3BL Media Social Action

SOURCE: Recyclebank

NEW YORK, APRIL 17, 2013—Recyclebank®, the company that rewards people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals, is celebrating Earth Month this April with its Eco Time Capsule, looking back at how far we’ve come since the first Earth Day in 1970. The company also announced the beneficiaries of the Recyclebank® Green Schools Program, which awards schools grant money for unique student projects that will make a positive environmental impact on their communities.

“For 43 years, Earth Day has provided a forum for people everywhere to show support and take action for a sustainable future,” said Jonathan K. Hsu, chief executive officer at Recyclebank. “At Recyclebank, we believe it’s also important to reflect on how far we’ve come and what we’ve learned. With our Eco Time Capsule we hope to share a story of change and ultimately teach and motivate our members to continue making green choices. Inspiring greener behavior is the core of what we do at Recyclebank, and to that end we’re also celebrating our Green Schools Program, which enables us to empower schools across the country to create a more sustainable future for their communities.”

Debuts Eco Time Capsule Initiative

Mixing pop culture and green milestones, Recyclebank is taking its members back in time to learn green facts and lessons from the past in an engaging and shareable way. As users navigate through each decade they have the opportunity to make pledges and interact with facts and timelines to earn more than 500 Recyclebank Points.

To become a time traveler, simply visit https://www.recyclebank.com/eco-time-capsule and start your educational journey to earn points. Throughout the month, Recyclebank and its Earth Month partners, including Kids Konserve®/U•Konserve®and Domtar, will unlock new decades and themes, giving members the opportunity to both learn and submit their own green tips and take pledges and quizzes that will earn them up to 500 Recyclebank Points.

The Eco Time Capsule is part of Recyclebank’s yearlong initiative to launch monthly themed campaigns that educate and engage consumers around everyday green actions. Throughout the year, members can explore everything from greener transportation to responsible use of plastics and aluminum. Using its innovative formula of education, incentives, rewards and impact, Recyclebank and its partners will continue to engage its more than 4.5 million members around specific themes that are most relevant to their daily lives.

Announces Green School Grant Recipients

Each year, the Recyclebank Green Schools Program awards environmental project grants to schools in Recyclebank communities. Together, these schools, their students and their communities work to encourage residents to donate Recyclebank Points that the company then transfers into real dollars for schools—turning a community’s green actions into funds for a local school. This year, Recyclebank made up the balance on any school that did not reach its project goal, ensuring all 27 participants received complete funding. Recyclebank partner Domtar, the environmentally responsible paper company, awarded $500 to each participating school that reached 50 percent of its donation goal. The paper company also provided a year's supply of EarthChoice® Office Paper to Henry County Middle School in McDonough, Ga., which was deemed the school with the most imaginative project for its idea to transform used books into “book trees” and create community art to underscore the importance of literacy and recycling.

ABOUT RECYCLEBANK

Recyclebank helps create a more sustainable future by rewarding people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals from more than 4,000 local businesses and national brands. Through its online platform and partnerships with municipalities, haulers, small businesses and corporate brands, Recyclebank empowers individuals to make a collective impact on the environment by increasing household recycling and taking other environmentally-friendly actions. A Certified B Corporation, Recyclebank has been recognized as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Program and for Outstanding Excellence in Public/Private Partnerships from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Recyclebank is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.Recyclebank.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Jeff Harse | Recyclebank

(212) 659-6491 | jharse@recyclebank.com

Elissa Davis | Bateman Group for Recyclebank

(718) 355-8722| recyclebank@bateman-group.com

Tweet me: .@Recyclebank Celebrates Earth Month with Time Travel and #Green Schools http://3bl.me/qn6kpn #CSR

KEYWORDS: Environment, Marketing, Media & Communications, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, recyclebank, earth month, time travel, Green Schools, eco time capsule, csr, sustainability

SOURCE: Business4Better

In these tough economic times, when companies are already pinching pennies, finding the funds for corporate giving can be difficult. But donations don’t have to come in the form of dollars, as one company has discovered.

Give Something Back (GSB), a commercial office products company based in Oakland.Like Staples and Office Depot, the company sells supplies such as paper, pens, and staplers, but unlike its competitors, GSB doesn’t distribute its earnings to owners or shareholders.

Instead, the company literally gives its profits back to the communities where it does business.  Since its founding in 1991, GSB has donated more than $5 million—around 85 percent of its profits—to nonprofit organizations working in its service areas throughout California. Each year, the company distributes ballots to its employees and customers, who vote on which eligible 501(c)(3) groups receive the funds.

“Every company gives its profits away to owners or shareholders,” says Mike Hannigan, president and cofounder of GSB. “We’ve just eliminated those stakeholders and replaced them with nonprofits.”  But while distributing its profits to charities serving the community is the company’s purpose, Hannigan acknowledges that money isn’t the only way to give back.

Read the full story of how GSB is serving the community while doing good business in this new case study from Business4Better: Beyond Cash: Giving Back and Boosting the Bottom Line.

Interested in increasing your company's positive impact on the community? Attend Business4Better on May 1 and 2 in Anaheim, CA. Use promotional code ADV to register for only $49. www.business4better.org 

Tweet me: What if a company gave its profits to the community, instead of shareholders? @GiveSomethingBack shares at http://3bl.me/yvpsp8 #B4B

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, business4better, Donations, nonprofit, csr, sustainability, Shareholders

SOURCE: Allstate Corporation

Allstate CEO Tom Wilson joined First Lady Michelle Obama, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a coalition from Chicago's business and philanthropic communities to support successful community-based programs that serve at-risk youth. The effort, which is being chaired by Allstate's Chief Executive Officer Tom Wilson and Loop Capital Chief Executive Officer Jim Reynolds, called on Chicago's business sector to raise $50 million to support proven programs that serve at risk youth across the city

A copy of Tom Wilson's remarks and the video that aired during the event, featuring the stories of impacted families and crime prevention experts, is available for download on www.allstatenewsroom.com

Contact:

Kyle Donash
Kyle.donash@allstate.com
847-402-5600

Tweet me: Allstate CEO Tom Wilson Joined First Lady Michelle Obama and Rahm Emanuel for Conversation on Anti-Violence www.allstatenewsroom.com

KEYWORDS: Allstate, michelle obama, anti-violence, csr, sustainability, at-risk Youth, crime prevention

SOURCE: Allstate Corporation

April 16, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Allstate Insurance Company will build upon its efforts to bring awareness around distraction-free driving with a new national campaign tour, called "Reality Rides℠." Allstate Reality Rides will travel to more than 20 American cities to bring a driving simulator that demonstrates the dangers of distracted driving. From community events to high school assemblies and safe driving advocacy programs, Reality Rides will tour a variety of venues in an effort to reach a wide range of drivers.

"The Allstate Reality Rides tour is an innovative, engaging approach to raising awareness about the importance of distraction-free driving," said Sanjay Gupta, executive vice president of marketing, innovation and corporate relations at Allstate Insurance Company. "We'll be going to communities across the country to gain awareness about the dangers of cell phone use and texting behind the wheel. Advocating for driver safety is an important part of Allstate's legacy and this outreach effort will build on our commitment to keep our kids and all drivers safer on the roads."

Reality Rides consists of a driving simulator that utilizes a real - but stationary - vehicle equipped with virtual reality technology, including a headset that displays an animated environment and reacts to the driver's motions. Using the car's steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, the driver is tasked with driving while also attempting to text and talk on the phone.

These simulations demonstrate the potential consequences distracted drivers could face while on the road. To add impact to the simulations, participants are given traffic "tickets" that reveal potential infractions a driver could receive if the experience happened in real life. Participants will also have the opportunity to take the Allstate X the TXT™ pledge that promises to not text and drive.

Allstate continues to advocate for distracted driving prevention because in 2010 and 2011 more than 3,000 deaths from crashes with a distracted driver occurred each year. Studies have shown drivers who text are 23 times more likely to crash, and texting while driving is the equivalent to driving impaired after drinking four beers.

Car crashes are the number one cause of death for everyone in the U.S. ages 1-34, with teens crashing four times more often than any other age group. Stronger teen driving laws, referred to as Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL), have been shown to reduce traffic fatalities by as much as 40 percent in the states where they have been adopted. Additionally, recent research from The Allstate Foundation's License to Save report found that comprehensive GDL laws could save an estimated 2,000 lives and $13.6 billion annually.

To track the Allstate Reality Rides tour and see photos of participants, visit facebook.com/xthetxt. While there, check out information and resources, engage in the conversation and invite family and friends to take action in support of stronger teen driving laws.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names and Allstate Financial business segment. Allstate branded insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services are offered through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com, www.allstate.com/financial and 1-800 Allstate®, and are widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®." As part of Allstate's commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $29 million in 2012 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

Tweet me: .@Allstate launches new distracted driving campaign will visit more than 20 cities across America http://www.allstatenewsroom.com Contact Info:

Kate Hollcraft
Allstate
+1 (847) 402-5600
kate.hollcraft@allstate.com

KEYWORDS: Allstate, Reality Rides, driving distractions, distraction free driving

SOURCE: WorldVentures Foundation

PLANO, Texas, April 16, 2013 /3BL Media /PRNewswire/ - More than 100 WorldVentures Foundation™ volunteers beautified Las Vegas' Boys & Girls Club on Thursday, April 11. The volunteers, in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs (B&GC) of Las Vegas, painted the exterior walls and contributed financially and through their time and talents to the club.

Tweet me: WorldVentures Foundation's Volunteers Beautified Las Vegas Boys & Girls Club http://3bl.me/4qk7qc

KEYWORDS: WorldVentures Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, Volunteers, csr, philanthropy

SOURCE: Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc.

On April 13th during Shift Series, the annual conference of The Compass Fellowship in Washington, DC, AWEARNESS, The Kenneth Cole Foundation and Compass Partners announced the three university students selected for the AWEARNESS Grants.  Winners included:

The Dynamic Speaking Label, from Adrian Rodriguez of Stanford University

Clothes Connection, from Rachel Acree of Georgetown University

The Smart Girls Group, from Emily Raleigh of Fordham University

The Grants were given to support these student-led social enterprises.  Shift Series brings together nearly 150 students from across the United States to share their social venture ideas and network with mentors who will help accelerate their entrepreneurial work.

ABOUT AWEARNESS:
AWEARNESS, The Kenneth Cole Foundation, promotes, encourages and inspires positive and meaningful social change, and supports like-mined individuals to make a difference. As part of each partnership, we create products and host events in support of their important causes, and select a “Change Agent” to share their story of social activism to help educate and inspire others to get involved. Interviews and products can be seen on the AWEARNESS website awearness.com <http://awearness.com/> .

Tweet me: Congratulate Adrian Rodriguez, Emily Raleigh and Rachel Acree on receiving @kennethcoleprd @compasspartners #AWEARNESS Grant

KEYWORDS: Education, Events, Conferences & Webinars, Fashion & Apparel, Marketing, Media & Communications, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Kenneth Cole, Kenneth Cole Foundation, AWEARNESS, The Kenneth Cole Foundation, AWEARNESS The Kenneth Cole Foundation, Rachel Acree, Adrian Rodriguez, Emily Raleigh, Compass Partners, Shift Series

SOURCE: School of Visual Arts - Design for Social Innovation

Can you remember the last time you had an amazing conversation?

Tweet me: Check out @SVADSI's new blog, "Designing Better Conversations" http://3bl.me/nhq3zq #communications

KEYWORDS: Events, Conferences & Webinars, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, good.is, Social Impact, Innovation, design for good, Conversation, #communications

SOURCE: Eckrich

LISLE, Ill., April 16, 2013 /3BL Media /PRNewswire/ - Thousands of U.S. military personnel and their families are currently requesting assistance due to financial distress, injury, or physical or mental impairment as a result of their military service. To help meet this growing need, Eckrich, part of the John Morrell Food Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, has partnered with Operation Homefront to launch "Operation Inspiration," a campaign designed to honor, thank and support the military families who inspire us.  

"With help from partners like Eckrich, Operation Homefront met more than 151,000 needs for military families from all branches of service in 2012," said Jim Knotts, CEO of Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

"Eckrich is proud to support Operation Homefront for a second year, and we are extremely excited about initiating 'Operation Inspiration' as a way to help us continue to provide assistance to inspiring military families," said Charles Gitkin, vice president, marketing, innovation and R&D for the John Morrell Food Group. 

Through the "Operation Inspiration" campaign, Eckrich will donate 5 cents for every purchase of specially marked products from May 1 through July 4, 2013, up to $250,000. The company will also share the "Operation Inspiration" message via a broad-based marketing campaign that features television, radio, online, out-of-home advertising and social media to tell military families' stories.

Furthermore, Eckrich is underwriting an "Operation Inspiration" half-hour television special, hosted by NBC's Al Roker and featuring NASCAR's legendary "The King" Richard Petty, #43 driver Aric Almirola, and other celebrities.  The special will air in major markets across the country this summer.

"John Morrell Food Group and Eckrich are dedicated to assisting and honoring our military families," said Jennifer Zmrhal, Senior Brand Manager, Eckrich. "This campaign is aimed to further raise awareness of our military veterans, wounded warriors and their families' needs.  We are committing as many resources as possible to help spread the message and make a difference in these people's lives."

Also, people can text "INSPIRE" to 27722 to give money to Operation Homefront*.  "We want to make it easy for people to help, too," said Zmrhal. "This gives people everywhere an easy, direct way to get involved."

For more information on Operation Inspiration, visit www.facebook.com/eckrichmeats orhttp://www.eckrich.com/promotions/operationinspiration.   

About Eckrich 
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. Through it all, Eckrich meats have been recognized for their great taste and supreme quality, craftsmanship, care and pride. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/eckrichmeats.  

About Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 6,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has met more than 741,000 needs of military families since its inception in 2002.  A four-star rated charity by watchdog Charity Navigator, nationally, 94 percent of total revenue donated to Operation Homefront goes directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

About John Morrell Food Group 
With over a century and a half of experience, John Morrell Food Group brands have become respected and well known for providing premium-quality meat products to families across the United States. With products ranging from lunchmeat and franks to smoked sausage, bacon and pepperoni, the John Morrell Food Group is an important part of consumers' mealtimes. The John Morrell Food Group offers several national and regional brands including Armour®, Eckrich®, John Morrell®, Curly's®, Patrick Cudahy®, Carando®, Healthy Ones®, Margherita® Kretschmar® and LunchMakers®.

About Smithfield Foods 
Smithfield Foods is a $13 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook®, Gwaltney®, John Morrell®, Kretschmar®, Curly's®, Carando®, Margherita®, and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental, and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com andwww.smithfieldcommitments.com.

*Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Must be 18 years of age or have parental permission to participate. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 27722 to STOP. Text HELP to 27722 for HELP. Full Terms: mGive.org/T. Privacy Policy: mGive.org/P.

Tweet me: Eckrich® and Operation Homefront® Launch "Operation Inspiration" Campaign http://3bl.me/ygn8xh

KEYWORDS: Smithfield Foods, Eckrich, U.S. Military, operation home front, John Morrell Food Group

SOURCE: StartSomeGood

April 16, 2013 /3BL Media/ - StartSomeGood has partnered with leading financial services provider ING DIRECT to launch Dreamstarter, a groundbreaking CSR/crowdfunding initiative to boost the social enterprise sector.

Tweet me: #CSR meets #crowdfunding: ING Direct and @StartSomeGood launch Dreamstarter - #funding opportunity for #socent http://3bl.me/fkmmne

KEYWORDS: Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability Professionals, Sustainable Enterprises, Fund Raising, Philanthropy, Branding, Social Media, Sustainable Marketing, StartSomeGood, ing direct

SOURCE: Eli Lilly and Company

by David Marbaugh

Society’s expectations are rising for the private sector, and this is especially true for companies such as Lilly who are entrusted with public health.  Organizations not only must excel at what they do, but how they do it.

Two recent rankings place Lilly in good company with other reputable corporate citizens across the globe.

Read more about Lilly's recognitions and commitment to corporate responsibility.

Tweet me: Today's @LillyPad blog: Lilly heeding the call for good corporate citizenship. http://ow.ly/k6PMt #CSR

KEYWORDS: Health and Wellness, Lilly, Community and Corporate Responsibility, Forbes, Reputation Institute, #CSR

SOURCE: Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

In a project sponsored by the Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) Social Community Fund, three months of river cleaning was carried out by the University of Lubumbashi for a sound and healthy environment for the population directly affected by the overflowing Kelangile River during the rainy season. This project was supervised by the National Hydraulic Agency of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Land was ploughed on both sides of the river and riverbanks were stabilized with permanent vegetation. The areas damaged by natural and anthropogenic erosion were strengthened. Guard ditches and drainage channels and canals were constructed. An irrigation-drainage system was installed to let water in during the dry season and remove excess water during the rainy season. In order to maintain the benefits of this work, a management committee was established and its 30 members trained on river maintenance.

Dredging the river and prepare the banks for crop planting is also of paramount importance to control waterborne diseases and the spread of mosquito larvae in the communities surrounding TFM operations.

At the end of the river cleanup the National Service for Urban and Periurban Horticulture, with the support of the TFM Social Community Fund, organized a horticultural training program for local growers in Fungurume in natural production techniques and environmental protection, with the goal of increasing vegetable production while reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers.

For further information about how Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. supports the communities in which they operate, please visit their website at http://www.fcx.com/envir/soc_com.htm

Please see the 2011 Working Toward Sustainable Development Report for more information on all of their social, economic and environmental efforts. http://www.fcx.com/envir/wtsd/pdf-wtsd/2011/WTSD_Bk_2011.pdf

Tweet me: .@fcx_copper company Tenke Fungurume #Mining supports cleanup of the Kelangile River and #horticultural training http://3bl.me/xsdtd5

KEYWORDS: Environment, Tenke Fungurume Mining, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, river cleanup, horticultural training, agriculture, Social Community Fund, Democratic Republic of Congo, local growers, environmental protection, increased production, riverbank stabilization

SOURCE: American Cancer Society

April 16, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Tickets are now on sale for “An evening with Quincy Jones & Friends,” a concert benefitting the American Cancer Society’s 100th Birthday, on Thursday May 23 at 8 p.m. at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre.  The legendary music producer will be joined by special guests including James Ingram, Patti Austin, Siedah Garrett, Nikki Yanofsky and Alfredo Rodriguez. For ticketing information, visit FoxTheatre.org.

The American Cancer Society is using its 100th birthday on May 22nd to encourage people to join together, make noise and take action to finish the fight against cancer. The Society urges everyone to make some noise by donating at cancer.org/fight, participating in a local Relay For Life or Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in their community and/or enrolling in its groundbreaking Cancer Prevention Study-3 to find better ways to prevent cancer.

Today, two out of three people diagnosed with cancer are surviving the disease (for at least five years). More than 400 people a day in the U.S. are celebrating birthdays that would have otherwise been lost to cancer. As the Official Sponsor of Birthdays ™, The American Cancer Society will continue to make noise by amplifying its efforts to ensure lifesaving cancer research gets funded; by making sure people facing cancer have the help they need, such as a free place to stay during treatment or a ride to get there; and by fighting for equal access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, and clean air.

About the American Cancer Society

Tweet me: .@AmericanCancer Hosts Benefit Concert Featuring Legendary Music Producer @QuincyDJones at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre http://3bl.me/gwhtnz

KEYWORDS: 100th birthday, Finish the Fight, American Cancer Society, Quincy Jones, atlanta, Fox Theatre

SOURCE: Brown-Forman Corporation

Louisville, Ky., April 15, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Woodford Reserve®, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby®, adds a golden touch to the classic Kentucky Derby cocktail by unveiling the world’s most exclusive mint julep cup. Celebrating the gold standard that Woodford Reserve has set by winning gold medals at every major spirits competition, the Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup will feature 89 gold-highlighted julep cups, exclusive gold-influenced ingredients and a unique Golden Opportunity auction experience that puts the winning bidder in the Winner’s Circle on Kentucky Derby Day. Proceeds will benefit Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center.

In honor of the 89th year that the Kentucky Derby winner has been awarded the gold trophy, there will be a total of 89 cups available for purchase online from April 15-May 2 at www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com. 79 Distinguished Cups available for $1,000 each feature a hand-engraved Thoroughbred and rider from atop the Kentucky Derby gold trophy and a gold-plated garland of roses. Available for auction with starting bids of $2,000, 9 Legendary Cups display a gold-plated Thoroughbred and rider medallion with brilliant cut diamonds. One Legendary Cup is also included in the Golden Opportunity auction experience package with an opening bid of $5,000. The winning bidder will present the trophy for the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day and also enjoy a private tour and dinner at Woodford Reserve Distillery plus a private tour of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center with a Hall of Fame jockey.

Owners of the Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup will enjoy a mint julep featuring a unique set of gold-inspired ingredients: ice made of gold-filtered mineral water sourced from the easternmost reaches of Nova Scotia; mint leaves dusted with gold and grown in Woodford County, Ky.; Woodford Gold sorghum from Woodford County, Ky.; and gold medal-winning Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select bourbon. The 89 cups will be presented only on Kentucky Derby Day, May 4, 2013.

“Woodford Reserve is excited to be able to celebrate our gold standard with our horse racing fans by offering them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Laura Petry, Woodford Reserve Brand Manager. “A product made in the heart of horse racing country, Woodford Reserve is the perfect complement to any horseracing event and is proud to support the Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center through this year’s $1,000 Mint Julep Cups and auction package.”

2013 marks the eighth year of the program with more than $354,000 raised for equine and humanitarian causes. Fans are encouraged to follow Woodford Reserve online for exciting Kentucky Derby events and activities via Twitter at @woodfordreserve.Visit www.twitter.com/woodfordreserve for all the details.

“We feel very grateful for the awareness that the Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup program brings to our center in support of our retired thoroughbreds,” said Michael Blowen, Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center President. “The horses of Old Friends are very lucky to receive the generosity of Woodford Reserve from this year’s cup and auction sales.”

How to Purchase a Cup

Starting April 15, 2013 at noon ET, consumers age 21 years and older can log on to www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com to purchase one of the Distinguished Cups or place bids in the Legendary Cup and Golden Opportunity Auctions. Celebrating the 89th year that the Kentucky Derby winner has received a gold trophy, a total of 89 cups are available for purchase or auction. Each cup is presented in a box made from the same American oak as Woodford Reserve barrels and is lined with a custom silk fabric designed by the Connecticut-based lifestyle brand vineyard vines®, the Official Style of the Kentucky Derby. Each customer will also receive a special gift courtesy of vineyard vines®; a custom tie or scarf made from the silk fabric used to line the box. 

Distinguished Cups

79 Distinguished Cups are available for purchase online for $1,000 on a first come, first buy basis from April 15-May 2. These individually numbered cups are hand-engraved with the Thoroughbred and rider from atop the gold Kentucky Derby trophy along with the 2013 Kentucky Derby date and Woodford Reserve logo. The base is bordered with a gold-plated garland of roses and is accompanied by a gold-plated sipping straw. Any unsold cups will be available for purchase at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.

Legendary Cups

In addition to the 79 Distinguished Cups, there are 9 Legendary Cups for auction with starting bids of $2,000. The individually-numbered sterling silver cup features a gold-plated Thoroughbred and rider medallion hand-set with one-fifth carat of diamonds and is bordered with a gold-plated garland of roses. The cup is engraved with the 2013 Kentucky Derby date and the Woodford Reserve logo and is accompanied by a gold-plated sipping straw.

Golden Opportunity Auction Package

The Woodford Reserve Golden Opportunity package at a starting bid of $5,000 offers a priceless experience for the winning bidder. In addition to receiving Legendary Cup number 1, the highest bidder will:

• Present the trophy to the winner of the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, the race before Kentucky Derby 139, that is one of America’s most prestigious events on grass;
• Enjoy a private tour of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Woodford County with a Hall of Fame jockey;
• Join master distiller Chris Morris for a private tour of the Woodford Reserve Distillery; and
• Savor a private dinner at the distillery prepared by Woodford Reserve chef-in-residence Ouita Michel.

The Mint Julep Cup’s Special Ingredients

The $1,000 Mint Julep is made with a selection of uniquely gold-themed ingredients:

• Ice made of gold-filtered mineral water found beneath geological formations that are permeated with veins of gold and sourced from the easternmost reaches of Nova Scotia.
• Mint leaves dusted with gold and grown in Woodford County, Ky., near the Woodford Reserve Distillery.
• Woodford Gold sorghum from Woodford County, Ky., which is harvested near the distillery and adds a distinct richness to the classic julep recipe.
• Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select bourbon which has won a gold medal in every major spirits competition.

About Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center 

Founded in 2003 by former Boston Globe film critic Michael Blowen, Old Friends cares for more than 130 horses across three states, most of them stallions whose racing and breeding careers came to an end. They are the only thoroughbred retirement facility that specializes in accepting stallions and so we take exceptional pride in our pensioned champions. At Old Friends, visitors can hear the stories of the horses while learning about racing and ways to help with Thoroughbred aftercare. To make a contribution supporting Old Friends, please visit http://www.oldfriendsequine.org/.

About Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve, the “Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby,” is crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky - the heart of thoroughbred country. Woodford Reserve is a product of the Brown-Forman Corporation, a producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands such as Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Korbel, Tequila Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, and Tuaca. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly. For more information on Woodford Reserve, visit www.woodfordreserve.com or visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodfordreserve.

About Churchill Downs®

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 4, 2013 and its 2013 Spring Meet is scheduled for April 27-June 30. The track has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record eight times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.ChurchillDowns.com.Churchill Downs®, Kentucky Derby® and the Twin Spires design are registered trademarks of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

About vineyard vines ®

vineyard vines®, a company best known for its whimsical neckties and smiling pink whale logo, was founded in 1998 on Martha’s Vineyard when brothers Shep and Ian Murray cut their ties with corporate America to start making ties that represented The Good Life. In addition to signature neckwear, vineyard vines offers a variety of clothing and accessories for men, women and children. Products are sold through a seasonal catalog at 1.800.892.4982, online at vineyardvines.com, in over 500 specialty and department stores and currently at twenty-five freestanding stores nationwide. For more information on the brand or to shop the vineyard vines for Kentucky Derby ® Collection, please visit www.vineyardvines.com. 

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ©2013.

Craft Carefully. Drink Responsibly.

Tweet me: .@WoodfordReserve $1k Mint Julep Cup to Benefit Thoroughbred Retirement Charity. @brown_forman http://3bl.me/8qnwpc Contact Info:

Andrea Duvall
Brown-Forman Corporation
+1 (502) 774-6044
andrea_duvall@b-f.com

KEYWORDS: woodford reserve, mint julep, kentucky derby

SOURCE: Lincoln Financial Group

RADNOR, Pa., April 15, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Lincoln Financial Group (NYSE:LNC) announced today that it has been named to the 2013 Black EOE Journal (BEOEJ) Best of the Best list in the Top Financial Company category. The annual review is an evaluation of the nation's employers, initiatives, government agencies and educational institutions conducted by DiversityComm, Inc. (DCI) and its four publications, including BEOEJ, an African American career and business magazine.

“The organizations we choose as our ‘Best of the Best,’ including Lincoln Financial Group, know that diversity translates to a competitive advantage and business opportunity,” said Mona Lisa Faris, president and publisher of the Black EOE Journal. “An organization's success and competitiveness depends upon its ability to embrace diversity and realize its benefits.”

The goal of the annual survey is to not only bring the latest information and guidance to readers, but also encourage active outreach and diversity policies among corporations and government agencies. The lists were compiled from market research, independent research, diversity conference participation and survey responses that were performed by DiversityComm’s agents and/or affiliates. This year, more than 250 companies and institutions participated.

“Diversity and Inclusion are key elements of our overall vision and corporate strategy,” said Allison Green, senior vice president and chief diversity officer, Lincoln Financial Group. “We’re focused on continually developing practices and opportunities where Diversity and Inclusion are not only respected, but leveraged as assets in the workplace, financial markets and in our local communities. Our organization is honored to be recognized as a leader in this space by being named to the Best of the Best list.”

For more information on Lincoln Financial’s Diversity and Inclusion activities, please visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/lincolnfinancialgroup

About Lincoln Financial Group

Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC) and its affiliates. With headquarters in the Philadelphia region, the companies of Lincoln Financial Group had assets under management of $178 billion as of December 31, 2012. Through its affiliated companies, Lincoln Financial Group offers: annuities; life, group life, disability and dental insurance; employer-sponsored retirement plans; savings plans; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services.

For more information, including a copy of our most recent SEC reports containing our balance sheets, please visit www.lincolnfinancial.com.

About the Black EOE Journal (BEOEJ)

BEOEJ’s goal is to connect, educate and promote equal opportunity thus creating a more diverse workplace. Every issue provides the latest, most important diversity news, covering virtually every industry, business and profession. This includes up-to-date statistics on workforce diversity, as well as business-to-business trends. We offer both recruitment and business opportunities, along with accurate, timely conference and event calendars.

Media Contacts:         

Holly Fair

Lincoln Financial Group

484-583-1632

holly.fair@lfg.com

Tweet me: Lincoln Financial Group Named to the 2013 @BlackEOEJournal #BestoftheBest List. http://3bl.me/qx436q

KEYWORDS: People, Social Action & Community Engagement, 2013 Best of the Best List; Lincoln Financial Group; Diversity; Inclusion; Black Equal Opportunity Employment Journal; BEOEJ; DiversityComm, Inc.; community involvement;

SOURCE: Darden Restaurants

EDISON, N.J., April 15, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Corporate Responsibility Magazine announced its 14th annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List, recognizing the standout performance of public companies across the United States. Representatives from the final list participated in a key-note speaker address featuring Newark Mayor Cory Booker as well as the ringing of the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

The 100 Best List documents 298 data points of disclosure and performance measures—harvested from publicly available information in seven categories: environment, climate change, employee relations, human rights, governance, finance, and philanthropy. The list ranks the Russell 1000 Index.

“We are pleased to honor the companies on this year’s Best List, as they represent a tried and true standard of transparency within the Russell 1000,” said Dirk Olin, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, CR Magazine. “Across environmental, economic, and social values, these firms continue to set the bar high for organizations in the United States.”

Additionally some interesting statistics from this year’s list include:

• 26 companies are on the 2013 list that were not on the 2012 list; up from 22 in 2012 and 17 in 2011 that were not on the list in the prior year
• 11 companies have appeared on the list every year since 2007
• 32 companies rose in ranking in 2013 an average of 20 ranks;  41 companies rose an average of 17 ranks in 2012

The top ten on the 2013 list include (in rank order): AT&T, Mattel Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Eaton Corp., Intel Corp., Gap Inc., Hasbro Inc., Merck & Co. Inc., Campbell Soup Co., Coca-Cola Enterprise Inc.

“The publication of CR Magazine’s 14th annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List, shines a spotlight on companies with a strong commitment to transparency and responsible practices,” added Elliot Clark, CEO of CR Magazine. “Each year we are pleased to witness the growing commitment by corporations in an effort to improve their performance.  As part of our commitment, we will be offering advanced workshops on transparency and CR practices at our annual COMMIT!Forum in New York, October 8th and 9th to help ensure continued growth in this area during 2014.”

CR Magazine is America’s leading voice on corporate responsibility, providing case studies, analyzing best practices, and tracking trends in the five primary segments of CR: energy and the environment, risk management, governance and compliance, employee relations, and human rights.

For access to the full 100 Best Corporate Citizens List visit: http://www.thecro.com/

About Corporate Responsibility Magazine:

SharedXpertise Media LLC is the publisher of CR Magazine (www.thecro.com), the leading voice of the corporate responsibility profession and the publisher of the 100 Best Corporate Citizen’s List, which has been ranked one of America’s three most-important business rankings according to PR Week.

SharedXpertise alongside the Corporate Responsibility Officers Association (www.croassociation.org) are also co-founders of the COMMIT!Forum, recognized worldwide as the leading event for corporate responsibility practitioners.

About the 100 Best Corporate Citizen’s List:

The 100 Best Corporate Citizens List was first published in 1999 in Business Ethics Magazine, and has been managed by CR Magazine since 2007. To compile the list, every company in the Russell 1000, the highest ranked stocks in the Russell 3000 Index of publicly held U.S. companies, is ranked according to 298 data points. The methodology for generating the list is governed by a Ratings and Rankings Committee of the Corporate Responsibility Officers Association (CROA).

Contact:

Beatrice Broderick
Prosek Partners
212.279.3115 ext. 214
bbroderick@prosek.com

Tweet me: #Darden Included in #CRmagazine Annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List #CSR @DardenSustains http://3bl.me/5b4w2b

KEYWORDS: Reporting, Ratings & Rankings, 100 Best Corporate Citizens List, Darden Restaurants, corporate social responsiblity, csr, sustainability, darden sustains

SOURCE: Home Depot Foundation

“When one member joins, the whole family serves.” There is no statement more true for the mostly women and a few good men that we’ve met at the Military.com Spouse Summit in D.C. this week. This strong group of military spouses, caregivers and advocates are truly inspiring ---true heroes.  

As a husband/wife or parent of active military, juggling deployments, cross-country moves and, many times, children and grandchildren, it is safe to say these folks have taken on more than many of their peers. We recognize that being left behind to handle children, a job and a house is no easy task. Then, having the constant worry and stress of being separated from your family member, makes it a seemingly impossible task.

But, we know that tens of thousands of people are doing it every day and luckily, there are people who deeply care about making it not only possible, but a little easier, too.  We were extremely honored to meet many of those people and organizations at this summit. 

We think that we can certainly play an important role in this effort...that part of our work at The Home Depot Foundation is to make sure people don’t forget those who are currently serving, those who have served in the past, and the families that serve with them.  As we move forward from this event, we leave strengthened and empowered to continue to ensure that every veteran…and his/her family…has a safe place to call home.  

Tweet me: When 1 member joins, the whole family serves. @HomeDepotFdn reflects on @Militarydotcom’s #MilSpSum. http://bit.ly/YKIQI7

KEYWORDS: The Home Depot, The Home Depot Foundation, corporate philanthropy, Veterans, Military Spouse, caregiver

SOURCE: CITGO Petroleum Corporation

Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a non-profit organization that raises funds to support research for pediatric cancer, received a very special Valentine. On February 14, 2013, Baltimore-based Carroll Independent Fuel LLC held a bake sale at three of its corporate offices in Baltimore. The money raised by Carroll employees was matched by glass containers business, Bormioli Rocco Glass Company and Carroll Independent Fuel to donate more than $1600 to the organization.

Cookies for Kids' Cancer uses local bake sales to raise funds to develop new and improved treatments for pediatric cancer.   The money is used to support the efforts of doctors and scientists who are working to create less toxic and more effective treatments for children battling cancer at comprehensive cancer like Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Dana Farber, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, St Jude, Texas Children's, and other world class centers across the country.

The employees of the Carroll Independent Fuel are committed to giving back to the community they serve. The donation to the Maryland Food Bank, Carroll employees have raised money for Muscular Dystrophy Association, Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), Cookies for Kids' Cancer, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Moveable Feast and more. For more information about how Carroll fuels good, visit www.carrollfuel.com. 

Tweet me: Carroll Independent Fuel Holds Bake Sale to Support Cookies for Kids’ Cancer http://3bl.me/pxcq8v

KEYWORDS: Carroll Independent Fuel, Citgo, CITGO Petroleum, Cancer, Wellness

SOURCE: General Motors

If you had walked into Warren Mott High School teacher Carl Taylor’s class on March 13, you might have mistaken it as shop class. The students wore gloves and safety glasses. Scrap wood and nails lay strewn across seven tables that served as the students’ work stations.   The sounds of hammering and pneumatic drills echoed across the school’s cavernous hallways.

But this was no shop class – it was Taylor’s environmental science class, and GM Waste-Reduction Manager John Bradburn was showing students how to build bat houses using the scrap battery covers from a Chevrolet Volt.

“The kids were pounding, hammering, sawing and learning how to take waste and reuse it in other ways,” said Bradburn. “In this case, we’re benefitting wildlife.”

Nearly 400 of GM’s bat houses now protect wildlife populations throughout the United States and Canada. The houses that the Warren Mott High School students were building are heading to GM facilities in New York, which has seen sharp declines in bat populations in recent years due to white nose-syndrome, a disease that has killed more than 5.7 million cave-dwelling bats since 2006, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The bat houses are just one example of the innovative ways GM is reusing waste that would otherwise be destined for the landfill. Bradburn’s team has also reused the scrap Volt covers to create nesting boxes for wood ducks and flower planters  at GM’s technical center in Warren, Mich.

“It was great that GM came to show the students the practical uses of their waste reduction efforts and about how they have 105 landfill-free sites around the world,” said Taylor. “We just finished a unit about American consumption patterns, so I thought it spoke volumes to what I was teaching and what the students were learning.”

The workshop was one of the many community outreach efforts GM employees participate in each year and was a joint effort by several GM divisions, including GM Components Holdings, Warren Powertrain, and GM’s global facilities and global environmental groups.

“The GM team had a lot of fun teaching the kids about recycling, reuse and repurposing,” said Forrest Ward, Technical Group Manager Facility Operations, GM Component Holdings.  “It was great to see everyone rally around this event.”

Protecting wildlife and preserving natural resources are the hallmark of an environmentally conscious and socially responsible company. Imparting this wisdom to the next generation of environmental scientists is a true measure of a sustainable company.

Tweet me: .@GM teaches #environmental #science class from Warren Mott High School to reuse waste & protect wildlife http://3bl.me/vhk2a7 #education

KEYWORDS: Waste Reduction, Community Outreach, John Bradburn, reuse, Warren Mott High School

SOURCE: School of Visual Arts - Design for Social Innovation

DSI department chair Cheryl Heller gave a thoughtful and inspiring talk at TEDxRVA on Friday about a community garden project she and a group of undergraduate students co-created with residents in Richmond. DSI student Sara Cornish reflects on the experience:

When our program chair Cheryl Heller was asked to deliver a TEDx talk about creativity in Richmond, she saw a great teaching opportunity—for MFA Design for Social Innovation at SVA, and her undergraduate design class, but also for the greater Richmond community. As Cheryl’s Teaching Assistant, I was excited for the chance to practice the collaborative design process we were teaching (if not also curious as to how the heck we were going to pull off a co-creation project and TEDx talk in the course of a month).

Co-creation is about creating “with” not “for.” In order to create real, lasting change, we designers must genuinely engage with the community. As MFA students at DSI, we’re learning this firsthand through place-based design projects, ethnographic research for client work, and our program’s collective ethos of collaboration. But to demonstrate the power of co-creation to Richmond, we realized that it was going to be necessary to design the garden in person together with neighborhood leaders.

The community of Highland Park, a low-income food desert in north Richmond, said they would love a local garden for fresh, affordable local produce. So we partnered with award-winning Richmond nonprofit Boaz & Ruth to hold a co-creation workshop in Highland Park.

Boaz & Ruth is managed by an inspiring group of social innovators and community leaders, providing job training and transitional employment. Our plan was to design and plan a garden for the community that would provide fresh vegetables to both neighbors and Firehouse 15, a family-style restaurant that employs graduates of Boaz & Ruth’s reentry program.

We convened a group of organizers, gardeners, maintenance staff, and even Peanut, a delightful little six-month-old who reminded us of the garden’s potential for intergenerational impact.

Click here to continue reading

Tweet me: .@SVA_News Cheryl Heller gave inspiring talk at TED about a community garden project. read more here http://3bl.me/phke2x

KEYWORDS: Eco-Living, Consumption & Travel, Food & Farming, Health and Wellness, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, Community Garden, food desert, social innovation, school of visual design

SOURCE: School of Visual Arts - Design for Social Innovation

by Monica Snellings

Originally published by good.is on 3/13/13

Tweet me: .@SVA_News The ability 2 solve problems might benefit from those who have faced the complexities of life read here: http://3bl.me/swaxwd

KEYWORDS: Marketing, Media & Communications, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, solving problems, life complexities, monica snellings, school of visual design, social innovation