President George W. Bush visited 3M on Feb. 2. He toured a laboratory and recognized the company for its leadership in research and development in remarks to employees about America's global competitiveness.

Ken Melrose, executive chairman of The Toro Company, established the "Employee Critical Need Fund." Toro will match a $1 million donation from the Kendrick B. Melrose Family Foundation. The idea was developed following the California wildfires in 2004, in which some Toro employees lost their homes and other belongings. The fund, which is unique among Twin Cities-based companies, is aimed at providing short-term emergency assistance to employees impacted by a natural disaster, life-threatening or serious illness or injury, loss of a family member, or other circumstances beyond the employee's control. "While as a company we strive to give back to the community, it's also important to help employees who make Toro successful," said Melrose.

The Northwest Minnesota Women's Fund, a fund of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, recognized the recipients of its regional Community Builder awards. Laurie York of Waubun was recognized for her lifelong involvement in caring for youth and helping to enable and empower them to achieve greatness. She is the Peacemaking Circle Coordinator for the Mahnomen County Weed and Seed Program on the White Earth Reservation. Nancy Tofte is the Community Education Director in Thief River Falls and is active with the Early Childhood Coalition. The recipients were nominated by their communities.

The Minnesota Twins Community Fund announced its 2006 grant and community support programs. The MTCF will distribute more than $650,000 to promote and improve youth baseball, softball and education in the Upper Midwest, Southwest Florida and Latin America.
> Recreational programs: Twins Fields for Kids, Twins Youth Clinics, Play Ball! Minnesota, Rookie League and Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI), RBI Academy, RBI Central Regional Tournament, tournament grants, youth baseball/softball expansion grants, and summer baseball/softball camp scholarships.
> Other programs: Twins Youth Scholarship Program, Carl R. Pohlad Award, TwinsCare ticket donation program.

Target is partnering with United Through Reading, a read-aloud-by-videotape program, to help deployed military parents stay connected with their children despite long distances. The program, which has served 100,000 military personnel and their families, will now be open to all branches of the armed forces. "The program shares synergies with our national initiative, Ready.Sit.Read!, which is aimed at fostering a love of reading among children and families," said Laysha Ward, Target's vice president of community relations. "Our goal with this initiative is to lessen the strain of separation and increase bonding through the positive, educational experience that reading aloud provides."

Ameriprise Financial and its employees raised over $4.4 million for nonprofit organizations in 2005, its first giving campaign as an independent public company. Donations made through the Employee Giving Campaign, which had a company-record 70-percent participation rate, totaled $2,246,797, which was matched dollar-for-dollar by Ameriprise Financial. The "open" campaign allows employees to designate their contributions to any eligible nonprofit organization or one of the company's featured federations. "Our campaign is a great example of how the company and employees work together to support local communities across the country," said Terry Williams, director of community relations.