Coach announces 20 million US dollar investment in young people

Coach Foundation, established in 2008 by American fashion and accessories brand Coach, is nearly doubling its commitment to its North American ‘Dream It Real’ programme to advance opportunities for under-resourced young people.

The company, which has donated more than 70 million US dollars to hundreds of worthy causes across the globe, has pledged a 20 million US dollar investment to expand its ‘Dream It Real’ scholarship initiative for North American students.

The ‘Dream It Real’ programme is the Coach Foundation's signature initiative, rooted in the foundation's mission of creating opportunities and removing barriers for the next generation through collegiate scholarship, mentorship and other resources. The scholarship initiative is now in its seventh year, and the new investment is aimed at helping the foundation accelerate its ambitious goal of awarding 10,000 scholarships by 2030. The foundation has already provided more than 7,000 scholarships to young people around the world.

Key successes from the programme reveal that 97 percent of ‘Dream It Real’ students are on track to graduate college on time, a stark contrast to the 21 percent national average for students from similar backgrounds. Additionally, 94 percent of ‘Dream It Real’ scholars are first-generation college students who graduate with 88 percent less debt than the national average.

Todd Kahn, chief executive and brand president at Coach, said in a statement: "This investment represents our unwavering commitment to the young people we support. With an expanded investment in North American programmes, we're accelerating our impact and scaling what we know works.

“These young people are achieving remarkable outcomes and we're committed to helping even more of the next generation realize their potential and shape the future. Our new 2030 goals will ensure we can reach even more students who deserve access to pursue their dreams."

The announcement was made at Coach Foundation's signature annual ‘Dream Day’ on June 12 in New York City, attended by more than 400 young people and featuring conversations from WNBA players Kiki Iriafen (Washington Mystics) and Aneesah Morrow (Connecticut Sun). The event also included speed mentoring, manifestation stations and interactive workshops.