SECAUCUS, N.J., Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Goya Foods, America’s largest Hispanic food company, today announced it will award academic scholarships to sons and daughters of company employees as the recipients of Goya’s annual Employee Scholarship Program and announced a new nationwide scholarship for graduating high school seniors interested in culinary arts and food sciences. An honorary reception took place at The Waldorf Astoria in New York City on Monday, October 17, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. for the award recipients and their families.
The Goya Scholarship Fund is part of an initiative to honor Goya’s 75th anniversary and the company’s commitment to their employees and to higher education. “Education is very important to Goya and vital to the development of our youth and to the strengthening of our communities,” says Bob Unanue, President of Goya Foods. “Our Employee Scholarship Program is our way of giving back to our employees and creating the opportunity for their sons and daughters to gain a better education and to help with college costs.”
The scholarship recipients of the 2011-2012 academic year are Sarah Wimbush Bray, freshman at Lafayette College; Cristal Reyes, freshman at University of New Haven; Anthony Adolfo De la Rosa, freshman at New Jersey Institute of Technology; and Drazy Daybelis Medina, freshman at Northeastern University. Administered by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the nation’s largest leading Hispanic scholarship organization, applicants were selected based on academic achievement, leadership and financial need. Among the criteria for consideration of the annual $5000 Goya Scholarship program, the student must be enrolled in college full time while maintaining a 3.0 GPA, and serving 10 hours of community service per month.
Goya Foods also announces a new nationwide scholarship fund for graduating high school seniors interested in culinary arts and food sciences that meet the selected criteria by Goya and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. “As the leader in Latin American food, our new Culinary Arts Scholarship Program is one of our educational pillars, essential to the fulfillment of our mission to celebrate, nurture, and preserve Goya’s diverse culinary heritage and future,” says Peter Unanue, Executive Vice President of Goya Foods. “We pride ourselves on authenticity, high-quality, and culinary traditions and wanted to establish a scholarship that would give students the opportunity to pursue their passion in the culinary arts and food sciences.”
In January of 2012, eligible students can apply for a $5,000 annual scholarship at http://www.goya.com/scholarships through The Goya Scholarship Fund. Applicants of the Goya Culinary Arts & Food Sciences Scholarship will be selected based on the standard requirements established by Goya and HSF as well as an evaluation of an essay explaining how Goya has enriched their family traditions.
In celebration of Goya’s 75th anniversary, Goya has developed a number of community programs this year including the Goya Gives campaign. In partnership with United Way, Goya donated one million pounds across multiple markets, the largest ever single-day food donation by a food company. In addition, Goya has donated extensively to local and national organizations including a donation of 1.5 million pounds of food worldwide throughout 2010 and will donate an estimate of over 2 million pounds of food in 2011. Giving has not only been an intricate part of Goya, but acts as a symbol of their appreciation to all those who have supported them since the beginning.
ABOUT GOYA: Founded in 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. is America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company, and has established itself as the leader in Latin American food and condiments. Goya manufactures packages and distributes over 1,600 high-quality food products from the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Goya products have their roots in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world; their combination of authentic ingredients, robust seasonings and convenient preparation make them ideal for every taste and every table. For more information on Goya Foods, please visit http://www.goya.com.
SOURCE Goya Foods
