation. "But gaining access to college can be particularly
difficult for low-income students and students of color. While
improving college access requires much hard work and commitment from
all of us, it can be done. We can create a community where children
have the tools they need to succeed, and where opportunities for
success are available."
During the first quarter of 2005, the St. Paul Travelers
Foundation approved grants to several organizations working to improve
college access. In Minnesota, Admission Possible in St. Paul received
$20,000 to help low-income students prepare for and achieve admission
to higher education. The Page Education Foundation received $20,000
for scholarship support to help Minnesota's low-income students of
color attend post-secondary institutions. The Big Brothers and Big
Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities received $20,000 in support of its
school-based mentoring program focused on helping at-risk students in
the St. Paul Public Schools be successful in school.
In Hartford, St. Joseph College received a $35,000 grant for its
Successful Beginnings Program, which provides counseling, skills
training, academic tutoring and financial assistance for young women
from underserved and underrepresented populations who are
transitioning from high school to college. The Foundation for
Excellent Schools received a $30,000 grant to support its Dwight
School/Central Connecticut State University Partnership, which teaches
low-income elementary students about the benefits of higher education
and encourages these students to consider attending college as early
as kindergarten.
Marlene Ibsen, president of the St. Paul Travelers Connecticut
Foundation, emphasized the importance of helping students prepare for
and be successful in college. "Recent studies show that less than half
of high school seniors nationwide are prepared for college when they
graduate," Ibsen said. "This has implications for communities as well
as businesses. Education has everything to do with the qualifications
of our workforce and, as a result, has everything to do with the
ultimate success of our businesses. We support education programs
because we know they can make a direct impact on the future health and
economic vitality of the communities where we live and work."
Nationally, the Washington, D.C.-based Council for Opportunity in
Education (COE) received a $71,000 grant from St. Paul Travelers
Foundation in support of the TRIO Family Involvement Program, which
helps parents ensure their children are prepared for college by
enrolling in appropriate high school courses and accessing financial
aid. The St. Paul Travelers Foundation also approved a $62,500 grant
to COE in support of its National Student Leadership Congress, which
provides leadership training and college preparation for low-income
high school students.
Overall, from January - March 2005, St. Paul Travelers and its two
private foundations collectively made 100 grants or charitable gifts
in three focus areas geared toward fostering strong, healthy and vital
communities. The grant and gift awards include:
-- 37 grants to education organizations, totaling $1,083,569;
-- 35 grants to community building and development organizations,
totaling $1,027,400; and
-- 28 grants to arts and culture organizations, totaling
$509,000.
A complete listing of grants may be found on the St. Paul
Travelers Web site at
www.stpaultravelers.com/about/community/index.html.
St. Paul Travelers is a leading provider of property casualty
insurance. For more information, visit www.stpaultravelers.com.
CONTACT: St. Paul Travelers, Saint Paul
Media:
Andrea Wood, 651-310-6440
SOURCE: St. Paul Travelers