Community Involvement
Ben & Jerry’s employees are committed to doing good and making grants in their local communities.
Community Action Grants
The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation funds the Vermont Community Action Team (CAT) grant program, which was created to allow Ben & Jerry’s employees to support organizations in the communities where they live and work.
CATs fund an array of community programs - social services organizations, cultural, recreational, or arts programs and community celebrations located within the state of Vermont. The CATs pay special attention to underserved populations including seniors, at-risk youth and low income communities. The CATs prioritize support for basic human needs and the needs of underserved areas of the state as well as organizations that are primarily volunteer-led. In 2012, The CATs made grants totaling $180,500 to 152 organizations.
Community Action Projects
In addition to individual grants, each year, Ben & Jerry’s employees work together on several large-scale community service projects that the CATs organize - to fix, clean, build, and refresh things that improve the quality of life for our communities.
Related Initiatives, Practices & Products
Ben & Jerry's Employee Community Action Teams (CATs)
Grant Amount: $500
With a grant of $500, the Waterbury CAT helped the Barre Area Senior Center create a computer lab and resource center for elders to learn computer basics and keep connected with friends, family, and community activities.
Grant Amount: $1000
The Central Support CAT made a $1000 grant to Camp Exclamation Point, Inc. (CAMP!) a one-week residential summer program for over 100 Vermont children from migrant families who work seasonal jobs in the agriculture, dairy or timber industries and have limited opportunities.
Grant Amount: $600
The St. Albans CAT, with a grant of $600, helped support Fairfield Farmers Market Online to give the community access to high quality, healthy food being grown and prepared by local farmers. Buying food locally encourages investment in the community, supports the local economy, increases the established network of producers in the area and provides access to good food despite economic hardship.
Summer of 2012
Camp projects at Camps Abenaki, Hochelega, and Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, which serves kids dealing with cancer
Summer of 2012
Little River State Park, 22nd Annual Pumpkin Giveaway, Waterbury “Not Quite So Independence Day” and our Waterbury manufacturing group brought the last 3 pallets of relief aid being stored in the Waterbury plant warehouse to the local food shelf for Irene storm recovery.