Here’s how Fresno State graduates can earn $500 from the Wonderful Company
Graduating Fresno State students could earn hundreds of dollars as long as they fulfill community service hours at a nonprofit that serves the community.
Lynda and Stewart Resnick, owners of The Wonderful Company and long-time supporters of Fresno State, are giving $1 million to university students in their newest philanthropic endeavor, the Wonderful Butterfly Project.
“We love Fresno State and have long been inspired by the school’s alumni who go out into the world and help change it for the better,” Lynda Resnick said in a statement. “We hope our gift will encourage 2020-2021 graduates to serve, because we’re pretty sure after experiencing the joy of giving back first-hand, they will make it a habit.”
The Wonderful Butterfly Project will give $500 to the first 2,000 Fresno State graduates of 2020 and 2021 who complete two days or 16 hours of community service at a nonprofit in their communities, according to a news release.
“Never underestimate the powerful impact you can have in your own backyard,” Resnick said. “When you serve in the same place that you live, you build momentum, movements, and relationships that make an indelible mark on your community.”
In total, the statement said, the program will generate 32,000 hours of community service for Central Valley organizations.
Graduates can visit www.wonderfulbutterflyproject.com to match local nonprofits and apply for funding once they’ve completed their community service hours.
In addition to this new program, the Resnick’s have given Fresno State millions of dollars. They donated $10 million for the new student union under construction that will be named after them.
The Resnicks’ investment will contribute to the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the student union that is expected to be completed in the fall. The Wonderful Company is a $4.6 billion global enterprise that includes popular brands such as Wonderful Pistachios, Wonderful Halos, POM Wonderful, FIJI Water, and JUSTIN Wine.
Part of the Resnicks’ donation — which helped Fresno State make significant strides in fundraising — will be used to create The Wonderful Scholar Center within the new student union. That space will be dedicated to tutoring and counseling for more than 200 Wonderful Scholars attending Fresno State.
In 1994, the Resnicks established Wonderful Education to increase the number of people earning college degrees in the Valley. Wonderful Education operates three preschools, two public charter schools, an agriculture college pathway, and grant and scholarship programs.
They also previously gave $500,000 to support research at Fresno State’s Jordan Ag Research Center and have supported the College of Science and Mathematics, Lyles College of Engineering, Alumni Association, Bulldog Foundation, Student Affairs, and Enrollment Management, and the Maddy Institute.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s new wine and viticulture center is named in part for the Resnicks’ Justin Vineyards and Winery after the company faced outrage from locals when it clear-cut thousands of Paso Robles oak trees.
This story was originally published May 14, 2021 at 9:30 AM.