The J.M. Smucker Co. Announces Multi-Year Support for AIEDU

The J.M. Smucker Co. today announced a multi-year gift to The AI Education Project to help us expand our ‘Intro to AI’ program across Ohio and support schools with high quality remote learning during COVID-19.

Smucker was one of AIEDU’s first corporate backers, and provided critical seed funding just as schools across the country began to shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Their support helped us launch our inaugural pilot program in Akron, OH, and then scale it to schools across Ohio.

“This new, multi-year commitment will enable AIEDU to expand our footprint in Ohio, and begin onboarding schools which have signed up to our waiting list (which now) exceeds 100+ schools),” said Ora D. Tanner, Chief Learning Officer. “Multi-year grants are extremely prized by nonprofits, because they provide budget visibility and allow for long-term strategic planning. The generous donation is also a strong signal from J.M. Smucker about their buy-in to our mission and pathway to impact.”

The J.M. Smucker Co.’s support for AIEDU solidifies the nonprofit’s footprint in Ohio, long considered a bellwether for the country at large. Ohio is among the top 10 states with the largest student enrollment, with 1.7 million students in primary or secondary schools.

“We have a unique appreciation for the essential role education plays in the continued progress of our communities and are proud to support innovative programs, like the AI Education Project, that bring this to life,” said Bryan Hutson, Senior Vice President, Information Services at The J.M. Smucker Co., and a member of the AI Education Project’s advisory team. “We are excited to help scale the AIDEU’s impact here in Ohio and to continue to support this important program.”

Last week, executives from Smucker participated in AIEDU’s Forum on AI Education and Workforce Readiness alongside leaders including Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Code.org CEO Hadi Partovi, and Girls Who Code COO Tarika Barrett.

We are lucky to have found such incredible partners in our work, and look forward to expanding our engagement across Ohio.