CVS Health Charity Classic Awards $1.3 Million to 103 Southeastern New England Charities

WOONSOCKET, R.I., December 17, 2015 /3BL Media/ - At a celebration today recognizing area non-profit organizations supported by the CVS Health Charity Classic, CVS Health President and CEO Larry Merlo announced that $1.3 million dollars will be donated from the 2015 tournament to support dozens of charities across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

In addition, CVS Health announced dates for the 2016 CVS Health Charity Classic, which is scheduled for June 26 - 28 at Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington, R.I. 

This year's donation from the annual golf tournament, which attracts world-class golfers each year and is the largest charitable sporting event in Rhode Island, brings the total amount donated over 17 years to more than $19 million.

"Supporting organizations that make a real difference in the community and provide the support necessary to bring the CVS Health Charity Classic to life is one of the most important ways we give back in our home state," Merlo said. "We are proud to support the meaningful work being done by these non-profits to provide assistance to those who need it most in the areas of health care, education and social services."

Merlo, along with Tournament Chairperson Eileen Howard Boone and PGA Tour professionals and CVS Health Charity Classic co-chairs Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon, awarded the donations in front of a crowd that included CVS Health colleagues, many of the awarded non-profits, working charities that volunteer their time during the tournament and CVS Health Charity Classic sponsors. 

A number of the CVS Health Charity Classic non-profit partners were on-hand to highlight how the tournament has supported their efforts throughout the year. This included a singing performance by a Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence youth and a speech by Joe Andruzzi, president of the Joe Andruzzi Foundation which supports cancer patients and their families, former New England Patriots player, Super Bowl winner and cancer survivor. "We're very fortunate for this support from the CVS Health Charity Classic which allows us to provide assistance to more patients and families as they recover from both the physical and financial stresses of a cancer diagnosis," said Andruzzi. "We're truly grateful for the support we receive from such a community-minded organization, which gives us the opportunity to financially assist as many families as we can as they go through a difficult time."

In all, 103 local non-profit organizations across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts will benefit this year from the CVS Health Charity Classic. These include:

• A Wish Come True, Inc.
   
• American Diabetes Association, RI
   
• Adopt-a-Family
   
• ALS Rhode Island
   
• Alzheimer's Foundation of America
   
• American Lung Association, Rhode Island
   
• American Heart Association
   
• American Red Cross
   
• Amos House
   
• Arthritis Foundation, RI
   
• Arts Alive! Barrington
   
• Bags of Hope
   
• Boys & Girls Club of Blackstone Valley
   
• Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket
   
• Boys & Girls Club of Taunton
   
• Boys & Girls Club of Warwick
   
• Barrington Community School
   
• Barrington Education Foundation
   
• Barrington Public Library
   
• Barrington Senior Center
   
• Barrington TAPIN
   
• Bayside Family YMCA of Barrington
   
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State
   
• Blessings in a Backpack
   
• Boston Red Sox Foundation
   
• Boy Scouts of Rhode Island
   
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence
   
• Bradley Hospital
   
• Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island
   
• Build Our Kids' Success (BOKS)
   
• Button Hole Golf
   
• Children's Friend
   
• Children's Wishes of Rhode Island
   
• Citizens Scholarship Foundation of Barrington
   
• City Year Providence
   
• College Visions
   
• Community Preparatory School
   
• Crossroads Rhode Island
   
• Day One
   
• Donate Life New England
   
• Easter Seals of Rhode Island
   
• Economic Progress Institute
   
• Families First Rhode Island
   
• Gabrielle Dinsmore Heart and Hope Fund
   
• Gaits of Harmony
   
• Girls on the Run
   
• Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation
   
• Golf Fights Cancer
   
• Habitat for Humanity
   
• Hasbro Children's Hospital Golf Invitational
   
• Highlander Charter School
   
• Hockomock Area YMCA
   
• Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island
   
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of RI
   
• Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island
   
• Joe Andruzzi Foundation
   
• John E. Fogarty Foundation
   
• March of Dimes – Rhode Island Chapter
   
• Meals on Wheels
   
• Meeting Street
   
• Michael H. Flanagan Foundation
   
• Operation Gratitude
   
• Our Sisters' School
   
• PASA (Providence After School Alliance)
   
• PeaceLove Studios
   
• Project GOAL
   
• Providence Center Golf Tournament
   
• Providence International Arts
   
• Resilient Kids
   
• Rhode Island Family Shelter
   
• Rhode Island Community Food Bank
   
• Rhode Island Parent Information Network
   
• Richard A. Browning Medical Education Fund
   
• RI Burn Foundation
   
• RI Healthy Schools Coalition
   
• RISE
   
• Ronald McDonald House (RI)
   
• Salvation Army Rhode Island
   
• Save The Bay
   
• Serve Rhode Island
   
• Sojourner House
   
• South Shore YMCA
   
• Special Olympics Rhode Island
   
• Spurwink|RI
   
• St. Mary's Home for Children
   
• Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre
   
• Station Fire Memorial Foundation
   
• The Autism Project
   
• The Learning Center for the Deaf
   
• The San Miguel School Providence
   
• Tides Family Services
   
• Tomorrow Fund
   
• University of Rhode Island Golf Team
   
• VIPS (Volunteers in Providence Schools)
   
• WaterFire Providence
   
• Wolf School
   
• Women's Center of Rhode Island
   
• Woonsocket Boys & Girls Clubs
   
• Woonsocket Park Renovation
   
• Woonsocket Rotary Days
   
• YMCA of Greater Fall River
   
• Youth Pride, Inc.

"The Charity Classic has always been about great golf and great charities," said Faxon. "We continue to be proud of the success the tournament has had in improving the lives of so many."

"As New England natives, Brad and I are so excited that the tournament has been able to donate more than $19 million dollars," said Andrade. "We have had the opportunity to make a positive impact through our support of local organizations, and thanks to the dedication of many individuals, that impact will be even greater this year."

For photos and videos from today's event and updates throughout the year, follow @CVSClassicGolf on Twitter and like CVS Health Charity Classic on Facebook.

About the CVS Health Charity Classic
The CVS Health Charity Classic is Rhode Island's largest charitable sporting event and hosts some of the best PGA and LPGA professional golfers in the world. Funds generated by the tournament, launched in 1999, are distributed to area nonprofit organizations that provide vital funding to a range of programs serving children, families and people in transition throughout Southeastern New England.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 7,900 retail drugstores, more than 1,000 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 70 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

Media Contacts

Mary Alfieri, CVS Health 
(401) 770-9811
malfieri2@cvs.com 

Dawn Ratte, (add)ventures
(401) 580-9597
dratte@addventures.com