Milton Hershey married Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney in New York City in 1898. The couple shared a love of children, but never had any of their own. They also shared a commitment to giving back to the community and to helping those less fortunate.
In 1909, Mrs. Hershey came up with the idea of building a home for orphans. Her husband loved the idea, and that same year had a Deed of Trust drawn up to establish a school for poor orphan boys in need of a good home and better chance in life. The Hershey Industrial School opened the following year, with 10 boys housed at The Homestead – Milton Hershey's birthplace. The school provided a stable home as well an education covering academic and vocational skills.
Catherine Hershey died in 1916. Two years later, Mr. Hershey donated the entire amount of common stock originally issued in the formation of the Hershey Chocolate Company to a trustee whose sole responsibility was ensuring the well-being of his beloved school. When the donation became public years later, its value was estimated at $60 million.
Today, the Milton Hershey School Trust controls 79.4% of The Hershey Company's voting shares and is our largest shareholder. All of us at The Hershey Company are very aware that the boys and girls at the Milton Hershey School depend upon us and are the direct beneficiaries of our success.
 The Milton Hershey School remains true to the ideals upon which it was founded nearly a century ago. In keeping with Milton and Catherine Hershey's Deed of Trust, the School nurtures and educates children in social and financial need, helping them to lead fulfilling and productive lives. Today, the Milton Hershey School is the largest residential pre-K-through-12 institution in the United States. It provides a free education, career training, housing, clothing, meals, health care, and counseling to nearly 1,400 racially and ethnically diverse boys and girls from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and across the United States.
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