Avangrid Foundation, Don Hanson Charitable Foundation and Roots & Shoots USA Launch Hanson Box Project in United States to Send Free Educational Resources to Schools

Tens of thousands of students will benefit from free resource boxes sent to elementary and middle schools across Avangrid’s service areas 


60 elementary and middle schools in Hartford are among the first in the United States to receive the Hanson Boxes


ORANGE, Conn. — September 27, 2023 — The Avangrid Foundation, the philanthropic arm of leading sustainable energy company Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), is partnering with the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation and Jane Goodall Institute’s youth action program Roots & Shoots USA to launch the Hanson Box project in the United States to deliver free first class educational resources to thousands of schools across the country. As part of the initiative, more than 2,500 elementary and middle schools across Avangrid’s service areas in New York, Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut will receive free resources boxes full of unique educational books, lesson plans and activity kits designed to help teachers inspire their students. Today, 60 elementary and middle schools in Hartford, which is served by Avangrid subsidiary Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG), received the Hanson Boxes, making Hartford students among the first in the United States to receive these resources.

“Quality education has the power to transform lives,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “We’re very proud that the Avangrid Foundation has been fundamental to the launch of the U.S. phase of the Hanson Box project and that schools in the communities we serve will be the first to receive their boxes. This initiative will create a lasting impact and educators will be able to use these one-of-a-kind resources for many years.” 

“We want to help our communities thrive by supporting initiatives that increase access to educational resources,” said Pablo Colón, Director of Corporate Citizenship at Avangrid and Executive Director of the Avangrid Foundation. “This Hanson Box initiative will achieve this by ensuring schools throughout our service areas have quality educational resources to supplement their lessons plans. As a parent. I’m looking forward to hearing stories from my own children about the inspiration that comes from these boxes.” 

The Hanson Box project, named after British philanthropist Don Hanson, aims to enhance learning and help educators empower children across the world. The project started in the United Kingdom in 2019 and has since expanded to Australia and now the United States. To date, more than 30,000 Hanson Boxes have been shipped, representing more than 290 tons of resources. 

“We are grateful and deeply appreciative of Avangrid Foundation, Don Hanson Charitable Foundation and Roots & Shoots USA for making such a meaningful investment in Hartford Public Schools and our students,” said Paul Foster, Deputy Superintendent of Administration, Strategy, and Performance Accountability at Hartford Public Schools. “At HPS, our mission is to provide all our students with the learning and support they need to succeed in school and life. With the Hanson Boxes, our students will have access to fun, interesting, and high quality resources that will foster a love for learning, literacy, and exploration.”

“Our planet is at a crucial moment in history – if we don’t protect the natural world we shall lose all species, including our own,” said Jane Goodall, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute. “My biggest reason for hope is the passion and commitment of young people when empowered to take action. The Hanson Boxes will do just that. Filled with really beautiful books and exciting lessons - about animals, people and our environment - they will inspire the next generation of young environmentalists to go out there, create change and make this world a better place.”

The 2023 USA Hanson Box contains four specially designed resources that cover a broad range of subjects in the national curriculum, including biology, English, art, geography, history, ecology, environmental sciences and natural history. Learn more about each resource here. In addition to the resources in the box, the Hanson Box project has free competitions and online activities for schools to participate in. Competition winners receive grants to expand educational resources for students.

“For us at CNG, serving the city of Hartford is about more than just providing safe and reliable natural gas: it’s also about being a partner to the community,” said Frank Reynolds, President and CEO of Connecticut Natural Gas. “I am pleased that the Avangrid Foundation has partnered with the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation and Roots & Shoots USA to provide these beautiful educational resources to students across Hartford, and I look forward to continuing to partner with the city in future initiatives.”

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