Community
Our commitment to making a difference in communities has been central to our identity for more than 130 years.
Hershey has a long tradition of creating community - from establishing a town where our employees and their families could thrive to supporting programs and partnerships that ensure all Hershey communities around the world are resilient for generations to come.
We strive to enhance the places where we live and work through programs that support basic needs, education and workforce development, and thriving community cultures. In addition to our corporate philanthropy and product-donation programs, our remarkable employees show up for their communities, by donating funds and volunteering hundreds of thousands of hours each year for the causes they care about. With the input of our employees and nonprofit partners, we develop community investment strategies tailored to each of our communities' specific needs. Our efforts range from supporting food banks to providing relief efforts and aid after natural disasters, supporting youth education and development, and helping kids of all abilities thrive.
When we all pitch in to make a difference, our shared communities flourish.
Corporate Giving
Our corporate philanthropy team works closely with colleagues in each Hershey location around the world to ensure our partnerships and community investments can make the greatest difference.
- Identify community needs
- Tailor Hershey’s response
- Nurture relationships with nonprofit organizations
- Dispense grants and product donations
- Review impact reports
- Manage employee giving and volunteering programs.
Supporting Basic Needs
Supporting programs and partnerships focused on providing basic needs — ensuring access to nutrition, health care, and housing — for the most vulnerable people in our communities is a core part of our community investment strategy.
As a snacking company, addressing food insecurity is one of our top priorities. Hershey works with Feeding America to support hunger prevention programs nationwide, and partners with dozens of local food pantries and programs to help reduce food insecurity across our communities. Our funding supports national child and family hunger initiatives, local food pantries, school feeding programs and summer food programs, and community farmers' markets and gardens.
In addition, we support more than 30 organizations nationwide dedicated to ensuring access to quality healthcare across our communities, with a particular focus on children’s health.
Building Resilience Through Education and Workforce Development
We have always believed that high-quality education and workforce development programs are critical for the long-term resilience of our communities and our company. This belief underpinned the creation of the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and continues to guide our educational partnerships today.
We support more than 70 education and workforce development programs in the communities where we operate, including:
- Science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM/STEM) programs, such as robotics teams, coding and digital literacy initiatives
- Literacy programs
- Leadership and character development programs
- Summer and after-school academic programs
- Business and financial literacy programs
- Career exploration and mentorship programs
- Scholarships and dual credit programs at universities, community colleges and technical schools
Fostering a Thriving Community Culture
We believe communities truly thrive when they not only provide basic needs and educational opportunities to residents — but when they also support a rich civic and cultural environment for all. Local arts, culture and civic initiatives as well as inclusive economic development efforts help residents feel a greater sense of connection with one another and strengthen communities for generations to come.
Our support includes:
- Food, art and music festivals
- Downtown economic development programs
- Farmers’ markets and community gardens
- Local first responder organizations and agencies
- Theaters and performing arts programs
- Recreational and wellness facilities and programming
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Employee Impact
Our employees generously give their time, talent and treasure to causes they care about. Hershey magnifies their generosity to provide vital support with corporate matching.
Volunteer Programs
Our employees actively engage in year-round volunteer opportunities that make a tangible difference. Hershey offers up to two days of paid time off per year for employees to volunteer with the nonprofit organizations of their choice, encouraging meaningful community engagement.
Employee volunteerism creates lasting relationships between Hershey and nonprofits. From taking part in pro bono micro-consulting conversations to engaging in virtual brainstorming sessions with nonprofit partners to provide feedback on new programs, Hershey employees and our nonprofit partners alike enjoy volunteer opportunities that foster deeper collaboration and learning from one another.
Good to Give Back Month
Our annual Good to Give Back Month continues to be a powerful catalyst for collective action. This enterprise-wide global month of service brings together employees across the globe to support dozens of community organizations.
Giving Campaigns
For more than 30 years, we have offered programs that match employees’ charitable donations, significantly multiplying the impact of individual contributions. These programs include:
- Annual Matching Gifts Program — Donations are matched 1:1 up to $5,000 per employee each year.
- Season of Giving Campaign — Donations made via payroll deduction are matched 1:1 up to $10,000 per employee each year. We extend this same match to our retirees as part of this seasonal campaign.
- Dollars for Doers Program — When an employee volunteers 50 hours in a calendar year, Hershey rewards their volunteer service by providing a $500 grant to the nonprofit of their choice.
By combining corporate philanthropy with employee-driven initiatives, we continue to create moments of goodness that extend far beyond our products.
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