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The Coca-Cola Foundation Jumpstarts Active Living Programs With $7.9M in Grants

ATLANTA, - – School is out and the summer is here but there is still more work to be done! Organizations across North America are working to get their communities fit and Coca-Cola is bringing in the troops for reinforcement.

The Coca-Cola Foundation will award more than $16M in U.S. grants this quarter with almost $8M directed to fitness programs.

One such program is Coca-Cola Troops For Fitness. Last year, Coca-Cola Troops For Fitness was piloted as a part of the Chicago Park District Park Families Wellness Initiative. Through a 3-year $3M grant, the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) will implement the military-inspired fitness bootcamp at local NRPA agencies. The program will increase community participation in fitness activities and awareness of park and recreation agencies in a fun, military-inspired way. The program will also provide employment opportunities by hiring veterans to instruct the fitness program.

A $1.5M grant to Catholic Charities Community Services will provide online fitness tools and a nutritionist to educate 26,000 coaches and participants in neighborhoods throughout New York. In partnership with the Mayor’s Fitness Council, a $1.2 million grant to the San Antonio Sports Foundation will provide mobile fitness and health resources throughout the city.

“Coca-Cola is committed to the health of our communities because of one simple fact – our success depends upon the strength of those communities,” said Lori George Billingsley, Vice President, Community Relations, Coca-Cola North America Group. “Through programs like Coca-Cola Troops for Fitness, we leverage the strength of community leaders and veterans and empower them to serve as wellness leaders too.”

Other organizations receiving active, healthy living funding include:

-American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, $90,000
-AmeriHealth Mercy, Philadelphia, PA, $25,000
-Girls, Inc., New York City, NY, $100,000
-Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Los Angeles, CA, $25,000
-National 4-H Council, Chevy Chase, MD, $250,000
-Philadelphia Youth Network, Philadelphia, PA, $25,000
-San Antonio Food Bank, San Antonio, TX, $300,000
-Team Mates, Omaha, NE, $25,000
-YMCA of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, $25,000

These programs will get people moving, supporting The Coca-Cola Company’s goal to inspire 3 million people to get active this summer. The Company’s “Get the Ball Rolling” pledge will make activities and sports gear available to millions across America all summer long. Coca-Cola will provide soccer balls and activity trackers through its Coca-Cola Swelter Stopper and MyCokeRewards.com as well as major events across the country.

Other first quarter grants made by the Foundation address additional community needs.

More than $3.8M to support education programs will provide scholarships for students who are first in their families to attend college. Through these grants, institutions like Tuskegee College, Albany State and University of Connecticut will have resources to support these trailblazing students.

In addition, $4.5M will support econcomic development initiatives, water stewardship, and other diversity and inclusion initiatives.

About The Coca-Cola Foundation Since its inception, The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $500 million to support global sustainable community initiatives, including water stewardship, community recycling, active healthy living, and education. For more information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, please go to www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/foundation_coke.html.

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 16 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 more than 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 associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo or check out our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com.



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