Feeding America, the nation's leading hunger-relief organization, has announced a $1 million investment from the Caterpillar Foundation to support programs that provide fresh fruit and vegetables to low-income clients who do not have the access or financial means to provide these foods to their families.

The grant, which will allow for increased delivery of perishable food to rural or hard-to-reach communities that often are underserved as well as urban and suburban areas where there is an urgent need for nutritious food, will help impact Feeding America's nationwide network of food banks, including those within the more than 15 states in which Caterpillar Inc. has operations.

Feeding America food banks provide assistance to 37 million people struggling with hunger.  Last year, the charity provided more than 800 million pounds of fresh produce to low-income Americans.

"Strengthening our national retail store donation and produce innovation programs is one of the most effective and efficient ways for us to deliver food at a local level," said Bob Aiken, president and CEO of Feeding America. "Thanks to the generosity of the Caterpillar Foundation, our food banks will be able to distribute much needed food like fresh produce, low-fat dairy products and lean meat, to help feed families in need throughout the nation."

"The Caterpillar Foundation supports programs in three key areas, one of which is basic human needs," said Michele Sullivan, president of the Caterpillar Foundation. "The concept behind this organization seems so simple but has enormous impact. Feeding America has the ability to provide the equivalent of eight meals for every $1 donation. Put in those terms, this is an investment in an organization that is efficient – tackling a huge challenge for just pennies at a time."

For more information about Feeding America, visit www.feedingamerica.org, on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica, and Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

Founded in 1952, the Caterpillar Foundation has contributed more than $550 million to help make sustainable progress possible around the world by providing program support in the areas of environmental sustainability, access to education and basic human needs. To learn more about the Caterpillar Foundation, visit www.caterpillar.com/foundation.

Vince Foglia, CEO of Sage Products, and Suzanne Hoban, executive director of Family Health Partnership Clinic. (Provided photo)

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CRYSTAL LAKE – More than $165,000 was raised at The Family Health Partnership Clinic’s annual Gala & Dinner Auction at the Holiday Inn. 800 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake.

The Kentucky Derby-themed evening attracted 250 guests and featured southern-style food and entertainment. Derby attire was encouraged – especially hats.

Vince Foglia, CEO of Sage Products, gave opening remarks which focused on philanthropy and giving back to the  community.  He also presented each attendee with a  copy of the book "The Go Giver" by Bob Burg and John David Mann. 

The evening included a live and silent auction conducted by Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager. After the auctions, guests had an opportunity to purchase specific items for use in the new clinic facility, slated to open in Crystal Lake in October.

“With the assistance of Mayor Sager and the support of Mr. Foglia and many guests, the clinic was able to raise the largest amount ever for the clinic at this event, just over $165,000," said FHPC Development Coordinator Cathy Patenaude. "We are very fortunate and thankful for their involvement and belief in what FHPC stands for.”

Centegra Health System, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital and Covidien were this year’s top “Triple Crown” sponsors.

For more information on the clinic and services to the community, visit www.hpclinic.org.

With the end of the spring term and students packing up for the summer break, colleges and universities are preparing for the annual move-out flood of unwanted household items typically discarded by students departing on-campus housing.

This year, Northern Illinois University in DeKalb is participating in a nationally piloted program called Give and Go: Move Out 2013 to keep these items out of the trash and instead see them put to “good re-use”. Between April 30 and May 11, NIU is working with Goodwill to set out special donation bins at residence halls, for use by students cleaning out their rooms.

The U.S. Department of Education estimates that three million students live in campus housing at 2,100 U.S. colleges and universities nationwide. Each year, students leaving campus encounter storage and car trunks that can only hold so much, and often leave perfectly good clothes, electronics, books and furniture in overflowing campus dumpsters.

“This is a growing problem for DeKalb,” said Goodwill President, Sam Schmitz. “We know NIU students are eco-friendly and willing to do something on behalf of the planet if it’s convenient and fun. Give and Go: Move Out 2013 is an easy clean-up solution that offers real results.”

The pilot initiative, organized by Keep America Beautiful and Goodwill in conjunction with the College and University Recycling Coalition, encourages college students to do something good by donating their unwanted clothing, kitchen items, electronics, books and dorm items as they clean out for summer break. The purpose of Give and Go is to encourage students to reduce waste and boost existing sustainability practices on campus. After students donate their goods, those items are sold at Goodwill stores, and the revenue is used to fund job training and community-based services for people who face challenges to finding employment.

NIU was one of five universities chosen for the initiative. Also participating are Creighton University in Nebraska, Franklin College in Indiana, Trinity University in Texas, and University of Toledo in Ohio.

“A box of books can provide 13 hours of on-the-job training, eight desk lamps can provide an hour-and-a-half of résumé preparation,” said Schmitz.  “Give and Go is an opportunity to donate responsibly and recognize how donating the things you can no longer use can have an important social impact.”
 
Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois has dropped off large blue containers in the lobby of residence halls, and students will be encouraged to donate items that they’re not taking home. When full, containers will be emptied and replaced. This will last through the semester’s end.
 
For more information, call Goodwill at 815-987-6237 or visit www.goodwillni.org.

As the 43rd annual Earth Day approaches Monday, Goodwill encourages consumers to remember the widespread impact from the simple act of donating goods.

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois has been an environmental pioneer and social innovator of the “reduce, reuse, repurpose” practice since 1936. Locally, Goodwill diverts more than eight million pounds of clothing and household goods every year from landfills by recovering the value in people’s unwanted material goods; and in the process, creating job-training opportunities for people in need of work. In addition, Goodwill and Dell’s free computer recycling program, Dell Reconnect, allow people to make a donation knowing it’s good for people and the planet.

With more than 2,500 Goodwill locations participating across the U.S. and Canada, the Dell Reconnect program allows people to simply drop off used computers and computer equipment (any brand, and in any condition) at their local Goodwill.  More than 450,000 pounds of computer electronics have been responsibly recycled per year since the partnership began in 2004.
 
In 2010, Goodwill launched the Donate Movement, a corporate social responsibility platform and public awareness movement that encourages consumers to think of donating used goods as just as essential to environmental responsibility as recycling paper and plastics. Via the Donate Movement microsite (donate.goodwill.org), users can calculate the social impact of their own clothing and household item donations, while a new feature on the site tracks how many pounds of usable goods Goodwill has diverted from landfills since January 2012 – currently totaling more than three billion.
 
“With Earth Day now four decades old, more Americans than ever before are concerned about environmental issues,” said Goodwill’s President, Sam Schmitz.  “Yet it is easy to lose track of the ways that one person can make a difference. For more than 75 years, Goodwill has linked protecting the environment to helping people earn paychecks, support their families and strengthen their communities.”
 
The Donate Movement website lets consumers see how much of an impact they can make on the planet by donating used goods. The website also provides a step-by-step guide on how to organize a donation drive at a campus, school or other location, gives bloggers the opportunity to raise awareness by joining the Donate Movement Network, and provides resources on where to bring used goods. For more information, visit donate.goodwill.org.
 
Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides jobs training, and placement services for people with barriers to achieve meaningful employment.  Rockford serves as the headquarters for Goodwill Northern Illinois and is one of 165 Goodwill agencies under the auspices of Goodwill Industries International. 

Goodwill Northern Illinois’ territory includes an 18-county area in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin with a combined population of over 1.1 million residents. Goodwill’s retail operations sell donated, gently-used products as well as new items such as overstocks and close-outs from some of the best-known stores in the state. Goodwill stores in northern Illinois (Rockford, Machesney Park, Freeport, Sterling, DeKalb, Ottawa, McHenry, and Huntley) and Beloit, Wis. employ nearly 300 people. Visit www.goodwillni.org.
 
 

Ace Hardware, the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the industry, has announced that Craftsman products are now available at more than 2,000 Ace stores.

More than 2,000 neighborhood Ace stores now offer a full line assortment of more than 650 Craftsman products, including hand tools, portable and bench top power tools, compressors, pneumatic tools, wet/dry vacs, tool storage, lawn and garden, outdoor power equipment items and garage door openers. Since the inception of its agreement with Sears Holdings to sell Craftsman products in 2010, Ace has remained the exclusive retailer of Craftsman products in the convenience hardware industry.

"The sheer number of stores that carry Craftsman products is a real testament to the brand's strength and our retailers' commitment to offering homeowners the best brands paired with the personal, knowledgeable and helpful service that they have come to expect when shopping at their neighborhood Ace Hardware store," said John Surane, senior vice president, Marketing, Merchandising and Sales for Ace Hardware Corp. "As is true of all our retailer programs, our independent retailers are able to select different sets to meet the needs of their communities and markets."

"When we started the Craftsman brand relationship with Ace in 2010, we believed that Ace strongly complemented our existing offerings available in the market place," said Michael Castleman, head of the Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard business unit of Sears Holdings. "Expanding Craftsman to more Ace retail stores confirms that belief, shows the continued strength of the brand, and better serves the passion of the DIY community which is shared by Ace and the Craftsman brand."

In conjunction with Craftsman products now being available at more than 2,000 Ace stores, Ace is launching a national marketing campaign to let consumers know that Ace is the neighborhood destination for Craftsman tools, garage, and lawn and garden items. The campaign will include national TV and radio advertising as part of the recently launched "Meet the Aces" campaign; a Father's Day gift guide featuring Craftsman products; social media; digital advertising; emails to members of the Ace Rewards customer loyalty program and public relations initiatives.

At Ace, Craftsman products are available in-store only. Visit acehardware.com to find a participating neighborhood Ace store.