Giving back to our communities directly and through The Toro Foundation has long been a part of our culture. Around the world, our employee volunteers actively provide their time and talents supporting local charitable organizations and civic projects. Their efforts promote a wide range of initiatives such as youth enrichment, education, health, housing, and improving outdoor environments. We provide further support of such projects by donating products and expertise.
- The company's Corporate Volunteer Program enables full-time, salaried employees the opportunity to give back up to 20 hours of their time during the workday each year. One of the ways employees volunteer their time is through organizations like Habitat for Humanity. For more than 10 years, and in addition to employees volunteering their time, the company donates walk power mowers, yard tools and irrigation products to help the new homeowners more easily maintain their properties.
- Each year, our employees donate their time, leadership and dollars through various United Way fundraising events to help make a lasting impact in our communities. Several company locations have been recognized by local United Way agencies for their support and giving. In Minnesota, the Greater Twin Cities United Way recognized The Toro Company in 2011, 2012 and 2013 as a "Million Dollar Partner" for raising more than $1 million dollars each year through employee and Foundation contributions.
- Supporting non-profit organizations worldwide with the donation of turf and landscape equipment, and irrigation products, is a key part of Toro’s annual support of communities. From donating mowers and other outdoor equipment for workforce training programs to Workman® utility vehicles for parks and veteran programs, this important effort frees operating expenses at non-profits and provides resources to better meet program needs.
- Capitalizing on our employees' professional expertise, coupled with Toro equipment and irrigation products, we participate in many skills-based volunteering projects helping improve parks, schools, sports fields and other green spaces. As example, employees have helped install drip irrigation in under-developed countries where water and food are often in critically short supply. Employees have planted onsite vegetable gardens to provide fresh produce to local food shelves. In several communities where our employees live and work, we also have partnered with the community to build playgrounds for children to have a safe place to play. Since 2005, Toro and the Minnesota Vikings professional football team have teamed up to donate over $500,000 to community playground projects across the Twin Cities. Toro employees have also proudly teamed up with professional baseball's Minnesota Twins to help rebuild distressed sports fields to ensure athletes of all ages have safe places to play.
