In 1963, the Hershey Trust Company contributed $50 million and land to The Pennsylvania State University to establish a medical center. Today, the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center provides education, patient care and research. It has emerged as one of the nation's leading health care facilities, offering a full spectrum of advanced medical and surgical diagnostics and treatments.
Building on this foundation, we've partnered with the Children's Miracle Network (CMN) for over 20 years. Employees and retirees organize an annual 5k run/walk and ongoing fundraising activities to support CMN's efforts at children's hospitals across North America.
Hershey supports the Young Survival Coalition, a non-profit network dedicated to supporting young breast cancer survivors and supporters, contributing a total of $1 million to date. As part of these efforts, The Hershey Company produces limited edition "pink" themed products and sponsors the Tour de Pink®, a four-day bicycle ride designed to raise money, awareness and hope. Many employees participate in this 220-mile ride from Hershey, Pennsylvania to New York City annually, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for this cause.
The Hershey Company provides underwriting for the Women's Sports Foundation's GoGirlGo! program in Pennsylvania. GoGirlGo! grants help organizations that serve girls to create or expand their sports and physical activity programming, improving health, teamwork, confidence and leadership skills for girls ages 8-18. GoGirlGo! focuses on underserved communities and empowers girls to become the next generation of healthy and successful leaders. Since the establishment of the partnership, more than 1,000 girls have benefited from grants, and more than 5,000 have received the Foundation's free award-winning curriculum.
Our Company also contributes to the advancement of medicine and the mitigation of suffering through organizations like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the National AIDS Fund and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Through this partnership, we're helping to distribute thousands of treated mosquito bed (was one word) nets in the Ivory Coast and educate recipients – particularly pregnant women and families with young children – on their proper use and retreatment.
Globally, we're funding Family Health International's efforts to address malaria, one of the world's major causes of death for young children. Through this partnership, we're helping to distribute thousands of treated mosquitobed nets in the Ivory Coast and educate recipients – particularly pregnant women and families with young children – on their proper use and retreatment.
Through our long term sponsorship of HERSHEY'®S Track & Field Games, we promote physical activity as a fun and rewarding lifelong activity. The program has reached over 10 million children to date. You can learn more at HERSHEY'®S Track & Field Games web site.