Coca-Cola Increases Support of U.S. Military Veterans and Their Families
November 08 2017 - 10:24AM
Business Wire
The Coca-Cola Foundation Awards More Than $1
Million in Grants to Organizations Providing Veterans’ Transition
Services
Dr. Jill Biden to Deliver Keynote Address at
Coca-Cola Headquarters for Special Veterans Day Event on Nov.
10
In 1941, Coca-Cola President Robert Woodruff pledged that “every
man in uniform gets a bottle of Coca-Cola for five cents wherever
he is and whatever it costs the company.” Today, in honor of
Veterans Day, The Coca-Cola Foundation is continuing this
time-honored tradition of support for U.S. service members by
awarding $1 million in grants to 11 organizations that serve more
than 75,000 veterans and their families across the country.
These organizations offer a wide range of programs designed to
assist veterans through every step of their return home, from
covering their immediate financial needs to job skills training to
community service and leadership programs. The Coca-Cola Foundation
grant recipients include: American Corporate Partners;
American Red Cross; Folds of Honor Foundation;
FourBlock Foundation; Hire Heroes USA; Operation
Homefront, Inc.; Team Rubicon; The Pentagon Federal
Credit Union Foundation; The Mission Continues;
United Service Organizations (USO) and United Spinal
Association.
“We are grateful to our U.S. military servicemen and women,
veterans and their families who bravely serve our country,” said
Helen Smith Price, President, The Coca-Cola Foundation. “Our grants
help complete the cycle of support for our U.S. military, starting
with their time in active duty and continuing once they return
home, so that they can thrive and continue to use their skills to
serve their community. Each program we are supporting meets a
different need and helps veterans and their families with their
transition home.”
This week, The Coca-Cola Company is honoring veterans with
special events at its Atlanta headquarters to shine a light on
military men and women and their families who represent an
inspiring community of unsung American heroes. A celebration on
Nov. 10 will feature guest speaker Dr. Jill Biden, lifelong
educator and Second Lady of the United States (2009-2017); The
Coca-Cola Foundation grant recipients; and entertainment from the
American Military Spouses Choir. Coca-Cola associates also will
volunteer to assemble more than 10,000 care packages for service
members overseas in partnership with the USO.
As a military mother, Dr. Biden has brought significant
attention to the sacrifices of military families, in part through
her and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Joining Forces”
initiative to support military families worldwide. Dr. Biden and
Vice President Joe Biden also launched the Biden Foundation in
2017, continuing their work to support military families.
“Organizations like those being recognized by The Coca-Cola
Foundation provide veterans and families with the tools, skills and
guidance they need to help them get reacquainted with their
community and with civilian life,” said Dr. Biden. “We all have a
role to play in helping our veterans with this transition – from
volunteering with one of many organizations supporting veterans to
just being good neighbors in our communities.”
Local Coca-Cola bottlers across the country also are supporting
activities to honor Coca-Cola associates who are veterans, as well
as active duty and veteran men and women from their communities.
For example, throughout the summer and fall, Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
Consolidated, based in Charlotte, N.C., invited local residents,
customers and teammates in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Washington,
D.C., Charlotte, Raleigh and Baltimore to hand-write messages of
support and encouragement for our armed forces. Through the
“Message in a Bottle” program, nearly 2,000 messages are being
delivered by the USO to active-duty military in 253ml Coca-Cola
bottles.
Coca-Cola’s connection to veterans spans the world. The
Coca-Cola System employs approximately 4,000 U.S. military
veterans, and more than 2 million beverages are served each day to
active-duty members of the armed forces, reservists, retirees and
their families.
About the Coca-Cola Foundation Grant Recipients:
- American
Corporate Partners: The Coca-Cola Foundation
grant will support ACP’s Mentoring Program that assists veterans on
their path towards fulfilling, long-term careers by connecting
service members with corporate professionals for yearlong,
customized mentorships. The grant will also support ACP’s Women’s
Veteran Mentoring Program, which matches female veterans with
female business leaders to discuss the unique challenges they face
during career and military transition. Additionally, female veteran
participants have access to exclusive networking events and career
development workshops.
- American Red
Cross: The Coca-Cola Foundation grant will focus
on strengthening the capacity of service members, veterans and
their families to cope with the unique demands of military life by
building positive coping skills and self-care techniques.
- Folds of Honor
Foundation: The Coca-Cola Foundation grant will
provide $5,000 Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarships to 10
military dependents attending or accepted into an accredited 2 or
4-year degree program or vocational certificate program.
- FourBlock
Foundation: The Coca-Cola Foundation grant will
support the Career Readiness Program, providing veterans
professional development, career exploration, and networking
opportunities to make them competitive after transition from
military to professional careers in Atlanta, Tampa and
Orlando.
- Hire Heroes
USA: The Coca-Cola Foundation grant will support
free, one-on-one career coaching services for transitioning
military members, unemployed and underemployed veterans, and
military spouses that include resume, interview and networking
assistance; federal sector help; mock interviews; and job sourcing
in addition to virtual career fairs and an exclusive job board
featuring thousands of career opportunities every month.
- Operation
Homefront, Inc.: The Coca-Cola Foundation grant
will help provide critical financial assistance to military
families, including assistance with rent or mortgage payments,
utilities, car repairs, home repairs, essential baby items,
groceries and other urgent needs.
- Team
Rubicon: The Coca-Cola Foundation grant will help
develop competent professionals capable of competing in the
civilian workforce, as well as foster strong leaders within the
military veterans and first responders of Team Rubicon.
- The Pentagon
Federal Credit Union Foundation: The Coca-Cola
Foundation grant will support the Military Heroes Fund which
provides wounded veterans, military families, and caregivers with
financial assistance and support to secure a home, or keep their
home, car, and job in Charlotte, Los Angeles and Puerto Rico.
- The Mission
Continues: The Coca-Cola Foundation grant will
support a program that empowers veterans to become community
leaders by deploying veteran volunteers alongside non-profit
partners and community leaders in cities across the country to
solve issues facing their communities: improving community
education resources, eliminating food deserts, mentoring at-risk
youth, and more.
- United Service
Organizations (USO): The Coca-Cola Foundation
grant will support the expansion of the USO PathfinderSM program,
which offers transition services to help support 200,000+ service
members and their families who leave the military each year. The
Pathfinder program extends the USO’s mission of connection by
assisting service members and their families in achieving their
personal and professional goals as they transition from military
service and return home to their new communities.
- United Spinal
Association: The Coca-Cola Foundation grant will
support the VetsFirst program, a free online resource hub and call
center that provides guidance and support to all veterans -
regardless of disability.
About The Coca-Cola
Foundation
The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The
Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has
awarded more than $900 million in grants to support sustainable
community initiatives around the world. For more information about
The Coca-Cola Foundation, please visit
www.coca-colacompany.com/giving-back.
About The Coca-Cola
Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is the world’s largest
total beverage company, offering over 500 brands to people in more
than 200 countries. Of our 21 billion-dollar brands, 19 are
available in lower- and no-sugar options to help people everywhere
more easily control added sugar. In addition to our
namesake Coca-Cola drinks, some of our household names around
the world include: AdeS soy-based beverages, Ayataka green tea,
Dasani waters, Del Valle juices and nectars, Fanta, Georgia coffee,
Gold Peak teas and coffees, Honest Tea, Minute Maid juices,
Powerade sports drinks, Simply juices, smartwater, Sprite,
vitaminwater and Zico coconut water. At Coca-Cola, we’re
serious about making positive contributions to our world. That
starts with reducing sugar in our drinks and bringing new and
different drinks to people everywhere. It also means continuously
working to reduce our environmental impact, creating rewarding
careers for our associates, and bringing economic opportunity
wherever we operate. In fact, together with our bottling partners,
we employ more than 700,000 people around the world. For more
information, visit our digital magazine Coca-Cola Journey
at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow
The Coca-Cola Company
on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171108006042/en/
The Coca-Cola CompanyKirsten Witt, +01
404-676-0314press@coca-cola.com
Coca Cola (NYSE:KO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Coca Cola (NYSE:KO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024