Chevron believes that investing in California communities is as important as investing in California energy. We're committed to supporting the building blocks of California's economy and competitiveness — education, career and technical training, and support for small businesses.
In 2007, we spent about $750 million on small businesses; approximately half was spent with minority- and women-owned businesses in California. Our Supplier Diversity Program helps numerous organizations, such as the Southern California Minority Business Development Council. Our support of organizations like the Women's Initiative for Self Employment provides low-income women with tools they can use to achieve financial self-reliance.
Our East Bay Education Partnership supports four Bay Area school districts with grants, resources and 500 Chevron volunteers. In the San Joaquin Valley, Chevron funds and operates the Student Training for Achievement, Reward, and Success program in partnership with ACT-1 Personnel Services to provide a paid youth-mentorship and work experience to at-risk students that develops awareness of career paths, promotes higher education, and instills motivation by placing them in jobs in our operations. Through sponsorship of the Chevron World Challenge, Chevron supports the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim, which has helped more than 15,000 disadvantaged students get a fair shot at success.
In 2008, we contributed $1 million toward a United Way expansion of the 2-1-1 community information service in the Bay Area. To help charities do their best, for 20 years Chevron has sponsored Nonprofit Day, a major training event in the Bay Area. And our annual Chevron Management Institute helps build nonprofit leadership.
Chevron matches millions of dollars in employee contributions each year. Beyond company contributions, our employees volunteer their personal time to serve their communities through our Chevron Humankind program. In 2008, during the company's volunteer week, 2,500 employees rallied to work on 250 projects at 85 community agencies. Volunteerism remains a core value for Chevron people today, as it always has.
Updated: June 2009