- With a $385,000 grant from The PepsiCo Foundation, the partnerships aim to help vulnerable communities in Rotterdam South rebuild from the impacts of COVID-19.
- The Feyenoord Foundation will empower approximately 500 young students in neighborhoods negatively impacted by the pandemic with educational opportunities through a STEM and sports skills training program.
- The Red Cross will empower approximately 490 migrant women with first aid skills training to increase their self-development and contribution to their communities through the development of soft and technical skills and mentoring.
- PepsiCo continues to address food security and will donate additional funds to the local Food Banks in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Utrecht, 9 December 2021 – While the impacts of COVID-19 have affected numerous communities across the world, the long lasting repercussions have proven to be disparately severe for those from economically disadvantaged communities
- including those in the Netherlands. To help provide sustainable solutions to this critical need, PepsiCo and The PepsiCo Foundation today announced their support to two leading organizations: the Feyenoord Foundation and the Netherlands Red Cross.
As the Netherlands begins to emerge from the aftermath of the pandemic, these partnerships will help to drive change that benefit economic opportunities in the Rotterdam South community by providing workforce readiness, educational resources and by
alleviating food insecurity for the most vulnerable.
The PepsiCo Foundation has been working with local partners for decades to strengthen communities and this announcement reflects an extension of that commitment. The PepsiCo Foundation will support the Feyenoord Foundation’s Club 1908 Program with
a $175,000 grant. The program’s main objective is to provide young students from vulnerable groups with educational support through an innovative learning model that combines elements of STEM and sports. As COVID-19 has proven to be a major
disruption to the educational journeys of many students, this program aims to fill some of the gaps and support development of future skills for disadvantaged youth.
Ton Strooband, Director CSR at the Feyenoord Foundation explains, “We are more than a football club. We know we can make a difference; create impact on the lives of the people who are mostly in need of some help. With the support of our partners,
local and international, we are able to do so. Although we are convinced we are on the right path, we will always strive to learn and improve so we can make a difference for the future of our city.”
While The PepsiCo Foundation partnered with the Netherlands Red Cross to support communities impacted by COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a new donation of $210.000 will help bring economic opportunity to approximately 490 migrant women in The Netherlands
who have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis. Through this funding to “Project Hero”, the Red Cross will provide women with migrant backgrounds first aid training with a strong focus on communication and soft skills, which in turn
will empower them.
Annelies de Jong, program manager for ‘Project Hero’ at the Netherlands Red Cross said, “Through this program the Netherlands Red Cross wants to achieve sustainable change in the lives of underprivileged women. The program offers tools
to women to become more self-reliant, give them perspectives for action – through first aid skills – and above all to bring them into contact with each other, which reduces social isolation. We are grateful for the significant commitment
from PepsiCo. It’s not just a contribution towards empowering the women we reach out to. It will also go a long way in strengthening their families and communities as well.”
In addition to providing aid to communities in Rotterdam South, PepsiCo will also continue the regular cooperation with the Belgian Federation of Food Banks and the Food Banks in the Netherlands by providing extra donations to alleviate food insecurity
in both countries. In 2020, the company already donated over $300,000 to Food Banks Netherlands, helping to deliver more than 3.5 million meals throughout the worst of the pandemic.
This new focus is part of broader activities by The PepsiCo Foundation to provide support to communities in Europe as they rebuild from COVID-19. It builds on the efforts by PepsiCo and The PepsiCo Foundation during the height of the pandemic - investing
$7 million to ensure that vulnerable and at risk communities across Europe were able to access emergency support through more than 10 million meals. This is the latest in a series of actions the company is taking as it delivers on its PepsiCo
Positive commitment which aims to have a positive impact on planet and people.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are consumed by consumers more than one billion times per day in more than 200 countries and regions around the world. With its extensive line of food and beverage products, including the Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana
and SodaStream brands, PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net sales in 2020. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a variety of indulgent foods and beverages, including 23 brands that each generate more than $1 billion in annual sales.
PepsiCo is guided by a vision to be the global leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages through Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" represents our goal to win in the marketplace for the long term and to integrate sustainability into all areas
of our business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com and www.pepsico.nl.
About the PepsiCo Foundation
Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with
non-profits and experts around the globe, we’re focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry
peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.
