This week Taco Bell elevates teens’ potential; kicks offnational fundraiser to support brand’s ongoing commitment to youth educationand pledge to hire 1.5 million youth through 2022
Irvine, Calif. (August 12, 2015) – For more than 20 years,Taco Bell has paved the way for teens to graduate from high school and gain theconfidence to reach their full potential. Now, Taco Bell, together with theTaco Bell Foundation, is recognizing teens who have pursued their passions withthe launch of #SeeMyPotential. This campaign is aimed at raising awareness andadvocacy for teens to ignite their passion and reach their full potential –beginning with a high school diploma.
“Today’s youth are the heart and soul of our brand and thecommunities in which we serve,” said Brian Niccol, chief executive officer,Taco Bell. “Nearly two million young people have had the opportunity to gainimportant skills by working at Taco Bell and countless others walk through ourdoors every day. Through investments in training, programming, scholarships andgrants Taco Bell, our franchisees, our customers and the Taco Bell Foundationprovide encouragement and support for this critical generation as they look tofollow their dreams and become the leaders of tomorrow.”
#SeeMyPotential
As teens head back to the classroom, the Taco BellFoundation with the support of Taco Bell franchisees, are building on themomentum of their successful #RecognizePotential campaign that ran during the2015 graduation season, with the launch of #SeeMyPotential. This campaignhighlights the fact that it takes a community to help teens stay on the path tograduation by giving Taco Bell fans, including teens and adults, a platform toshare their successes and thank the mentors and friends who helped them ontheir journey. Everyone is encouraged to share their accomplishments on socialmedia using the hashtag and to tag a supportive friend or mentor who has helpedthem see that potential through
#SeeMyPotential is supported by creative visuals – developedwith Taco Bell partner Deutsch L.A. – featured on Taco Bell’s social channelsand in participating restaurants. The campaign will support the brand’snational fundraising efforts for the back to school season that will continuethrough August 24. Donations can be made through www.TacoBellFoundation.org orat one of 6,000 Taco Bell restaurants nationwide. The funds raised during theseefforts will support training, programming, scholarships and grants that helpto empower today’s youth and enable them to follow their dreams.
Youth Training and Education
Taco Bell was one of the first companies to join thenewly-launched 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, which aims to engage at least100,000 opportunity youth – 16- to 24-year olds who face systemic barriers tojobs and education – by the end of 2018 through apprenticeships, internships,training programs, and both part- and full-time jobs. Taco Bell will take partin an Opportunity Fair & Forum for Opportunity Youth in Chicago on August13, where its local franchisees have committed to hiring 45 local youthon-the-spot. Between now and 2022, Taco Bell and its franchisees will hireroughly 1.5 million more local youth nationwide for restaurant-level positions.
As a company that gives many young Americans their veryfirst job, and is engaging youth through the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative,Taco Bell proudly invests in developing leaders for the next generation througheducation, job and life skills. Taco Bell’s vision of seeing 100 percent ofhigh school students’ graduate is supported by a number of programs for teamand community members alike, including:
GED: Taco Bell funds company employee scholarships for teammembers to earn high school diploma equivalents.
Career Online High School Scholarship Program: Team membershave the opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma and careercertificate through Career Online High School – the ONLY online accreditedschool district.
Excelsior College Program: Team members have access toflexible online degree options at a 40 percent discount for a fully accreditedassociate’s, bachelor’s or graduate degree; and programs where associates canearn nearly 50 percent of the credits needed to earn a college degree just byworking at Taco Bell.
GraduateforMas.com: The Taco Bell Foundation connects teenswith jobs through the careers page on GraduateforMas.com, which 10,000 teensaccessed last year. Supported by a partnership with Get Schooled, the programhas also inspired more than 355,000 students from across the country to make acommitment to stay in school and awarded $250,000 in scholarships to deservingteens this year alone.
For more information on #SeeMyPotential and the Taco BellFoundation, visit TacoBellFoundation.Org. Campaign images, including an example#SeeMyPotential post and the National Fundraiser giving card, can be downloadedhere.
About Taco Bell Foundation
Taco Bell Foundation, Inc. is a not for profit 501(c) (3)public benefit corporation committed to inspiring and enabling America’s teensto stay on the path to graduation and reach their full potential through itsprograms, partnerships and direct financial assistance. Every year, theFoundation serves more than 1 million teens in more than 180 communities acrossthe country and awards more than 300 grants and scholarships focused on educationand career preparedness. Since 1992, the Foundation has awarded more than $75million in support of more than 1,000 teen-serving organizations in the U.S.through customer, franchisee, employee and vendor-partner donations. For moreinformation visit tacobellfoundation.org.