Keep America Beautiful Launches Community Improvement Grant Program to Help Beautify MLK Corridors Across the Nation

STAMFORD, Conn., July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Keep America Beautiful®, the nation's leading community improvement nonprofit organization, in partnership with Diageo North America and its Diageo Community Activity and Relief Efforts ("Diageo C.A.R.E.s") program, today announced the creation of the Keep America Beautiful Community Improvement Grant program to support the efforts of volunteers, residents, community groups, and business owners/employees to prevent litter, promote recycling, and beautify areas in and around Martin Luther King Jr. corridors and promote neighborhood building by empowering individuals to become engaged in the communities where they live and work.

The Community Improvement Grant program will have funding in three categories ? $2,500, $5,000, and $10,000 ? with the possibility of additional funding for supplies purchased at Lowe's. Grant applications are being accepted through Friday, July 17, 2020. The grant program is part of the Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup®, of which Diageo is a national sponsor. The 2020 Great American Cleanup, which normally takes place during the spring months (March 19-June 20), was initially suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic and is now being conducted through Oct. 18.

"Keep America Beautiful recognizes that litter and the lack of clean, green, and beautiful public spaces impacts the vitality, health, and economic development opportunities in a community," said Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Helen Lowman. "By working hand in hand with local community groups to address the negative impacts of litter, we can help clean and beautify areas in need and help build strong, diverse communities."

The competitive grant will be open to the Keep America Beautiful national network of community-based affiliates as well as other community groups (e.g., faith groups and nonprofits) at:  https://kab.surveymonkey.com/r/CommunityImprovement.

"Through our Diageo CAREs program, this partnership represents an opportunity for us to carry on the legacy of Dr. King's view of empowering others and community involvement while giving back to the communities where we operate," said Dr. Danielle Robinson, Director, Alcohol Policy and Corporate Reputation Management at Diageo. "We are honored to be founding partners of the program and encourage other organizations to join the initiative for a broader collective impact."

About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray, and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow us on social media for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA on Twitter and Instagram. Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful, the nation's leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful strives to End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify America's Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean, green, and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to contribute to that vision. 

The Keep America Beautiful Model for Change ? steeped in education, research, and behavioral science ? is the cornerstone of Keep America Beautiful. We empower generations of community and environmental stewards with volunteer programs, hands-on experiences, educational curricula, practical advice, and other resources. The organization is driven by the work and passion of more than 650 Keep America Beautiful affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the collaborative support of corporate partners, social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.

Contacts
Tiffany Telemaque / Larry Kaufman
DKC / Keep America Beautiful
301.802.6270 / 203.659.3014
[email protected] / [email protected]
dkcnews.com / kab.org

SOURCE Keep America Beautiful