Hyundai Motor America is supporting students through a $15,000 donation to the UCI Basic Needs Center and its ongoing partnership with the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business Future Leaders Initiative. Together, these efforts help provide essential resources and educational opportunities students need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
“Investing in students today creates stronger communities tomorrow,” said Brandon Ramirez, director, corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor North America. “Through our support of the UCI Basic Needs Center and Future Leaders Initiative, we are helping students overcome immediate challenges while pursuing future goals.”
Hyundai is donating $15,000 to the UCI Basic Needs Center in support of its mission to ensure equitable access to basic needs through student empowerment, community collaboration, and institutional integration. The center serves thousands of students each year, offering food resources, emergency housing, transportation support, financial wellness programming, and more. The donation comes as food insecurity remains elevated across the country. According to the Urban Institute, nearly 1 in 4 U.S. adults reported experiencing household food insecurity in 2025, underscoring the importance of organizations like the UCI Basic Needs Center that help students access essential resources. Alongside the donation, Hyundai employees contributed professional attire through a clothing drive benefiting the UCI Basic Needs Center to help students with their transition into the workforce.
“The UCI Basic Needs Center’s programs serve as a safety net for thousands of students who face barriers in pursuing their degrees,” said Andrea Mora, director, UCI Basic Needs Center. “With Hyundai’s generosity, we will be able to purchase additional food to augment the variety and nutrition density of food available in our campus food pantry. In the past year alone, the center’s food pantry served 4,230 unique students with 19,526 visits, helping students access nutritious food and relieve socioeconomic stress.”
The Merage School Future Leaders Initiative (FLI) provides underserved Southern California students with business education, financial literacy, and career preparation through in-person courses that enhance college readiness and support pathways into business, technology, and entrepreneurship careers. \Since the partnership began in 2023, Hyundai has donated a total of $90,000 to help expand FLI and prepare students for future success.
