Letter from the President

Almost 50 years ago, the Monsanto Fund began with one vision in mind – bridging the gap between people’s needs and their resources. Although the focus is now on strengthening both farming communities and communities where Monsanto employees live and work, specifically supporting critical needs and education, the vision has remained the same.

My entire career has been about helping people. I spent almost 10 years working in city government, where one of my most rewarding opportunities was running the employment training agency where we assisted out-of-work people, helping them get jobs, training or further their education. I spent another 10 years working for the American Red Cross, where I organized disaster assistance, ranging from small disasters to catastrophic ones – and everything in between.

Working with others to make a difference in people’s lives, in good times and in bad, is what motivates me. The strength of the human spirit – the determination in people’s eyes when they’re working toward a goal, the excitement they show when they’ve accomplished what they never thought possible, the gratitude they feel when they realize others have selflessly given of themselves to make an impact on another’s life – these are the things that inspire me. These are the reasons my life has been about helping others.

I have been afforded numerous opportunities to help improve lives for people in need. And my job as president of the Monsanto Fund allows me to continue to do this within a corporate context. Every day I know I’m making a difference in someone’s life. It’s what I do, and it fulfills me.

From the U.S. to China and many points in between, we are reaching out to hundreds of farming communities and communities where Monsanto employees live and work. Whether it’s developing a training academy to help unemployed people in South Africa learn row crop production, or the development of school gardens to enhance nutrition in Brazil, the Monsanto Fund contributes in unique and powerful ways.

As president of the Monsanto Fund, I focus my efforts on building a global philanthropic program that engages our stakeholders, respects cultural differences, and most importantly, improves lives.


Sincerely,

Deborah J. Patterson