Submitted by: Jill González, Director of Programs
It seems appropriate during this Thanksgiving month to stop and acknowledge one of our greatest supporters at BookSpring. Michele Walker-Moak and the Applied Materials Foundation have actively and generously supported the work of BookSpring since 2001, donating more than $343,000, and we are very grateful!
Michele is the program manager for Global Community Affairs at Applied Materials and was kind enough to sit down with me and fill me in on the philanthropic work of her department.
Applied Materials has a long-history of community support. Started in the 1960’s, Applied Materials came to Austin in 1992 and established a manufacturing hub. The wafer-fabrication equipment industry has a cyclical business cycle and the company wanted to ensure that community support was sustained and not dependent upon the ebbs and flows of the industry. To maintain strong, continued, community giving, the Applied Materials Foundation was created. The mission of the Foundation is to make a positive social contribution in the communities where Applied has a presence.
In 2012, Applied Materials Foundation gave back over $900,000 to the Central Texas community. The Foundation has strategic areas for grant making that include Arts & Culture, Education, Civic Development and the Environment. They also encourage their employees to volunteer in the community and sponsor an employee giving campaign.
BookSpring’s mission aligns perfectly with that of Applied Materials education focus – to prepare students for success in school and in life.
We are thankful to Michele Walker-Moak and the Applied Materials Foundation for their continued support over the years. Together, we are making a difference!
