The W.K. Kellogg Foundation helped make National Hispanic Month a reality by giving a grant of nearly $13,600 to the National Hispanic Month Committee.

Yolando Trevino, student programming coordinator for University Resources for Latinos, received a grant for $13,539 from the Kellogg Foundation to help pay for the cost of the Hispanic Month’s events and a recent leadership retreat.

“We were elated to receive the money, and it helped us in offering such a great quality of events during National Hispanic Month,” said Trevino.

The Kellogg Foundation, based in Battle Creek, Michigan, was established in 1930 by William Kellogg to help organizations from around the world promote leadership skills and other types of events.

“The W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s purpose is to help people help themselves,” said Karen Lake, manager of media resources at the foundation.

A portion of the grant helped pay for the leadership retreat held at NIU during the weekend of March 22-24. The retreat, which was attended by students of seven other neighboring universities, helped assist Latino students gain leadership skills and learn how to improve them.

“It is time that the Hispanic people not only contribute but also receive leadership positions in their fields of expertise,” said George Gutierrez, Director of University Resources for Latinos.

Trevino said she was pleased with the success of the month’s events so far, and proud that the majority of committee members are students at NIU.

“15 of the 18 committee members are students, which is just unbelievable for this type of event,” said Trevino.