PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh diocesan Department for Catholic Schools has notified its schools that the General Mills Foundation annually contributes money to Planned Parenthood, on of the largest providers of abortion services in the United States.

General Mills, Inc. operates the "Box Tops for Education" program through which schools can receive money for sending in box tops from various products including cereal.

Some schools in the Pittsburgh Diocese have participated in the program and received money from General Mills.

The department notified the schools in a newsletter about the foundation's contributions to Planned Parenthood and some of the schools have stopped participating in the program.

"Obviously, we've made a recommendation in there," said Robert Paserba, diocesan superintendent of schools.  "But because each of the schools is uniquely and economically its own, we didn't authorize anything other than that.

"I believe the response has been very favorable, although I assume that given that information there are still some (schools) collecting box tops." he added.

Susan Rauscher, director of the diocese's Department for Social Awareness, said General Mills Foundation contributes $17,000 to $18,000 annually to Planned Parenthood of Minnesota.  The figure represents only about 0.1 percent of the foundation's total annual giving, she said.

Parents from some schools, including St. John the Baptist in Unity, have written letters to General Mills, based in Minneapolis, protesting the foundation's contributions to Planned Parenthood of Minnesota.  But she added, "none of the funds that we have donated to that organization go toward abortions.

Allegra Sinclair, a spokeswoman for the General Mills Foundation, said the foundation had recently given a grant "for education" to Planned Parenthood of Minnesota.  But, she added, "none of the funds that we have donated to that organization go toward abortions.

Sinclair said the foundation has two key areas of emphasis in funding -- violence and crime prevention and education.

"'Box Tops for Education' is a tremendous program in a way that the schools can get (up to) $10,000 a year to do whatever they want with," she added.  "I certainly hope that many of them will continue to get those funds since they are available to them."
 

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Copyright ©1998 Arlington Catholic Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.

This article was published in the Arlington Catholic Herald,
200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 607, Arlington, VA 22203; Vol 23, No 50;
dated Dec. 17, 1998, on page 20.
E-mail: letters@catholicherald.com
Fax: 703/524-2782;
Editorial: 703/841-2590;
Advertising: 703/841-2594;
Circulation: 703/841-2565

A note from the Web Master:

It is noteworthy and honorable that some folks are willing to stand up for a ban on Partial-Birth Abortion.  Let us not forget that ordinary everyday Abortion is also murder.  We must understand that murder is murder no matter the method.  Because one method of abortion seems to be horrible does not justify the other methods.  We should be horrified and sickened by any Abortion regardless of the method.  The Fifth Commandment spells it out clearly: "Thou shalt not kill."  A fetus is a person, a human being with a God given soul.  Imagine the pain the Lord must feel when any Abortion occurs.  Please contact both of your Senators and Representative, via letter or phone,  to let them know how horrified you are that Abortions are legal and to stop Partial-Birth Abortions and all other Abortions as soon as possible. (It has become apparent recently that they do not respond to email therefore you will have more of an impact by writing or telephoning.)

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