CHCI Announces Cornerstone Donors For Comprehensive Campaign To Develop Next Generation Of Latino Leaders

FIVE OF NATION'S LEADING CORPORATIONS MAKE SEVEN-FIGURE GIFTS TO SUPPORT EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR EMERGING LATINO LEADERS

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute announced today that five of the nation's leading companies have made very significant gifts in order to further its mission of educating and training the next generation of Latino leaders.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110506/MM97615LOGO)

These "cornerstone" donations, from national and international titans Anheuser-Busch, Bank of America, Dell, PepsiCo, and Toyota, will support CHCI's award-winning programs for thousands of high school, college and post-graduate students nationwide, furthering the organization's mission of increasing Hispanic representation in leadership and highly-skilled professional roles in Washington, D.C., and across the country.

"I am extraordinarily grateful to Anheuser-Busch, Bank of America, Dell, PepsiCo, and Toyota for their generous gifts to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute," CHCI Chairman Rep. Ruben Hinojosa said. "Each generation is measured by how we prepare our youth to lead and how we keep the promise and opportunity of the American dream alive for future generations, and it's never been more critical that we invest in education and leadership development for young Latinos. The contributions of our cornerstone donors, the largest in our history, will ensure the future success of our mission."

With 66,000 Latinos turning 18 every month and Hispanics comprising 74 percent of new entrants to the workforce in the next decade, it's clear that the future strength of the U.S. is tied to the success of the Latino population, and these gifts demonstrate the commitment these companies have to supporting the future face of America.

"For the last thirty years, Anheuser-Busch has proudly supported CHCI to invest in the future leaders of our country," said Margarita Flores, vice president, Community Affairs at Anheuser-Busch. "Anheuser-Busch's investment in America's students, together with the great work of CHCI, will help ensure more Latinos lead in the future."

"At Bank of America, we're focused on developing the future generation of leaders through education, service and internships, and we appreciate long-time partners like the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute," said Brian Moynihan, Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America.  "Together, we can connect future Latino leaders to success."

"Dell is proud to join with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute to help Latino students grow and thrive and I applaud CHCI's efforts to educate, empower, and connect the next generation of U.S. leaders," said Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell, Inc.

"Congratulations to Representative Rubén Hinojosa and Esther Aguilera for translating their vision of increased educational attainment into over 8,500 CHCI alumni success stories."

"Business leaders like myself and others would be smart to not only serve our communities and the consumers, but also to figure out how to find these great young, inspirational Latino leaders who can run our businesses for us someday in the future," said Al Carey, CEO of PepsiCo Americas Beverages.  "PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation are committed to CHCI's efforts to develop Latino youth and its 21st Century Leadership Center."

"Toyota's collaboration with CHCI to support the future Hispanic leaders of our country directly contributes to the prosperity our nation's growth and we're honored to be part of its initiatives," said Patricia Pineda, group vice president, Hispanic Business Strategy Group. "We believe in the organization and its mission, and look forward to working with them closely for many more years to come."

CHCI President and CEO Esther Aguilera said: "In order to meet the demand for educated, civic-minded leaders who reflect the growing diversity of our nation's population, we must expand our programs and capabilities. Thanks to the commitment of our cornerstone donors, we will be able to accomplish great things in the realm of community- and institution-building and ensure that more Latinos attain the American Dream."

CHCI's programs are transformational for thousands of low-income, diverse students and continue to expand to meet the growing needs of the community. They include the Ready to Lead Program for high school students, the Congressional Internship Program for college students and the Public Policy Fellowship Program and Graduate Fellowship Program for college graduates, plus numerous other scholarship opportunities for Latino students enrolled in community colleges, four-year programs and graduate schools.

The cornerstone donations were announced during CHCI's 36th Annual Awards Gala on October 2, where a crowd of more than 2,200 national leaders gathered in support of Latino youth.

About CHCI
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), a nonprofit and nonpartisan 501(c) (3) organization, provides leadership development programs and educational services to students and young emerging leaders. The CHCI Board of Directors is comprised of Hispanic members of Congress, nonprofit, union and corporate leaders. For more information call CHCI at (202) 543-1771, visit www.chci.org, or join us on Facebook, Twitter (chci), LinkedIn, and YouTube.

SOURCE Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute