CANTON, Mass. – Convenience retailer Cumberland Farms has launched a new youth-based program to help make a difference in the lives of young people residing in the communities it serves.

On July 17, during a press conference at the Boston Public Library, Cumberland Farms CEO Lily Bentas announced the Corporate Giving Program for the Youth, as well as two significant gifts to inaugurate the program -- college scholarships to 100 high school students across the retailer’s 11-state service area and funding for a 4-H Youth in Action Grants Program that will benefit 5,000 youth and 1,500 adult volunteers at 50 local 4-H clubs and after school sites.

The mission of Cumberland Farms’ Corporate Giving Program is to:

• Improve the prospects for young people
• Encourage and support young people's achievements in business and leadership
• Provide educational opportunities for young people in the communities Cumberland Farms serves

“Cumberland Farms recognizes that our youth are our most precious resource,” said Bentas, adding, “We are committed to making a positive difference in the lives of young people. We want our corporate giving program to be a vehicle that supports and improves the circumstances for the next generation.”

The 4-H Youth in Action Grants Program will award mini-grants to local 4-H clubs or after school sites to implement a service-learning project. The Cumberland Farms scholarship program will be administered through Scholarship America and will award students on both academic merit and financial need.

Cumberland Farms supports local and national charities such 4-H America, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Making Strides for Breast Cancer.