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ADM Donates More Than $1.3 Million to Support Education in Central Illinois

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  Published in House and Home on Wednesday, September 15th 2010 at 12:10 GMT by Market Wire
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DECATUR, Ill.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) today announced a donation of more than $1.3 million to support schools and educational initiatives in Macon County and throughout Central Illinois. The donation includes $260,000 for Decatur Public Schools, $250,000 for the Decatur Area Education Coalition and additional funds for schools and organizations in 16 Illinois counties.

"ADM is proud to support educational initiatives in Decatur and the surrounding area to help create a great future for our community, our employees and our children."

The donation of more than $1.3 million is the single largest contribution ADM has made to support educational initiatives in Central Illinois. The donation was made through ADM Cares, the companya™s corporate social investment program.

aEducation is the key to progress and a foundation of a great community,a said Victoria Podesta, ADM vice president of Corporate Communications. aADM is proud to support educational initiatives in Decatur and the surrounding area to help create a great future for our community, our employees and our children.a

Podesta presented the check for more than $1.3 million today at Johns Hill Magnet School in Decatur to Gloria Davis, superintendent, Decatur Public Schools; Matt Snyder, regional superintendent of schools, Macon-Piatt Regional Office of Education; Wegi Stewart, executive director, Community Foundation of Decatur/Macon County; and Daniel Winter, president, Decatur Public School Board. Decatur Mayor Mike McElroy, Johns Hill students and representatives from the Decatur Area Education Coalition, Millikin University, Richland Community College, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Boys & Girls Club of Decatur and Junior Achievement attended the check presentation.

aThis partnership is a wonderful example of business and education working together for the benefit of the entire community,a said Davis. aADMa™s generous donation demonstrates theircommitment to both the educational and economic success of our community.a

The donation of more than $1.3 million will be distributed by the Community Foundation of Decatur/Macon County to the following schools and organizations:

Decatur and Macon County:

• Decatur Public Schools a" $260,000 for high school renovations
• Decatur Area Education Coalition a" $250,000 for kindergarten readiness, grade level mastery and college and career preparation initiatives
• Mt. Zion Fletcher Park a" $150,000 for Sulphur Springs School historic museum
• Jobs for Illinois Graduates a" $75,000 for high school education programs
• Millikin University a" $50,000 for college scholarships
• Richland Community College a" $50,000 for college scholarships
• Boys & Girls Club of Decatur a" $50,000 for mentoring and education programs
• Decatur Park District a" $30,000 for summer math and reading program
• Project Success a" $25,000 for tutoring programs
• Decatur Public School Foundation a" $20,000 for Celebrate! The Legacy of Learning fundraiser and Earth Day and technology grants
• Baby Talk a" $10,000 for birth to pre-kindergarten education programs
• Childrena™s Museum of Illinois a" $10,000 for agriculture education
• Decatur Family YMCA a" $10,000 for after-school tutoring
• Argenta-Oreana Community Unit School District #1 a" $5,000 for college scholarships
• Cerro Gordo Community Unit School District #100 a" $5,000 for college scholarships
• Maroa-Forsyth School District #2 a" $5,000 for college scholarships
• Meridian Community Unit School District #15 a" $5,000 for college scholarships
• Mt. Zion Community Unit School District #3 a" $5,000 for college scholarships
• Warrensburg-Latham Community School District #11 a" $5,000 for college scholarships

Central Illinois:

• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, Ill.) a" $50,000 for agriculture exhibits and education
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois a" $50,000 for mentoring programs that serve Champaign, DeWitt, Ford, Livingston, Macon, McLean and Piatt counties
• Junior Achievement of East Central Illinois, Inc. a" $50,000 for mentoring and educational programs that serve Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Menard, Morgan, Moultrie, Piatt, Sangamon and Shelby counties
• Illinois 4-H (Champaign, Ill.) a" $30,000 for scholarships and agriculture education
• Boy Scouts of America, Lincoln Trails Council (Decatur, Ill.) a" $25,000 for educational programs
• Girl Scouts of Central Illinois a" $25,000 for science, technology, and engineering and mathematics programs that serve Christian, DeWitt, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt and Shelby counties
• IAA Foundation (Bloomington, Ill.) a" $20,000 for Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom programs

In 2008, ADM realigned its corporate giving efforts and launched [ ADM Cares ] for more meaningful social investing and to strengthen the companya™s commitment to agriculture, communities, colleagues and others who have a direct tie to the company. ADM Cares has three areas of focus: Strong Roots to support agriculture and environmental initiatives; Strong Communities to meet educational and other pressing needs in ADM communities; and Strong Bonds for disaster relief, volunteer programs, in-kind food donations, matching gifts and employee-to-employee assistance.

The program directs up to one percent of ADMa™s pretax profits to initiatives and organizations around the world that drive meaningful social, economic and environmental progress.

About ADM

Every day, the 29,000 people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) turn crops into renewable products that meet the demands of a growing world. At more than 240 processing plants, we convert corn, oilseeds, wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, chemical and energy uses. We operate the worlda™s premier crop origination and transportation network, connecting crops and markets in more than 60 countries. Our global headquarters is in Decatur, Illinois, and our net sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, were $62 billion. For more information about our Company and our products, visit [ www.adm.com ].

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