Campbell Soup Foundation Kicks off 35th Youth Summer Program with $400,000 Donation

More than 120 students from St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral School and Camden's Pride attended the kick off event at Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts along with representatives from 70 non-profits. The money donated will support summer camp programs that specialize in academics, career exploration, arts and culture, and recreation and will provide opportunities for children to participate in a variety of fun and educational activities during the summer when they might otherwise be idle.

Jerry Buckley, Chairman of the Campbell Soup Foundation, said, "Our tradition of funding summer programs helps Camden youth have safe, fun and educational activities. Campbell remains committed to improving Camden's future through focused investments and encouraging employee volunteerism. Transforming children's lives and nourishing our neighbors are the tangible results of our efforts to make a positive difference for Camden residents and communities."

For 35 years, the Campbell Soup Foundation has sponsored summer camps including summertime arts, education, culture, and recreation activities for socially and economically disadvantaged Camden youth. The money presented by the Foundation will benefit elementary, middle and high school children in Camden City.

Buckley was joined for the announcement by Jonathan Boiskin, Associate Vice President for the Rutgers University Foundation, and representatives from 25 Camden non-profits. The event included a performance by the Unity Community Center's Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble.

Since 1974, the Campbell Soup Foundation has sponsored the Campbell Soup Summer Program, which supports organizations that offer Camden's youth a wealth of summertime activities, including career training, recreation, cultural enrichment and academic instruction. Over its 35-year history, the program has granted more than $11 million to local organizations that have provided constructive summers to over 500,000 Camden youth.

For more than 50 years, the Campbell Soup Foundation has been dedicated to supporting organizations that inspire positive change in the communities where Campbell operates, especially its birthplace and hometown, Camden, New Jersey.

The following programs received grant funding from the Campbell Soup Foundation:

-- Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education

-- Southern NJ Council - Boy Scouts of America

-- Camden City Garden Club

-- Camden County Council on Economic Opportunity, Inc.

-- Camden County East Branch NAACP

-- Camden STARR Program (Rutgers)

-- The Clay Studio

-- Coriell Institute for Medical Research

-- Girl Scouts of America

-- Neighborhood Center, Inc.

-- Network Arts

-- Perkins Center for the Arts

-- Respond, Inc. - Teen Volunteer Program

-- Respond, Inc. - Summer Career Exploration Program

-- Rowan's CHAMP Summer Camp

-- Settlement Music School - Camden School of Musical Arts

-- Stedman Art Gallery/Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts - Art Soup!

-- St. Joseph's Pro-Cathedral - Summer Youth Corps

-- Symphony in C

-- San Miguel School

-- The Work Group

-- Thomas Jefferson University Science Outreach Program

-- Urban Promise

-- Woodland Community Development Corporation

-- YMCA of Burlington County

-- The Mann Center

-- AmeriCorps/Camden Children's Garden

About Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods and simple meals, including soup, baked snacks, and healthy beverages. Founded in 1869, the company has a portfolio of market-leading brands, including "Campbell's," "Pepperidge Farm," "Arnott's," and "V8." For more information on the company, visit Campbell's website at www.campbellsoup.com.

SOURCE: Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company 
Anthony Sanzio 
(856) 968-4390