Making a difference through service
This fall Kellogg Cares Day (KCD), our alumni donned name tags and picked up paint brushes, trash and produce as part of a long-standing tradition that connects Kellogg's leadership training with local service. This year, more than 250 alumni, families and friends, partnered with 19 organizations to address systemic problems like food insecurity and environmental sustainability across the globe.
“Events like Kellogg Cares Day matter because they create meaningful moments of connection among alumni — connections that might not happen otherwise,” says Chelsea Rae Dvorchak, assistant director of alumni engagement. “They come together with a shared purpose of giving back. This strengthens bonds and deepens their ties to the community, which has a lasting positive impact to both Kellogg and the places they call home.”
In the Washington D.C. region, Kellogg alumni gathered at the Arlington Food Assistance Center for the firs-ever DMV Kellogg Cares Day, spending the morning sorting donated food. AFAC distributes groceries to those who cannot afford enough to eat, and Kellogg alumni joined that mission by preparing items that would move quickly onto families’ tables. Over lunch, the group reflected on how a few hours behind-the-scenes of a food pantry tied into regional efforts to address the important issues of food insecurity.
In Dallas, volunteers returned to Cornerstone Crossroads Academy, a second-chance high school serving students who have faced obstacles in traditional settings. This year’s KCD took the form of a neighborhood carnival with alumni helping run games, activities and family-friendly fun for students and local residents.
The event was an extension of the Academy’s work of bringing South Dallas together. Between music floating across the grounds and plenty of friendly fire at game booths, volunteers traded stories on how the day reminded them of their mission at Kellogg.
In Illinois, two projects unfolded in the Chicagoland area, joined by events in Texas (Houston and Dallas) as well as California (Los Angeles and San Francisco). Rounding out this year’s KCD were volunteering efforts in Miami; Milwaukee; Nashville; New York City; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City, as well as Lowell, Arkansas and Pawtucket, Rhode Island, reflecting how alumni found ways to serve in communities of every size.
KCD stretched well beyond the United States, with six international events spanning from Guatemala City to Hong Kong. In Singapore, KCD found roots at NTUC Health Nursing home in Chai Chee, organizing a senior center celebration. The room buzzed with bingo, songs, crafts and chatter that crossed generations.
Ben Wightman ’09 MBA, who helped organize Singapore’s KCD event, has remained dedicated to improving communities whenever given the chance. “From building houses in Trinidad during KWEST as an MBA student to helping lead an alumni Thanksgiving celebration every year, giving back has always been a key part of my Kellogg experience,” says Wightman. “I'm continually delighted at how Kellogg alumni continue embracing our school’s pay-it forward mentality in helping the less fortunate and bettering the environment.”
U.S. Kellogg Cares Days
Circle of Hope, supporting people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity (Boston, MA).
Arlington Food Assistance Center, addressing hunger and food insecurity (Washington, DC).
FeedRI and Hope Market, providing dignified food access and market-style pantry services (East Providence, Rhode Island).
Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, fighting hunger by distributing food to those in need (Lowell, AR).
Miami Waterkeeper, protecting waterways and marine ecosystems through microplastic cleanup (Miami, FL).
The Fish & Loaves Ministry, serving meals and essentials to people experiencing homelessness (Nashville, TN).
The Hope Center, combating food insecurity and supporting healthy food access (Chicago, IL / Blue Island).
Lumberjacks and Lumberjills at Canal Shores, improving local ecology through woodland and trail stewardship (Evanston, IL).
Hunger Task Force, providing food to low-income seniors and other vulnerable residents (Milwaukee, WI).
Cornerstone Crossroads Academy, supporting students at a second-chance high school and its surrounding community (Dallas, TX).
Houston Food Bank, supplying meals to food-insecure families (Houston, TX).
Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group, restoring river habitat to support salmon and orca recovery (Seattle, WA).
Better Angels, serving people experiencing homelessness with meals, supplies, and connection (Los Angeles, CA).
International Kellogg Cares Days
GlobalMedic, providing emergency relief through hygiene and food kits (Toronto, Canada).
Ayúdame a Ayudar, preparing food bags for unhoused and elderly people (Guatemala City, Guatemala).
CleanShores, organizing beach cleanups to reduce shoreline pollution (Hong Kong).
Beam of Light Blind Running Training Workshop, promoting inclusion and understanding of visually impaired runners through assisted running (Shenzhen, China).
NTUC Health Nursing Home @ Chai Chee, engaging seniors with social activities and companionship (Singapore).
St. Mungo’s – Ending Homelessness, supporting people experiencing homelessness through housing and recovery services (London, UK).
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