Employee giving totals more than $1.8 million over last seven years
MILWAUKEE (June 11, 2008) – The Miller Brewing Company Employee Fund (MBCEF) today announced its first round of grant awards to nine Milwaukee-area non-profit organizations totaling more than $130,000. MBCEF plans to announce a second round of grants later this year.
The recipient groups and the specific programs MBCEF will benefit include:
· Next Door Foundation, Inc. — Leaders of Tomorrow after-school program for Milwaukee central city youth that focuses on improving school achievement, developing leadership and building important life skills.
· America’s Second Harvest of Wisconsin — Second Harvest’s Agency Food Fund Grant program ensures that member food pantries, meal programs and emergency shelters have continuous, reliable access to food.
· The Salvation Army of Greater Milwaukee — Feed the Kids program helps feed children in Milwaukee’s central city.
· Alma Center, Inc. — Men Ending Violence is an intensive educational change program dedicated to working with men who have a history of domestic violence. The program consists of a full-day initial orientation; a 20-week seminar to create critical thinking; and a full-day capstone skill building seminar to teach communication and healthy relationship skills.
· Hunger Task Force, Inc. — Hunger Task Force will purchase seed and fertilizer to grow fresh fruits and vegetables at the House of Correction farm they operate for Milwaukee County. All produce grown and harvested at the farm is distributed, free of charge, to food pantries, soup kitchens and homeless shelters serving Milwaukee County’s poor.
· Milwaukee Christian Center — The Southeast Asian Elderly Nutrition Program assists low-income, elderly immigrants in overcoming barriers to providing hunger relief.
· Pearls for Teen Girls — Girls 24/7 is an approach to helping girls achieve in school, opening doors to higher education, and connecting girls with the mentors, experiences, and knowledge they need to break the cycle of poverty.
· Our Next Generation, Inc. — The “Connections” Initiative provides year-round academic and personal support programs to 125-150 at-risk youth and teens helping to close the academic proficiency gaps of minority children, strengthen the workforce and further the economic prosperity for the area.
· St. Marcus School — The College Prep Center is an expansion of St. Marcus’ after-school and evening programming that provides students with rigorous behavioral and academic accountability from 4 to 8 p.m.
“Our employees are passionate about giving back and MBCEF has been able to make an incredible impact with so many groups here in Milwaukee,” said Kim Marotta, senior director of corporate social responsibility for Miller Brewing Company. “These contributions are completely directed by employees and it’s another way that we are demonstrating our commitment to the community.”
More than 730 Miller employees contributed to MBCEF through the fall 2007 giving campaign or by designating a regular donation from each of their paychecks. Twenty corporate and brewery employees from all areas of the business comprise the MBCEF Committee. This group meets twice annually to review grant applications and determine award amounts. The committee also spearheads the employee giving campaign, selects the non-profit groups to receive funding and oversees the distribution of the funds.
Committee members include: Diana Barnett, Judd Belstock, Anne Christian, Ted Fancher, James Fiandt, Tim Heeley (Co-Chair), Mike Karolewicz, Jeff Koopmeiners, Jane Kostuch, Chris Kozina, Joan Lindstrom, Diane Meinecke, Dave Merges, Lynnae Monson, Andy Moschea, Dave Pegorsch, Laura Raymonds, Cheryl Sykora, Diane Wagner and Mike Zimmer (Chair).
“I’m proud to be a part of this dynamic, cross-functional group of employees,” said Mike Zimmer, chairman of the MBCEF committee. “We dedicate a lot of personal time and effort to ensure the success of this program and maximize the impact of our funding.”
Since 2001, MBCEF has collected more than $1.8 million and distributed the funds to organizations making a difference in the community. In 2007, the fund contributed $278,217 to 19 organizations that focus on hunger, at-risk youth and domestic violence issues.
About Miller
Committed to creating strong communities across America, Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Company invests millions of dollars each year through community initiatives, taxes paid and local goods and services purchased. The company’s platform for corporate social investment and community partnership is Miller REACH®, which focuses on five primary causes: Responsibility, Employment, AIDS/HIV, Cultural Diversity and Heritage Initiatives. Miller is a wholly owned subsidiary of SABMiller plc, one of the world’s leading brewers with a global footprint spread across six continents. For more information, visit www.MillerBrewing.com.
