Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) today committed $375,000 to support meal programs for school-age children across Saskatoon’s public and separate school divisions. Denita Stann, Vice-President of Investor and Public Relations, presented its donation to the Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Foundation before an audience of students and staff at Confederation Park Community School.

“At PotashCorp, we care about the food needs of people here at home and around the world,” said Stann. “Children, especially, need proper food and nutrition to learn, grow and succeed in school. That’s why we felt it was important to get involved and help our schools deliver these important programs.”

PotashCorp’s $375,000 contribution will be allocated between Saskatoon’s two school divisions. Saskatoon Public Schools will commit its $200,000 to establish the “PotashCorp Nutrition Program” which will support the school division’s ongoing efforts to provide daily nutritious meals in twenty-two public schools. Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools will use its $175,000 to support breakfast, lunch and snack programs in sixteen schools across its system.

“Unfortunately, too many of our students come to school hungry,” said George Rathwell, Director of Education for Saskatoon Public Schools. “These children struggle to learn, and reach their full learning potential, because they are either undernourished or too hungry to concentrate on their studies. We are grateful to PotashCorp for this contribution and the help it will provide to some of our most vulnerable students.”

According to Rathwell, over 500,000 meals and snacks will be served to public school students this year. According to Bev Hanson, Director of Education for Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, the story is much the same. She estimates over 300,000 meals will be served to students in her system by the end of June 2012.

“Demand for breakfast, lunch and snack programs in our schools continues to rise,” she said. “We want our students to get the best start in life. But before we do that, we need to make sure that they get a healthy start to their day.”

She continued: “On behalf of everyone at Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, thank you to PotashCorp for its support and the investment it has made in the health and future of our students.”

Headquartered in Saskatoon, PotashCorp is the world’s largest fertilizer company by capacity, producing the three primary crop nutrients – potash, phosphate and nitrogen. With five potash operations in Saskatchewan, and one in New Brunswick, it is responsible for about 20 percent of global capacity and is the world’s leading potash producer. Its operations and business interests span seven countries, making PotashCorp an international enterprise and a key player in meeting the growing challenge of feeding the world.

For more information contact:

Rhonda Speiss
Manager, Corporate Philanthropy
Phone: (306) 933-8544
Email Corporate Philanthropy

Veronica Baker
Communications Officer
Phone: (306) 683-8325
Email: bakerv@spsd.sk.ca

Donella Hoffman
Communications Consultant
Phone: (306) 659-7077
Email: dhoffman@gscs.sk.ca