The Coca‑Cola Foundation Awards $26 Million to 85 Global Organizations During First Quarter 2012

ATLANTA - The Coca‑Cola Foundation -- the global philanthropic arm of The Coca‑Cola Company -- awarded US$26 million in grants to 85 community organizations during the first quarter. The grants support the Foundation's global priority areas, including: $9.7 million for water stewardship; $3.6 million for fitness and nutrition; $7.4 million for education (including $5 million for first generation college scholarships); and $4.9 million for community recycling, and other local priorities, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, youth development, and civic initiatives.

"We measure the success of our commitments by the impact these grants will have in people's lives, in their neighborhoods and in their communities all over the world," said Ingrid Saunders Jones, Chairperson of The Coca‑Cola Foundation. "Seeing the tangible results of partnership and innovation inspires our continued investment to help build sustainable communities around the world."

These grants will make a powerful difference and will benefit:

- 2 million people worldwide with improved access to clean water or sanitation;

- 3.1 billion liters of water will be conserved; 48 tons of debris will be collected;

- 8.9 million people will benefit from increased water conservation and education;

- 2.3 million youth and adults will participate in fitness or nutrition programs; and

- 255,000 students will benefit from education programs; 32,639 will be awarded scholarships; and 169 colleges and other schools will receive grant support.

Organizations receiving grant funding from The Coca‑Cola Foundation include:

Water Stewardship

- ACF Stakeholders, Inc., Sustainable Water Management Plan , benefiting residents of 80 counties in Georgia, Alabama and Florida, United States, $50,000.

- Bonneville Environmental Foundation, East Fork Bear River Water Restoration Certificate Project , benefiting watershed conservation efforts and providing protection for the Bonneville cutthroat trout and other state-listed sensitive species, United States, $250,000.

- The Coca‑Cola Africa Foundation - Global Environment & Technology Foundation, Replenish Africa Initiative , benefiting two million people in 17 African countries with improved access to water and sanitation services, Africa, $7 million.

- Earth Day Network Philippines, Inc., Agos Ram Pump Project , to provide access to water and sanitation for more than 15,000 residents of 12 upland communities, Philippines, $279,630.

- Landcare Australia Ltd., Coca‑Cola & Landcare Australia Watershed Protection and Regeneration Program 2012, supporting 12 community water quality improvement projects, Australia, $102,000.

- Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (Dodecanese, Greece), Rainwater Harvesting Program, to support installation of rainwater harvesting projects, Greece, $300,000.

- Plan International India Chapter, Improving Water and Sanitation Facilities in Indian Schools, benefiting 10,000 children in 50 schools, India, $249,984.

- Pronatura México, A.C., Catch Water Ponds in Five Communities in Mexico, to support the rebuilding of five rainwater catchment ponds, benefiting 2,000 people, Mexico, $500,000.

- Pronatura México, A.C., Drip Irrigation Systems, benefiting 500 small farmers with irrigation systems for backyard vegetable gardens, Mexico, $100,000.

- Thames21 Limited, Big Waterways Clean Up 2012, an initiative to organize 4,000 volunteers to clear London-area rivers and canals of debris in advance of the 2012 Olympic Games, Great Britain, $40,000.

- UN-Habitat, Schools for Wash and Groundwater Recharge Promotion South Asia, benefiting 30,000 children by providing improved water, sanitation facilities and rainwater harvesting structures in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, $750,000.

- Urban Farming, Inc., Urban Farming/Coca‑Cola Rain Barrel Harvesting Project, to support installation of rainwater harvesting and irrigation systems in Ohio and Michigan, United States, $100,000.

- Water Environment Federation, U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize, to support the 2012 U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition in the U.S., benefiting students and schools participating in water-related science projects and education, United States, $25,000.

COMMUNITY RECYCLING

- Piedmont Park Conservancy, Inc., Piedmont Park Recycling Program, for ongoing operations of recycling programs and public education at Atlanta's Piedmont Park, diverting 48 tons of recyclables from landfills, United States, $20,000.

- Singapore Environment Council, Community Recycling in Public Housing, to support a recycling awareness campaign, Singapore, $50,000.

ACTIVE HEALTHY LIVING

- 100 Black Men of America, Inc., 100 Healthy Living Project 2012, benefiting 1,200 young people through mini-grants to seven local chapters to expand the "Nutrition and Physical Activity The 100 Way Program" and "Youth Movement," a track and field program for at-risk youth, United States, $150,000.

- Agricultural University of Athens, Nutrition and Physical Activity Program for School and Family Environments, benefiting 6,500 children and parents participating in a nutrition and physical activity program, Greece, $250,000.

- Aktif Yasam Dernegi, Active Schools, benefiting 25,000 children by providing playgrounds and physical activity programming in 60 schools, Turkey, $750,000.

- China Youth Care Foundation, Balanced Diet-Active Living Program, to continue support for the China School Active Lifestyle Campaign in 20 cities and more than 60 universities, China, $400,000.

- Delta Citizens Alliance, Delta Energy Youth Program, to support a network of daycare centers for children in the mid-Delta region of Mississippi with programming to encourage healthy eating and exercise, United States, $25,000.

- French Diabetics' Association, Balanced Diet and Physical Activity for Diabetic Peer Support Groups, to support training for 180 diabetic patients who will lead support groups for 18,000 adults coping with diabetes, France, $300,000.

- Harokopio University, Medweight Study: Lifestyles for Weight Loss Maintenance, to fund a study of lifestyle factors associated with long-term weight loss maintenance in the Mediterranean population, Greece, $175,000.

- International Sport And Culture Association, +100m Campaign For Sport And Physical Activity, supporting the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education campaign to encourage 100 million more Europeans to become active in sports and physical activity, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, $500,000.

- Klichko Brothers Foundation, Call Your Friends - Let's Play Together, benefiting 10,000 children and their families by building 12 playgrounds, Ukraine, $210,000.

- Maistobankas (Food Bank), Sveikatiada Healthy School Program, benefiting 11,000 students and adults by expanding nutrition and physical activity education in 56 schools, Lithuania, $15,000.

- NGO Sport Club Motion, National "Let's Get Active!" Campaign, to fund a national public awareness campaign to educate Estonians on the need to increase physical activity and have a balanced diet, Estonia, $60,000.

- Olimpiady Specjaine Polska (Special Olympics), Special Olympics - Poland, benefiting more than 16,000 children participating in regional and national Special Olympics events, Poland, $30,000.

- Palestine Association for Children's Encouragement of Sports, Positive Change Through Sports, benefiting 6,800 students by funding summer and after-school sports programs, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestinian Territories, $50,000.

- Piedmont Park Conservancy, Inc., Kids Get Active, benefiting more than one million children through operations and upkeep of the playground and other facilities at Atlanta's Piedmont Park, United States, $30,000.

- San Francisco Parks Alliance, Mobile Recreation Program, benefiting over 1,600 young people through expansion of the Mobile Recreation program at 17 centers, United States, $100,000.

- Serbian Institute of Sport, Physical Activity, Health and Exercise Therapy, benefiting 17,000 students and adults in a pilot program prescribing regular physical activity for elementary school students, Serbia, $215,000.

- SIEMACHA Association, Juliada, benefiting 5,500 at-risk youth with support for free sports programming, Poland, $35,000.

- Slniečko - Občianske Združenie Celiatikov S Rodinou I Priateľmi Prešovsko - Sabinovsko, "Don't Be Lazy" Campaign, benefiting 5,000 teenagers through development of interactive classroom seminars that promote healthy, active lifestyles, Slovakia, $35,000.

- Szkolny Zwiazek Sportowy (Sport School Association), Animator Of The Sports For Children And Young People, for a national contest to recognize the 15 best youth sports programs in the country, including coaches and creators, Poland, $100,000.

- Young Men's Christian Association of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc., Scholarships to Attend Camp High Harbour, benefiting more than 30 youth with scholarships to attend summer camp, United States, $25,000.

EDUCATION

- Seventeen colleges and universities will share grants totaling $5 million as part of The Coca‑Cola First Generation College Scholarship Program, including:

- Alabama A&M University Foundation, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- Alcorn State University Foundation, Inc., Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are their first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- Asian And Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarship Program, to provide scholarships to 45 Asian American and Pacific Islander students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $150,000.

- Bethune-Cookman University, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- California State University, Long Beach Foundation, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting 25 students from California who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $500,000.

- Fayetteville State University Foundation, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- Jackie Robinson Foundation, Inc., Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting five students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $100,000.

- Johnson C. Smith University, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- Kentucky State University, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- Mississippi Valley State University, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- Morehouse College, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships and Pre-College Leadership Program, benefiting more than 150 students through the Campaign for a Morehouse Renaissance, United States, $1.2 million.

- Oglethorpe University, Coca‑Cola Oglethorpe Scholars Program, benefiting 100 students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $1 million.

- South Carolina State University, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- Texas Southern University Foundation, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarships, benefiting four students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $50,000.

- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, First Generation Coca‑Cola Scholars at Illinois, benefiting 24 students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $500,000.

- The University of Texas-Pan American Foundation, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholars at The University of Texas-Pan American, benefiting 20 students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $500,000.

- Villanova University, Coca‑Cola First Generation Scholarship Program, benefiting 20 students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college, United States, $500,000.

Other educational grants awarded during the first quarter of 2012 include:

- Abyssinian Development Corporation, The Abyssinian Neighborhood Education Plan, benefiting 500 students at the Bread & Roses Integrated Arts High School in Harlem, New York City, through support of school improvement efforts, United States, $500,000.

- American Association of Community Colleges, New Century Scholarship Program, benefiting 50 community college students through continued support for scholarships, United States, $55,000.

- Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc., The Apollo Theater Academy, to support the education of 3,000 New York City high school students on careers in the arts and entertainment industry, United States, $200,000.

- Atlanta Fulton County Zoo, Inc., Education Programs, benefiting 172,000 students through education and outreach programs aimed at enhancing the zoo's accessibility to the entire community, United States, $250,000.

- Atlanta Girls' School, Inc., Financial Aid Program, to provide financial assistance to 70 students recruited through A Better Chance, United States, $50,000.

- China Youth Development Foundation, Project Hope Post-Construction School Program and Teacher Training, benefiting 32,000 students through renovation and improvement of 69 Project Hope Schools and training for 100 teachers, China, $500,000.

- The Coca‑Cola Africa Foundation - Zawadi Africa Educational Fund, Zawadi Africa Educational Fund, to provide support for 180 young women participating in the Zawadi Scholarship Program and for programs aimed at 600 high school graduates; Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and United States, $100,000.

- The Executive Leadership Foundation, Award for Excellence in Business Commentary National Essay Competition, benefiting 30 undergraduate students through scholarship support, United States, $450,000.

- The Georgia Charter Schools Association, Georgia Charter School of the Year Award 2012, to fund the award to recognize a single Georgia charter school that exemplifies excellence in critical success areas, United States, $50,000.

- Holy Innocents' Episcopal School, Financial Aid Support For Minority Students, to provide tuition assistance to up to five students recruited through A Better Chance, Atlanta, United States, $50,000.

- NGO Publishers' Forum, International Children's Festival - Bookmania, benefiting 25,000 children and teenagers with funding for a series of literary events and a reading competition, Ukraine, $20,000.

- Somali and American Fund For Education, Improving Access to K-12 Education, benefiting 250 students by renovating a primary school and increasing access to education, Somalia, $10,000.

LOCAL PRIORITIES

- Six global organizations will receive grants totaling $3.5 million to support HIV/AIDS and malaria awareness and prevention

- AID for AIDS International, ¿Cuánto Sabes? (How Much Do You Know About HIV and AIDS?), benefiting 150,000 teenagers through support of an HIV/AIDS prevention program, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Panama and Venezuela, $100,000.

- The Coca‑Cola Africa Foundation - Hope Worldwide, Ltd., Care And Support For Orphans And Vulnerable Children In Africa, providing care and support for 30,000 children and training for caregivers and community partners in Botswana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, $400,000.

- The Coca‑Cola Africa Foundation - Rotarians For Fighting AIDS, Inc., Rotary Family Health Day 2012, benefiting 75,000 people with HIV/AIDS testing and counseling and other health care services at 210 sites, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, $250,000.

- The Coca‑Cola Africa Foundation - Citihope International Inc., The Coca‑Cola Medical Relief Initiative, benefiting over 125,000 patients and health care workers through distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Morocco, $600,000.

- The Coca‑Cola Africa Foundation - Episcopal Relief & Development, NetsforLife - A Malaria Prevention Program, support for net distribution and ongoing evaluation and monitoring of more than 21 million people in Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, $1 million.

- The Coca‑Cola Africa Foundation - Medshare International Inc., Donations to Medically Underserved Facilities, to support delivery of medical supplies and biomedical equipment to hospitals and healthcare facilities in Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Morocco, $800,000.

Other local priorities receiving grants during the first quarter of 2012, include:

- World Vision India, Support My School Campaign, benefiting more than 17,000 students through the renovation of schools, India, $250,000.

- Girls Incorporated, Exploring Entrepreneurial Experiences (E3), benefiting 50 students through expansion of the E3 Program, which introduces girls to financial literacy and entrepreneurial concepts, United States, $100,000.

- Junior Achievement of Georgia, Inc., Junior Achievement Means Success and JA Fellows Programs, benefiting 650 middle and high school students in Georgia with programs that teach economic and financial literacy skills, United States, $25,000.

- Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation Inc., Leadership Academy and Foundation Operations, benefiting 80 Atlanta-area high school students in the Leadership Academy, United States, $50,000.

- National Black Arts Festival, Inc., National Black Arts Festival 2012 Education Programs, to support the 2012 Children's Education Village, benefiting more than 5,000 youth from summer camps across the southeast, United States, $100,000.

- Aga Khan Foundation USA, Economic Development And Education Opportunities For Youth In Kyrgyzstan And Afghanistan, benefiting more than 12,000 students, youth entrepreneurs, teachers and farmers through support of entrepreneurial and education programs, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan, $200,000.

- Agence Du Don En Nature - Eurogiki, Replication and Roll-out of L'Agence du Don en Nature (Gift In-Kind Agency), to support logistics and operations that benefit 300,000 people through collection and distribution of unsold non-food products, France, $134,000.

- Atlanta Leadership Development Foundation, Inc., Leadership Atlanta 2012-2013 Program Year, benefiting 80 program participants, United States, $25,000.

- United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, 2012-2013 Women's Leadership Council Match, supporting the 2012 United Way Annual Campaign Women's Initiative, United States, $100,000.

- International Relief & Development, Improve Citrus Orchard Productivity of Small Farmers, supporting improved agricultural practices for 400 small citrus farmers, Pakistan, $100,000.

- Pronatura México, A.C., Creating Community Companies for Forest Plant Production, benefiting reforestation efforts across the country, Mexico, $750,000.

- Pronatura México, A.C., Education to Conserve Mexican Forest, to support forest conservation education and awareness, Mexico, $150,000.

- Human Rights Campaign Foundation, A 50-State Campaign To Improve Care, to fund a campaign to improve healthcare equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender patients, United States, $100,000.

About The Coca‑Cola Foundation

The Coca‑Cola Foundation awarded more than $70 million to 263 community organizations around the world in 2011 to support sustainable community initiatives, including water stewardship, community recycling, active, healthy living, and education. 

About The Coca‑Cola Company

The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca‑Cola, the world's most valuable brand, our Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca‑Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.8 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system employees. For more information, visit www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.