The UPS Store® Reaches $10 Million Donation Milestone in Support of Junior Achievement USA®

21 July 2026

SAN DIEGO - JULY 21, 2026 - The UPS Store, Inc. announced today that its Start Small, Grow Big program has reached a significant donation milestone: $10 million in customer donations supporting Junior Achievement USA® programs that help prepare young people for future success as entrepreneurs, small business owners and community leaders.

Launched in 2022, The UPS Store created Start Small, Grow Big to empower the next generation of small business owners through learning opportunities in communities nationwide. Through the program, customers can choose to round up their total to the nearest dollar during the checkout process at more than 5,500 The UPS Store® locations across the U.S., with their donations benefiting Junior Achievement programs in the regions where they are collected. Since 2022, hundreds of thousands of students nationwide have been directly impacted by the generosity of The UPS Store customers.

"As a The UPS Store owner, I see firsthand how our small business customers strengthen the communities we serve, and this is why I believe it is equally important to support the next generation of entrepreneurs who will help shape those communities in the future," said Michael Robey, chairperson of The UPS Store Marketing Advisory Council.

Junior Achievement programming provides school-aged children with lessons in financial literacy, work and career readiness and entrepreneurship, helping students build the knowledge and confidence needed to own their economic success and prepare for the future. In fact, in a recent survey by Junior Achievement, 87% of Gen Y and Z alumni credit Junior Achievement for preparing them to pursue higher education and 90% of alumni say that Junior Achievement helped them improve their critical thinking skills (2025 Impact Report).

"Reaching $10 million collected through our Start Small, Grow Big program is a powerful reflection of the generosity of our customers, the passionate support of our brand for small businesses and the commitment of our network to helping young people gain the skills, confidence and real-world experience they need to succeed," said Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales at The UPS Store, Inc.

In 2025 alone, the Start Small, Grow Big program enabled more than $2.6 million in customer donations, directly impacting more than 164,000 youth from more than 2,300 schools nationwide.

Among the many types of programming Start Small, Grow Big supports is JA BizTown®, located inside Junior Achievement learning facilities across the country. The UPS Store has added an imaginative The UPS Store storefront to nearly a dozen JA facilities nationwide - and counting. JA BizTown is a simulated town that allows young students to step into real-world roles, including bankers, civic leaders, reporters - and now, owners of The UPS Store - while gaining hands-on experience in entrepreneurship, customer service, business operations and more. Experiences like these pay dividends: 92% of Junior Achievement alumni surveyed said that students who participate in its programs are better prepared for the future workforce as technologies like automation and AI change jobs (2025 Impact Report).

"Junior Achievement helps students connect classroom learning to real-world possibilities, and support from The UPS Store customers helps make that possible in communities across the country," said Jack Harris, CEO of Junior Achievement USA. "This $10 million milestone represents opportunities for young people to discover their potential, understand how businesses work and imagine their own futures as leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs."

Through Start Small, Grow Big, The UPS Store network - comprised of franchisees who are themselves small business owners who own and operate their franchise locations - continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting small businesses today while investing in the small business owners of tomorrow. Customers can learn more about the Start Small, Grow Big program at https://www.theupsstore.com/startsmall.

About The UPS Store

With more than 5,500 locations across the United States, The UPS Store network comprises the nation's largest franchise system of retail shipping, postal, print, and business service centers. The UPS Store locations are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees of The UPS Store, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of United Parcel Service, Inc., a Delaware corporation (although one or more may be company-owned). Services, prices, and hours of operation are subject to change and may vary by location. For additional information about The UPS Store, visit theupsstore.com. Follow The UPS Store on social media at @TheUPSStore.

About Junior Achievement USA® (JA)

Junior Achievement is education for what's next. As a strategic partner working in collaboration with educators, employers, investors, leaders, and the communities they serve, we are dedicated to helping students achieve academically today and economically tomorrow. As a leader in experiential learning operating on a national scale with over a century of experience, we are driving toward lasting change. This means ensuring a generation of students has the transferable skills and competencies needed to navigate a rapidly changing world. By delivering career-connected learning, we are invested in accelerating economic mobility through education. By helping students become confident, capable, and connected today, we can ensure they have access to opportunity-filled futures tomorrow. Junior Achievement reaches more than 4.8 million students annually across nearly 100 U.S. markets, and is part of JA Worldwide, which serves over 19.9 million students in more than 100 countries. Learn more at www.ja.org.

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