The PepsiCo Foundation Announces Grants to Charities in New Bern, North Carolina, the "Birthplace" of Pepsi-Cola

PURCHASE, N.Y., May 3 2019 /3BL Media/ -- The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of one of the world's leading food and beverage companies, and Minges Bottling Group, Inc., announced two grants that will support charities based in New Bern, N.C. – the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola.

The Foundation will give $25,000 donations to both the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina's 2018 Stop Summer Hunger Program and the Craven County Disaster Recovery Alliance to help support the communities affected by the recent storms. The funding was announced in conjunction with PepsiCo's Annual Meeting of Shareholders, taking place in New Bern, and builds on the company's previous hurricane relief efforts.

The first grant to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina's Stop Summer Hunger Campaign ensures that children continue to have access to nutritious food during the summer break when school meals are unavailable. Food insecurity and access to nutritious meals is a struggle for 13 million American children who live in households that lack the means for nutritious food on a regular basis.¹ This grant is part of The PepsiCo Foundation's work to tackle hunger by increasing access to nutritious foods in communities in need, including in North Carolina, which is the 10th hungriest state in the nation, and nearly one in five children face hunger on a regular basis.²

"Summer is a difficult time for many of the families that we serve because the end of school marks the beginning of hungry days for many children and uncertainty around their next meal," said Food Bank Eastern Regional Director George Young. "With the devastating impact of the recent hurricane, we are especially grateful that – for the fourth year in a row – The PepsiCo Foundation has partnered with us to help provide nutritious meals so that kids in central and eastern North Carolina can enjoy and have fun during their summer break."

The second grant to the Craven County Disaster Recovery Alliance will provide assistance to help rebuild the local communities impacted by Hurricane Florence. With more than 16,000 direct employees throughout South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, this grant marks a continuation of PepsiCo's work with local authorities and disaster relief agencies to marshal additional necessary resources to address immediate needs. Minges Bottling Group, Inc., a local Pepsi bottler for 13 counties in Eastern North Carolina, including New Bern, is assisting PepsiCo with all efforts to help those in need in the community.

"Our Foundation is focused on leaving a positive imprint on society and local communities, including in New Bern where our company has its deepest roots," said Jon Banner, Executive Vice President, PepsiCo Global Communications and President, PepsiCo Foundation. "We've seen firsthand how the New Bern community has been severely impacted by Hurricane Florence, and we will continue to work to ensure that local relief agencies have the resources they need to offer support in its aftermath."

"We are so thankful for PepsiCo's continued support of the New Bern Community and commitment to helping rebuild those areas that were devastated by the recent hurricane," said John Robinson, Chair of the Board of the Craven County Disaster Recovery Alliance. "Their dedication goes a long way toward helping us support and strengthen this vibrant community."

The announcement builds on PepsiCo's support of Hurricane Florence relief efforts, which include a $1 million donation from The PepsiCo Foundation, split between the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army; more than 350,000 meals donated to families in affected areas through Food for Good, The PepsiCo Foundation's signature nutrition operation; more than $75,000 raised for the New Bern community at the MumFest benefit concert, sponsored by PepsiCo and Minges Bottling Group, Inc.; as well as product donations and on-the-ground employee volunteer support.

About The PepsiCo Foundation
Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation works with nonprofit partners and invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system – helping alleviate hunger, manage water and waste responsibly, and support women as champions of nutrition from farm to family. For more information, visit https://www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.

About PepsiCo 
PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $64 billion in net revenue in 2018, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business.  For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

¹  No Kid Hungry, https://www.nokidhungry.org/who-we-are/hunger-facts 
² https://www.foodshuttle.org/hunger-in-nc/

CONTACT: Media, Carrie Ratner, Corporate Communications, 914-253-3817, carrie.ratner@pepsico.com

SOURCE PepsiCo