The Standard Charitable Foundation, Standard Insurance Company’s charitable foundation, announced four grants totaling $150,000. The recipients are:

Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon — $50,000

The second grant of a two-year partnership supports MESO’s mission to elevate and empower historically excluded and under-resourced entrepreneurs with tailored business assistance and flexible capital to build family wealth through small business ownership. MESO offers culturally responsive classes and workshops to small businesses at all stages of development. In addition to funding, employees of The Standard are invited to lend their expertise to support entrepreneurs and small business owners.

De La Salle North Catholic High School — $50,000

These funds are the final payment of a multiyear pledge supporting the construction of a permanent home for De La Salle North Catholic High School. The school serves a racially diverse community of students, primarily from North and Northeast Portland, Oregon, who would not otherwise have access to a reliable college preparatory education. As part of the school’s Corporate Work Study Program, students attend class four days a week and work for a local company on the remaining day. The program — which The Standard has been a part of for many years — provides work experience and business contacts as well as helps offset the modest tuition to attend De La Salle.

Portland State University Foundation — $25,000

The grant is the final in a five-year sponsorship of a professorship in analytics in the business intelligence and analytics program at Portland State University. This program unites the PSU School of Business and the departments of Computer Science and Statistics with a graduate program that closes the gap between data scientists and business executives, teaching students to analyze data in ways that drive and inform business strategies.

Youth Villages — $25,000

The grant provides support for LifeSet, a program providing specialized transitional services for Oregon’s foster youth ages 17 – 22. Approximately 300 Oregon youth age out of foster care each year and many lack the skills, resources and support systems to live independently. LifeSet specialists work with youth individually every week to ensure their basic needs are met, their mental health is stable and they are taking active steps to achieve their self-determined goals.

“The Standard Charitable Foundation was created to support members of our communities needing a hand,” said Dan McMillan, president of The Standard Charitable Foundation and president and CEO of The Standard. “These grants will help disadvantaged high school students gain work experience, aid small business entrepreneurs in need of mentoring or funding, prepare business school students to use data and analytics to inform strategy and help our youth transitioning out of foster care. These dollars are focused on making a true difference in the lives of those around us, which aligns with the foundation’s purpose and our values as an organization.”

The foundation’s giving is separate from the corporate giving of The Standard. Since 2007,

The Standard Charitable Foundation, The Standard and its employees and retirees have contributed more than $48 million in grants and social investments.

About The Standard Charitable Foundation

The Standard Charitable Foundation was founded in 2006 with the mission to make a positive difference by supporting community development, education, disability and health organizations. While the foundation’s broad goal is making a positive difference in communities, it places special emphasis on helping individuals and families who have experienced a loss or setback such as a major disability or the loss of a loved one.

About The Standard

The Standard is a family of companies dedicated to helping customers achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. In business since 1906, we are a leading provider of financial protection products and services for employers and individuals. Our products include group and individual disability insurance, group life, dental and vision insurance, voluntary (employee-paid) benefits, absence management services, and retirement plans and annuities for employers and individuals. For more information about The Standard, visit www.standard.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries: Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., StanCorp Mortgage Investors, Inc., StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., StanCorp Real Estate, LLC, and StanCorp Equities, Inc.

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