William H. Danforth was the founder of Ralston- Purina in 1894 and a co-founder of the American Youth Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping youth live a balanced and healthy life. Danforth is also the author of the book, I Dare You!

Through the Danforth Foundation, he subsidized the construction of 24 Danforth Chapels on college campuses around the United States, and one in Japan. Berea College, which Danforth attended, has one of them.