“Be an After-School Hero” initiative to address food insecurity and Seat at the Table™ Fund scholarship to help BIPOC students pursue careers in food
Ben’s Original™ announced two initiatives to support communities across North America, taking further action to create opportunities that offer everyone a seat at the table. The “Be an After-School Hero” program will deliver up to 2.7 million meals to families in need in the U.S. and Canada, and the brand officially opened applications for its Seat at the Table™ Fund in Canada.
“Be An After-School Hero” Program
For more than 70 years, Ben’s Original™ rice varieties have been the easy, tasty cornerstone for meals around the dinner table, but for many families across the country, dinner is not guaranteed. The brand is addressing this need through community outreach programs around the world to ensure underserved communities have access to the nutritious meals we all deserve.
During the back-to-school period from August to October 2022, for every purchase of Ben’s Original products, the brand will donate to No Kid Hungry® in the U.S. (up to $250,000) and Food Banks Canada (up to $100,000). These partnerships will allow us to deliver up to 2.7 million meals to those in need.
Seat At the Table™ Fund Opens for Applications in Canada
The Canadian Seat at the Table™ Fund is a scholarship program that creates opportunities for students from under-represented and equity-deserving communities who aspire to build careers in the food industry. Established through a $200,000 commitment by the brand announced in fall 2021, the needs-based awards are designed to help BIPOC students overcome financial barriers and positively affect pathways to employment within the food industry.
The Seat at the Table™ Fund awards will be available to students enrolled or accepted into culinary arts, baking, pastry or catering programs at Vancouver Community College (BC), Humber College (ON), Centennial College (ON) and Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (QC). Qualified candidates must identify as BIPOC and demonstrate financial need to complete their education. Each institution will administer and award five $5,000 awards annually over the next two academic years, beginning with the Fall 2022 semester. Interested students can contact their Financial Aid department for application dates and process.
To learn more about the brand's "Be an After-School Hero" program and Seat at the Table™ Fund, visit bensoriginal.com(Opens a new window) or check out the Ben's Original™ brand on Facebook(Opens a new window), Instagram(Opens a new window) and Twitter(Opens a new window).
