Kohl’s will donate $2 million over the next three years to support the expansion of a free children’s education program at Discovery World, the Menomonee Falls-based company announced Tuesday morning.
The program, called “Design It!” teaches kids to use technology creatively through arts and crafts projects in a lab at the Discovery World center on Harbor Drive in downtown Milwaukee.
“Our partnership with Kohl’s Cares is central to our mission because it encourages our community to tinker, design and innovate,” said Discovery World President and chief executive officer Joel Brennan. “With the help of Kohl’s, we are sparking interest and creativity in children that will benefit our community for years to come, as these kids become future engineers, designers and makers. Kohl’s is a true partner in making our community a more innovative and creative place, and we couldn’t fulfill our educational mission without their support.”
Kohl’s has committed $6 million to the program, called “Design It!” since it was launched in 2010. Discovery World has expanded the size of the Design It! Lab to create additional seating and more room for projects. The Kohl’s donation will go toward additional staffing and materials for the lab, and will also support a new mobile initiative that will allow visitors to create projects at locations set up throughout the Discovery World center.
“Kohl’s is proud to partner with Discovery World to provide children and families with exceptional educational experiences through the Kohl’s Design It! program,” said Kohl’s spokesperson Bevin Bailis. “By supporting Discovery World’s renovation and program expansion, we hope to inspire others to dream, design and build and realize the vast career opportunities available in the fields of science and technology.”
The donation comes from Kohl’s philanthropic branch, Kohl’s Cares, which donates profits from certain merchandise to health and education programs for kids throughout the country. Kohl’s representatives say nearly $63 million has been donated through Kohl’s Cares since 2010 to support charitable initiatives in the metro-Milwaukee area.
