US Smokeless Tobacco Employees Donate $55K to Local Charities

Source from:  Kentucky News Era  08/25/2014

Employees at U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company gathered early Friday morning to see seven regional nonprofit organizations receive a total of $55,000 in donations from the Altria Companies Employee Community Fund.

"From what I've been told, this is the only company and fund nationwide that's exclusively by the employees," said Ryan Dixon, ACECF committee member.

Altria is the parent company of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and, in 2000, employees began the fund so they could be more involved in their communities. The Hopkinsville organization began in 2010 and has donated a total of $165,000 in the last four years.

Nonprofit organizations apply for the grants by submitting proposal requests the ACECF Grantmaking Committee, and are selected based on five criteria: a track record of providing efficient and effective services for people in the greatest need and adapting to changes that may arise; organizational capacity to provide high-quality programs and services; established process for measuring outcomes to track progress and ensure program effectiveness; financial stability and the potential to leverage additional support from the public and private sectors; and having a highly experienced staff with strong qualifications.

Of the seven organizations selected for the Hopkinsville branch, five were from Christian County, including Boys and Girls Club of Hopkinsville-Christian County, Branch Outreach Inc., Challenge House Inc., Christian County Rescue Team Inc. and Pennyrile Resource Conservation and Development Area Inc.

Each of the organizations sent a representative to accept the donations and outline what they intended to do with the money.

The Christian County Rescue Team said they plan to use the money to buy new personal protective equipment as well as enhancements to their ATVs.

"We appreciate Altria and U.S. Tobacco and the monies we receive because they do stay in our community and stay local," said Lucas Stagner. "We're just going to try to improve the way we do things."

Branch Outreach Inc. is a community outreach program based out of Crofton and serving all of northern Christian County. They run a food bank, deliver meals to the elderly and disabled, offer parenting classes and work with the community college. Kim Edward, who accepted the check on behalf of the organization, said the money will go toward their monthly food box.

Terrence Davis, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Hopkinsville-Christian County, told those in attendance about all the ways the club helps underprivileged children and how their money would be used to feed all 125 club members through to the end of the school year.

"A meal program ties right in to academics," Davis said. "A lot of our kids come in hungry. We know the meal that they get at lunch or the snack that they get at the club will be the last meal that they get before they go back to school the next day."

Challenge House also received a grant that Wally Bryan accepted for the organization.

"My heart is so full to thank you all for what you did — it's amazing," Bryan said.

He said the money will be used to start a new program named in part for the ACECF. All Children Excel, to be known as ACE for short, will help children who need technology to research and complete assignments, create resumes and print their work.

"What you all did for us is a difference maker," Bryan said. "We're not a great big organization — this is huge."

The Pennyrile Resource Conservation and Development Area also received a grant for Jeffers Bend.

"A lot of our young people only learn through hands on, and that's the whole idea behind Jeffers Bend," said Charles Turner, resource, conservation and development coordinator. "Through this effort we can pay the student fees and help with the transportation costs."
Dixon said the committee decided the amount of money given to each organization was based on the needs outlined in their grant applications.

"We're proud to support our neighbors and help make our community a better place to live and to work," Dixon said. "The time, energy and money make a positive impact on the lives who need it the most." Enditem