GM Foundation Invests $100,000 to Evaluate STEM Gains

DENVER, August 4, 2016 /3BL Media/ The GM Foundation is supporting Earth Force, Inc. with a $100,000 investment to further advance the GM Global River Environmental Education Network (GM GREEN).

The grant will support professional development for the educators that facilitate GM GREEN programs, such as online learning videos reinforcing the organization’s Community Action and Problem-Solving Process. The funds also enable Earth Force to build on its decades-long evaluation program by focusing on STEM education impact and alignment with GM sustainability goals.

“The GM Foundation’s continued commitment supports students in developing the skills, knowledge, and motivation necessary to problem-solve around the issues affecting their communities and the environment,” say Vince Meldrum, Earth Force President and CEO. “Their hands-on partnership makes programs like GM GREEN possible.”

General Motors’ donation to Earth Force is two-fold; in addition to the grant, the company’s employees donate their time as mentors to students in the program. Last year, 235 GM employees volunteered to help over 17,000 students implement environmental protection projects, develop problem-solving skills and discover STEM-related career pathways.

GM GREEN students have designed and implemented a wide array of environmental projects during the last 27 years, including restoring the habitat of a local lake, constructing and donating rain barrels to community members, and creating a native rain garden on a school campus to filter stormwater runoff.

To learn more about Earth Force and the GM GREEN program, visit www.earthforce.org or contact Kristen Mueller at kmueller[at]earthforce.org.

About Earth Force
Earth Force is an international 501(c)3 organization with headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Its mission is to engage young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities now and in the future. Through Earth Force and its network of partners, young people get hands-on, real-world opportunities to practice civic skills, acquire a deep understanding of the environment, and develop the skills and motivation to become lifelong leaders in addressing community issues. Visit http://www.earthforce.org or follow @earthforce on Twitter to learn more.