Box Tops for Education celebrates milestone with Black Men Teach four-year partnership

In 2021, Box Tops for Education made a four-year commitment to donating $500K to Minnesota-based nonprofit Black Men Teach, to aid the organization’s mission of recruiting, preparing, placing, and retaining Black male teachers in elementary schools to reduce inequities in Minnesota classrooms. In honor of Teacher Appreciation Month, Box Tops is excited to celebrate the progress Black Men Teach has made since launching the partnership.

"The generous donation from Box Tops has been instrumental in helping Black Men Teach catapult our mission of increasing the number of Black male teachers in Minnesota elementary schools, and helping to create the conditions where Black men thrive in education,” said Markus Flynn, executive director of Black Men Teach. “Since 2021, we’ve seen significant growth in the amount of participation in our organization, and we’ve elevated our program on a larger scale, helping us reach and empower even more aspiring educators. When we first began our partnership with Box Tops we had 7 program participants. We now have 70. That growth would not have been possible without the support of Box Tops for Education.”

Since the partnership began, Black Men Teach has taken great strides toward its goal of increasing the number of Black male teachers in the classroom. Through the program’s funding, Black male teachers are continuing to earn their teaching degrees and join K-5 Minnesota classrooms. Box Tops has always believed that a child’s education is the foundation to achieving their fullest potential, and great teachers are a huge part of that.

YouGov recently conducted a survey* on behalf of Box Tops for Education to explore the influence teachers have on students and discovered 69% of respondents agree that a teacher has made a significant impact on their lives. Additionally, while parents come first, nearly half of respondents also indicated teachers were important in shaping who they are today, above grandparents and other community leaders.

“Knowing that representation in the classroom improves student outcomes — we have a great deal of heart for our partnership with Black Men Teach,” said Lilly Moeding, brand experience manager at Box Tops for Education. “Black Men Teach has shown an unwavering commitment to fostering a brighter, more inclusive future for all students, and we’ve enjoyed seeing the organization grow over the past several years.”

General Mills Commitment to Equity in Education

Our support of Black Men Teach is part of our broader efforts to advance equity in education and ensure all kids can reach their full potential. We use our philanthropy and brand reach to expand student opportunities and close gaps in academic outcomes. Since 2020, we have doubled down on our commitment to address disparities in K-12 education by supporting an ecosystem of nearly 30 nonprofit organizations. Box Tops, to date, has also given nearly $1 billion to schools with a renewed focus on creating greater equity in education through its “Schools in Need” app feature.

To learn more about Box Tops for Education, visit BoxTops4Education.com, and to learn more about Black Men Teach and support their mission, visit BlackMenTeachTC.org.

*Source: YouGov Plc, April 2023