Fri Sep 13 16:36:00 UTC 2024: ## Ben & Jerry’s Foundation Clarifies $1,000 Grant to Brattleboro Center Amid Controversy

**Brattleboro, VT (September 14, 2024)** – The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation has issued a statement clarifying a $1,000 grant awarded to Branches Pregnancy Resource Center in Brattleboro. The grant was initially made by the Community Action Team (CAT) at one of Ben & Jerry’s Vermont company sites, an employee-led group responsible for distributing small grants to local organizations.

However, the Foundation has since announced a separate $2,500 grant to Planned Parenthood in Brattleboro. The Foundation’s statement acknowledges that Branches Pregnancy Resource Center is currently suing the State of Vermont over the Shield law, which protects healthcare providers and patients from prosecution outside of Vermont. This lawsuit is seen as a challenge to reproductive freedom and individual rights, a stance that directly contradicts Ben & Jerry’s longstanding commitment to reproductive justice.

The Foundation’s statement explains that the CAT was not aware of the litigation or the Center’s affiliation with anti-reproductive rights organizations when making the grant decision. The team’s focus was on supporting the Center’s request for funding to create a recreational space, without fully understanding the organization’s broader position on reproductive rights.

“Ben & Jerry’s and the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation have been doing this work for 40 years and have a long legacy of working for social justice,” stated Lisa Pendolino, Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. “The Foundation will do a better job making sure the team members have complete information.”

The Foundation’s clarification comes amid public scrutiny over the initial grant. This incident underscores the importance of transparency and due diligence in grant-making, particularly when dealing with organizations that may hold controversial stances on sensitive issues.

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