Five Companies Donate to Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute to Fund Programs for Latino Youth

Thanks to five of the nation's top companies, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute will be able to further its mission of educating and training aspiring Latino leaders. 

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute announced on Monday that five of the nation's leading corporations have donated seven-figure gifts to the organization. The "cornerstone" donations come from the companies Anheuser-Busch, Bank of America, PepsiCo, Dell and Toyota. The companies' donations will help support programs for thousands of high school, college and post-graduate students across the country to help them become future Hispanic representatives and highly skilled professionals. 

"I am extraordinarily grateful to Anheuser-Busch, Bank of America, Dell, PepsiCo and Toyota for their generous gifts to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute," said CHCI Chairman Rep. Ruben Hinojosa. "Each generation is measured by how we prepare our youth to lead and how we keep the promise and opportunity of the American dream alive for future generations, and it's never been more critical that we invest in education and leadership development for young Latinos. The contributions of our cornerstone donors, the largest in our history, will ensure the future success of our mission."

The cornerstone donations were announced during CHCI's 36th Annual Awards Gala on Oct. 2. More than 2,200 national leaders attended the gala to support Latino youth. 

According to CHCI, 66,000 Latinos are turning 18 every month, and Hispanics will make up 74 percent of new entrants to the workforce in the next decade. The companies' gifts will help young Latinos gain the skills required to be future entrepreneurs and successful members of the workforce. 

"For the last 30 years, Anheuser-Busch has proudly supported CHCI to invest in the future leaders of our country," said Margarita Flores, vice president of community affairs at Anheuser-Busch. "Anheuser-Busch's investment in America's students, together with the great work of CHCI, will help ensure more Latinos lead in the future."

Bank of America also asserted that they were focused on developing a future generation of leaders.  "Together, we can connect future Latino leaders to success," said Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America. 

Dell also lauded CHCI. "Dell is proud to join with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute to help Latino students grow and thrive, and I applaud CHCI's efforts to educate, empower, and connect the next generation of U.S. leaders," said Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell, Inc. "Congratulations to Rep. Rubén Hinojosa and Esther Aguilera for translating their vision of increased educational attainment into over 8,500 CHCI alumni success stories."

 Al Carey, CEO of PepsiCo and Americas Beverages, said that it would behoove business leaders to find inspirational Latino leaders who can take on business leadership rules in the future. 

"PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation are committed to CHCI's efforts to develop Latino youth and its 21^st Century Leadership Center," Carey said. 

CHCI's programs include programs for thousands of low-income, diverse students. They include the Ready to Lead Program for high school students, the Congressional Internship Program, the Graduate Fellowship Program and the Public Policy Fellowship Program for college students, as well as many other scholarship opportunities for Latino students enrolled in community colleges, four-year programs and graduate schools. 

Toyota said that the success of future Hispanic leaders is directly tied to the country's success. "Toyota's collaboration with CHCI to support the future Hispanic leaders of our country directly contributes to the prosperity our nation's growth and we're honored to be part of its initiatives," said Patricia Pineda, group vice president at the Hispanic Business Strategy Group. "We believe in the organization and its mission, and look forward to working with them closely for many more years to come."

CHCI President and CEO Esther Aguilera said that more programs are needed to train "educated, civic-minded leaders who reflect the growing diversity of our nation's population."

"Thanks to the commitment of our cornerstone donors, we will be able to accomplish great things in the realm of community- and institution-building and ensure that more Latinos attain the American Dream," she added.