Menomonee Falls-based Kohl’s Department Stores Inc. today announced that it is making a $2 million donation to Discovery World, the science museum located on the downtown Milwaukee lakefront.
The company said it will donate $2 million over three years to Discovery World. The donation will provide continued support to the Kohl’s Design It! program at the museum. Kohl’s Design It! gives children an opportunity to use advanced technology to turn design into reality.
The Kohl’s Design It! program consists of includes the Kohl’s Design It! Lab, a hands-on learning lab providing students with a greater understanding of how things are made and how technology is involved in transforming ideas into objects. The lab includes workstations, tools, equipment and themed curriculum for students to create items such as personalized flashlights, jewelry inspired by designs found in nature or backpacks made with recycled materials. The program also includes the Kohl’s Design It! Mobile Lab, a portable version of the on-site lab to extend program delivery beyond the walls of the Discovery World facility. Trained lab educators travel to schools, youth-serving agencies and community festivals in the Kohl’s Design It! Mobile Lab.
“Our partnership with Kohl’s gives visitors of all ages the opportunity to discover their ability to innovate while teaching them about product development,” said Paul Krajniak, Discovery World executive director.
The Kohl’s Design It! program was launched in 2010 with a $2 million donation from Kohl’s. “Kohl’s shares Discovery World’s commitment to enhancing education and providing valuable learning opportunities for kids and families,” said Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We are proud to continue our partnership with Discovery World as we work together to encourage a new generation of innovators.”
The funds for Kohl’s Design It! have come from the Kohl’s Cares merchandise program, which sells special merchandise in Kohl’s stores, including plush toys and books, and 100 percent of the net profit is used to benefit children’s health and education initiatives nationwide. Since 2000, Kohl’s and the Kohl’s Cares program have combined to give nearly $50 million to support charitable initiatives in the metro-Milwaukee area.
