Through decades of charitable giving, the Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation has benefited Kansas in many ways. Below are a few recent examples:
Since 2006, foundation support has enabled the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to present free community forums, teacher seminars and Saturday Academies for students in Wichita, Kan. The events feature prominent historians, professors and teachers who focus on civic education while utilizing original source documents.
Since establishing the Koch Scholars program with Goodwill Industries in 2007, the foundation has provided $45,000 in scholarships to more than 40 at-risk Wichita-area students so they can pursue their dream of higher education.
A $500,000 grant helped create the world-class Koch Wetlands Exhibit at Cheyenne Bottoms near Great Bend, Kan. The interactive exhibit which opened in 2009, educates visitors about the history and importance of one of the most important ecosystems in Kansas. Click here for a slideshow of the internationally significant wetlands and its wildlife.
A $1 million contribution enabled The Nature Conservancy to complete its acquisition of the 11,000-acre Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve located in the Flint Hills of Kansas. The preserve is the only national park dedicated to conservation of the tallgrass prairie.
In 1998, foundation support created Koch Habitat Hall inside the Great Plains Nature Center, located in northeast Wichita. The foundation has also provided additional funding for upgrades to the exhibit and educational programming about the importance of natural resource stewardship, especially the wildlife and plant species of the Great Plains.
Grants have been made to fund teacher and student education programs that increase knowledge, appreciation and commitment to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights among Kansas youth.
More than 10,000 third through sixth-grade students from 119 Kansas schools attended the Wichita Symphony's Young Peoples Concert 2009-10 performances. Underwritten by the foundation, these fun and educational concerts are many students' first exposure to a live symphonic performance.
The Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation is a founding sponsor of this fast-paced, hands-on financial literacy program presented by Communities in Schools. Reality U connects school performance to future success, motivating young people to stay in school and make educated decisions in life.
A 2005 donation supported construction of a new, 44,300-square-foot distribution center to help reduce hunger throughout Kansas.
This innovative program helps
at-risk teenagers reach their full potential as productive citizens by providing life-skills training, education and career opportunities, and adult mentors.