Cincinnati, OH – Cincinnati-based nonprofit Cooperative for Education (CoEd) recently received international support in the form of a prestigious grant from Chiquita Brands.
The $10,000 grant will support the organization’s Guatemala Textbook Program, bringing first-ever textbooks to more than 1,200 youths in rural Guatemala. Residents of the Cincinnati area and beyond have the opportunity to see the program in action and meet the youths who will benefit from the grant through service trips conducted by CoEd every February and August.
“The Cooperative for Education has an impressive track-record enhancing the quality of education in rural Guatemala,” said Manuel Rodriguez, Chiquita senior vice president, government and international affairs and corporate responsibility officer. “Chiquita is proud to support these efforts, as we believe empowering future generations to lead better lives is a fundamental way we can give back to the communities in which we operate.”
Cooperative for Education Co-Founder and Executive Director Joe Berninger expressed heartfelt thanks, saying, “We are honored our program has been chosen for this grant among so many organizations that help underserved communities in Latin America. With the support of socially-conscious groups such as Chiquita and numerous individuals committed to our cause, we will one day achieve our mission of breaking the cycle of poverty in Guatemala through education.”
Since its founding in 1996 by two Xavier University graduates, Cooperative for Education has provided textbooks, computers, and scholarships to more than 100,000 underprivileged children in Guatemala. The organization has also trained more than 250 rural Guatemalan teachers and provided international service opportunities for individuals throughout the U.S., Canada, and other countries through Project Tours. CoEd has offices in both Cincinnati and Guatemala City.
Chiquita owns and operates banana farms in Guatemala, and as a corporate citizen has a focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) that extends beyond its banana farms and into the communities where employees live. For example in 2009, Chiquita donated 525,000 boxes of bananas, worth an estimated $2.35 million, to help alleviate a hunger crisis in numerous regions of Guatemala. Chiquita’s CSR efforts across Guatemala continue to be focused on natural disaster assistance, education and housing, providing for flood recovery, school supplies and home ownership opportunities for Guatemalan employees.
For more information about CoEd, please visit www.coeduc.org or call 513-731-2595.
About Chiquita Brands International, Inc.
Chiquita Brands International, Inc. is a leading international marketer and distributor of high-quality fresh and value-added food products – from energy-rich bananas and other fruits to nutritious blends of convenient green salads. The company markets its healthy, fresh products under the Chiquita® and Fresh Express® premium brands and other related trademarks. With annual revenues of more than $3 billion, Chiquita employs approximately 21,000 people and has operations in nearly 70 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www.chiquitabrands.com.
Source: Chiquita Brands International, Inc.
