Investment Summary
Charitable organizations are often asked to measure their impact in terms of funds invested and numbers served.
By such bottom-line calculations, the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation has had a sizeable impact since it was established in 1991: more than $9 million invested, affecting the lives of many thousands of young people with disabilities, their families, friends and communities. Added to that total are thousands of employee volunteer hours and many non-cash contributions from our sponsoring companies.
In keeping with the spirit of the starfish parable, we prefer to measure our work at the individual level, by the way in which Foundation support has transformed one life at a time. The young man who discovered his career calling - and made a lifelong friend - through a mentoring program. The child who has learned to communicate through a specialized computer program. The father who hears his daughter say, "I love you Dad" for the first time.
There will always be more starfish on the beach than MEAF can hope to reach. But we stay true to our mission and focused on our task, trying to make a difference, starfish by starfish.
Here are the summary numbers of MEAF grants, 1991-2009:
National Grants: $6,585,000
Matching Grants: $2,356,000
Matching Gifts: $195,000
TOTAL: $9,136,000
MEAF: 19 Years & Counting
Since its inception in 1991, MEAF has made over $9 million in grants. Ninety-two organizations have been awarded more than $6.7 million in national grants, with an additional 600 organizations located in Mitsubishi Electric communities receiving more than $2.3 million through local company grant programs.
As it has done for 19 years, MEAF will strive to be flexible and responsive to changing priorities and new approaches. But some things will not change:
- Our commitment to serving young people with disabilities;
- Our focus on ABILITY;
- Our belief that everyone in society benefits from the full participation of all youth.
History
The idea to establish a foundation began in 1989, when a group of Mitsubishi Electric executives decided that, after 20 years of doing business in the US, it was time to give back to the community. The 15 executives each put $100 on the table toward the foundation. By February 1991, that $1500 had grown to a $15 million endowment through contributions from the Mitsubishi Electric Corporation of Japan and its US subsidiaries, and the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation was launched.
The Foundation's national mission of serving young people with disabilities has not changed over the years, and its priorities remain independence, productivity, and community inclusion. More than $9 million have been invested in organizations ranging from the American Foundation for the Blind to the Girl Scouts of the USA. MEAF invests in National Grant projects that promote the full inclusion of youth of all abilities in the areas of education, career preparation, recreation, volunteering and the arts. The Foundation also matches the donations of Mitsubishi Electric companies and their employees through Company Grant programs helping to support youth in the communities where our employees live and work.
While it is impossible to precisely measure the human impact of these investments, we estimate they have helped thousands of children to live fuller, more productive lives.
Numbers count, and multiplier effects are an important consideration in making grant decisions. But the Foundation also focuses on the individual and the value of each person's life. In the spirit of the Starfish story, we seek to make a difference, one starfish at a time.
Environmental Vision 2021 (EV2021)
In advance of its 100th anniversary in 2021, the Mitsubishi Electric Corporation created Environmental Vision 2021 — EV2021 — to make ?gpositive contributions to the earth and its people through technology and action." You can learn more about EV2021 and its goals of reducing global warming, creating a recycling-based society, and fostering environmental awareness by visiting www.mitsubishielectric.com/eco/index.html.
In step with EV2021, MEAF is taking strides to be environmentally friendly in its operations and philanthropic activities.
Operations: a few examples of how MEAF is going green include:
- Being committed to reducing paper and ink usage by 20%.
- Reducing the use of printed materials in favor of providing documents electronically.
- Replacing travel with webinars, audio conferencing, or other low-impact technology wherever possible.
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