ASTELLAS USA FOUNDATION FEATURE STORIES

Astellas USA Foundation Science WoRx® mentors supported iBIO’s annual five-day summer camp for 200 girls aged 3rd-8th grade. Through fun hands-on activities, projects and speaker sessions focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), the camp aimed to spark girls’ interests and inspire them to pursue careers in these fields.

Astellas USA Foundation recruited 23 Astellas employees, referred to as Science WoRx® mentors, to spend a day encouraging and coaching young minds in STEM by volunteering as VIP Judges at the Chicago Zoological Society’s annual Science Fairs.

Canton High School was one of 26 rural Illinois schools to receive a Project Lead The Way grant funded by Astellas USA Foundation’s Rural Spark Project™. To see the impact of this grant firsthand, U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos visited Canton High School in the spring and learned about educational resources available for students in her district.

Helping build healthier, sustainable communities is the heart of Astellas USA Foundation’s mission. Read about some of the most meaningful contributions the Foundation’s partner organizations provided in 2017.

For those living with intellectual disabilities, subtle stigma and discrimination can compromise the quality of health care they receive. To address this issue, Astellas USA Foundation provided a grant and recruited Astellas volunteers to support SO Illinois’ 19^th annual Chicago MedFest on November 7.

For students growing up in rural communities, access to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs can be limited. To address this issue, Astellas USA Foundation launched the Rural Spark Project through a multi-year grant with Project Lead The Way (PLTW) over the next three years.

As the daughter of an electrician, Elizabeth developed an early comfort level and familiarity with circuits and programming. During her two weeks attending PS Science’s Summer S-Team Rangers camp, Elizabeth served as the go-to helper for her fellow 4th and 5th grade campers, helping fix their laser powered car circuits and assisting the camp’s electrical engineer. At just 11 years old, she began to see what a future career might hold.

“Tomate,” said Alejandro, adjusting the lab goggles on his head as he examined the food in front of him. The tomato was actually an apricot, a fruit he had never seen until that day. But Alejandro* wasn’t told he was wrong, because he was mostly right. He was thinking like a scientist – classifying and participating in scientific inquiry, even though the question was asked in English and he speaks primarily Spanish. “Yes, Alejandro, it is very much like a tomato,” said the GrowingGreat educator. “It’s a fruit called an apricot. Let’s open it up and see what’s inside.”

In the United States, seven people are killed each day in a home fire – more than any other natural disaster, according to statistics from the American Red Cross. No matter where or how you live, a home fire can happen to anyone. With disaster preparedness as one of our three areas of focus, we’re dedicated to helping the communities where we live and work prepare today for the unforeseen events of tomorrow.

For Jeff Bloss, giving back is more than a phrase – it’s a responsibility. As an Astellas USA Foundation Board member, Jeff explains how Astellas USA Foundation supports Living Smart by helping people in our communities access the health & well-being programs they need.

When Jeff Winton was a child, his rural farming community in upstate New York was struck by a series of disasters, including a fire that burnt down his house and a set of tornadoes that devastated his town. As Astellas USA Foundation president, Winton understands that disaster can strike when we least expect it, and that being prepared can ease the burden of those affected. He explains how Astellas USA Foundation is helping communities prepare, recover and flourish when the unexpected happens.

This week, we attended the grand opening of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s new Learning Center, a 26,700-square-foot facility located in the heart of the Regenstein Learning Campus. The goal of the learning campus and center is to bring people of all ages closer to the environment by offering nature-based education and wellness programs throughout the year.

It's hard to encapsulate "giving back" in a single definition. That's why my colleagues at Astellas USA Foundation and I like to refer to giving back as Living Smart. Living Smart^TM means preparing communities today for what can happen tomorrow. Astellas USA Foundation and Astellas Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) align on this mission and collaborate to create positive impact to society. Our goal is to help the communities where we live and work access the resources they need to flourish and face the future with confidence.

Today Astellas USA Foundation was honored to receive the Wesbury Leadership Award from the American Red Cross. Astellas USA Foundation proudly welcomed members of the Red Cross to Astellas' headquarters for the Americas in Northbrook, IL, where Celena Roldán, CEO of American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois presented Jim Robinson, president of Astellas Americas, and Board member of Astellas USA Foundation, with the award at a company-wide town hall meeting.

Complementing its wide array of existing partnerships, Astellas USA Foundation has launched an innovative Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) initiative to introduce the benefits of STEM education to middle school and high school students in targeted rural communities.