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Taco Bell Foundation commits to raising $100M by 2026

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September 1, 2022

The Taco Bell Foundation is committing to raising $100 million by 2026 to continue supporting its nonprofit partners, scholars and changemakers. The Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, according to a press release.

In 2022, the Foundation granted $7.5 million to nationwide organizations focused on youth education and career readiness.

"For three decades, the Taco Bell Foundation has been a steadfast advocate for the education and inspiration of the next generation of leaders," Jennifer Bradbury, executive director of the Taco Bell Foundation, said in the release. "Through our successful partnerships and programs, we have supported thousands of young people in achieving their dreams, and with this latest commitment, we don't plan on slowing down anytime soon."

Through its work with franchisees and its popular Round Up program, where fans of Taco Bell can round up their order total to help break down barriers to education, the Taco Bell Foundation has used the money fundraised to fuel ambitions in several innovative ways. Some highlights from the last 30 years include:

• 1992: The Taco Bell foundation unveiled the TEENSupreme program, partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
• 2002: The Taco Bell Foundation's donations hit $10 million. These donations supported more than 500,000 at-risk teens participating in the TEENSupreme program.
• 2015: The Taco Bell Foundation launched the Live Más Scholarship, a program aimed at empowering the nation's next generation of dreamers, innovators and creators with the funds needed to take the next step in their academic journey.
• 2018: In 2018, the Taco Bell Foundation launched the Live Más Scholarship Renewal Program to continue supporting previous recipients along their educational journeys.
• 2022: The Taco Bell Foundation and Ashoka joined forces to debut the Ambition Accelerator, funded by the Yum! Brand's Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, a bold program created to accelerate young innovators' most ambitious social impact ideas.