W. K. Kellogg

Born in 1860, Will Keith Kellogg was his father's 7th son. He was born in Flint, Michigan, but relocated to Battlecreek around the age of seven. Soon after starting school, he was often believed to be "dim-witted" by his schoolteachers because of his difficulty reading the blackboard. By his early twenties, he discovered he was simply near-sighted. Years later, after amassing his fortune, W.K. recalled his childhood setback; it helped him to realize the importance of proper health care for all children. He reflected: "Since then, I have often thought of what science can do for underprivileged children if they can be taken in hand at the proper time." W.K. started the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in 1930, with the sole purpose of stimulating a better quality of life and bring a more refreshing outlook to communities in the United States and worldwide. The practical approach of its programs is meant to improve health care, education, food management, and provide the technological tools needed to replace patterns of passive dependency with a sense of partnership that empowers people to help themselves. Over the years, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has generously supported programs at Cal Poly Pomona echoing these themes.

In 1925, Mr. Kellogg bought 377 acres of land to build his estate, the Arabian Horse Stables, and the Manor House. Following the end of W.W. II, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation was in search of an institution to assume operating control over the Kellogg Ranch property. On October 13, 1949, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation offered custody of the Ranch to the State of California to expand the southern branch of the California State Polytechnic College. Today, under the terms of the grant deed, Cal Poly Pomona must adhere to specific conditions of the gift or return the Ranch to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Over the years, the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center has thrived, and the two organizations have indeed enjoyed a long-standing relationship. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has supported a number of projects and programs including the Kellogg West Center for Continuing Education, the Center for Regenerative Studies, and the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library, which boasts one of the most extensive collections of Arabian horse materials in the world.