 |
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
Battle Creek, MI – Kellogg Company employees and retirees are donating more than ever to United Way of Greater Battle Creek – $2.7 million. Kellogg’s President and CEO David Mackay and Dr. Celeste Clark, senior vice president, global nutrition and corporate affairs, joined nearly two dozen employees that serve on Kellogg’s United Way Leadership Team to announce the donation this past Monday at Family Health Center of Battle Creek, one of the local organizations operating programs funded in part by United Way. “Our employees and retirees take pride in generously supporting United Way and its partner agencies,” said Dr. Clark. “Together, we are helping to meet critical human needs in the community where we live and work.” More than one hundred years ago W.K. Kellogg’s ready-to-eat cereal innovation changed the way people eat breakfast. Today, Kellogg Company employees and retirees have made a statement that they too want to make a lasting difference in the lives of those in the Battle Creek area. A check for $2.7 million was presented by the Kellogg employees to United Way of Greater Battle Creek 2007 Community Solutions Campaign Co-chair Erick Stewart, Mike Larson, United Way president and CPO and A.J. Jones, president and CEO of the Family Health Center. Stewart is Co-owner of Stewart Industries, an auto parts sub-assembly and inspection company located in Fort Custer. “The support that United Way receives from Kellogg is just absolutely outstanding,” said Stewart. “David and Celeste bring a great spirit to the campaign that can be seen throughout the Company.” The Kellogg total is made up of employee and retiree pledges, a dollar-for-dollar match of pledges from Kellogg’s Corporate Citizenship Fund and revenues from fundraisers conducted by employees during the campaign. Employee-led fundraising activities such as a golf outing, basketball tournament, bowling event, motorcycle ride and multiple live and silent auctions raised more than $132,000 of the company campaign total. “We are so fortunate to have Kellogg call Battle Creek their home,” said Larson. “It is reassuring, during what you could call very dismal economic times in our state, to have a Fortune 500 Company that is able to continue to show positive earnings and growth and to not only share that success with their shareholders, but to continually give back to their communities through United Way. Their support helps ensure that their neighbors have access to some of the most basic human-needs like food, shelter and essential utilities. It also enables us to invest in initiatives like the OB/GYN Services provided by our host here today, the Family Health Center of Battle Creek.” “Kellogg’s employees contribute more than just dollars to this campaign they also give of themselves with sweat equity,” said Gene Miyamoto, Campaign Co-chair and chief financial officer of Battle Creek Health Systems. “It is almost unimaginable to think that nearly 1,500 Kellogg volunteers have been mobilized throughout the community over the past few months.” Miyamoto is referencing the employees who have participated in United Way Days of Caring projects this year; building homes, distributing clothing, serving food to the hungry and helping to clean up parks around the community, to name a few. All told, some 130 groups of employees have volunteered for more than a dozen organizations. Kellogg employees account for seventy-five percent of the volunteers that have given back to the community through the Days of Caring. Including the $2.7 million contributed to United Way of Greater Battle Creek, Kellogg has pledged $4.6 million for its company-wide campaign. Kellogg campaigns around the country will benefit 26 communities. With the Kellogg contribution, United Way of Greater Battle Creek is now sixty percent of the way to reaching the 2007 Community Solutions Campaign goal of $5.1 million, but there is still much work to be done. Anyone interested in learning how to make a gift should call United Way of Greater Battle Creek at 269.962-9638 or visit the website at www.unitedwaybattlecreek.org. Final results of the 2007 Community Solutions Campaign will be announced at the 2007 Wrap-Up, December 13, 2007 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the new Battle Creek Holiday Inn located in Harper Village. Anyone interested in attending should call United Way of Greater Battle Creek at 269.962.9538. United Way of Greater Battle Creek addresses some of our community’s most pressing problems and measurably improves the lives of individuals in need. United Way does this by raising dollars that fund more than 50 local programs operated by 33 non-profit agencies or organizations. United Way also collaborates with local organizations and people to identify and address emerging needs and issues. -end- |
|||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
