Climax Molybdenum gives Test Kitchen $30K

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG

PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - Some good timing and corporate citizenship resulted in a large corporate donation to the Elliott Test Kitchen Tuesday.

Officials with Climax Molybdenum were treated to a Test Kitchen meal as they presented founder Kumar Wickramasingha a check for $30,000.

Wickramasingha had applied for a company grant through the corporation's Social Investment Grant Program last year.

Tara Hosick, the manager of Strategic Community Development for Climax's parent company Freeport-McMoRan, said company management was in town and was able to meet at the Test Kitchen to hear about the program.

"During that process of learning about what was going on here, we happened to have the worldwide 'Moly' sales team in town and a couple of other executive managers and we thought maybe he could talk about what was going on here," Hosick said.

"They made this amazing meal and gave a presentation about what they were doing. We were all impressed because education is a core value for what do at Climax Molybdenum and Freeport-McMoRan."

Elliott Test Kitchen founder Kumar Wickramasingha is presented with a check for $30,000 from Climax Molybdenum's management team on Tuesday at the Test Kitchen. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

She said the process also happened to be the time they brought on Emily Benjamin as community development specialist. She started in October and said this was one of the first projects she was tasked with by local and corporate management.

"This gives them that positive interaction and positive family atmosphere and experience with extracurricular educational opportunities. We're very excited to continue building the relationship," Benjamin said.

"It's important for us to partner with education so that we know and understand the workforce that is coming to us as the baby boomer generation retires and is replaced with the next generation of students."

Wickramasingha said the large contribution will fund programming well into next year and may allow additional services.

"This is going to make a huge impact and will allow us to possibly add additional classes this year and next," Wickramasingha said.

"Now we might be able to incorporate another day. Right now we couldn't do those things because of budgetary issues."

A statement released by the company Tuesday  indicated the Social Investment Grant Program is part of Freeport-McMoRan’s goal to "support sustainable programs for communities in the areas where we operate and assist these communities in ensuring their self-sufficiency beyond the presence of our operations."

According to the release, Lee County currently ranks 87 out of 99 Iowa counties in per capita and median household income, resulting in the need for educational services that extend students’ learning resources. The ties between income and achievement are deep-rooted and hard to overcome.  The Elliott Test Kitchen project is striving to break down these barriers by offering academic assistance aimed at improving graduation rates and opportunities for higher education. Go to https://www.tkef.org/ for more information about Elliott Test Kitchen.

“At Freeport-McMoRan, we believe it is critical to empower communities to envision and plan for their own sustainable future. One way we do this is by working together with community leaders and stakeholders to identify the best ways to invest in programs and projects today that contribute to a stronger tomorrow,” said Tracy Bame, President, Freeport-McMoRan Foundation.

“On behalf of Freeport-McMoRan, congratulations to Elliott Test Kitchen – the work you do makes a difference to our community.”

Climax Molybdenum, Elliott Test Kitchen, Emily Benjamin, fort madison, Freeport McMoRan, iowa, Kumar Wickramasingha

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