$500,000 GSK IMPACT Grant Awarded to Groups Building Healthy Futures in East St. Louis

December 17, 2015 /3BL Media/ - GSK [LSE/NYSE: GSK] in partnership with The St. Louis Community Foundation announced today an 18-month, $500,000 GSK IMPACT Grant awarded to East Side Thrives, an initiative of 10 nonprofits working together as part of the East Side Aligned effort – facilitated by United Way of Greater St. Louis.  The grant will support the nonprofits’ focus on equipping East St. Louis children and teens to live healthy lifestyles, excel in school and lead the way towards building a healthier community.

“GSK has a long history of helping build healthier communities across the country because wellness is the backbone of strong, sustainable societies.  This IMPACT Grant is particularly gratifying in that it empowers youth to be part of that healthy change,” said Jack Bailey, President US Pharmaceuticals, GSK.  “The IMPACT Grant will amplify great work already underway by exemplary local nonprofits helping students embrace healthy lifestyles in East St. Louis.”

The grant will allow East Side Thrives to expand and enhance out of school programming for young people at four neighborhood agencies – Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, Christian Activity Center, Sinai Family Life Center and Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation. In addition to increasing physical activity, character development and academic programming, the grant will support shared staffing and transportation strategies so that service providers can increase their reach from 2,000 to 3,000 local kids.

East Side Thrives will also empower young people to use their voice and realize their own vision for a healthier East St. Louis.  Engaged students will serve on a cross-agency council and develop advocacy strategies to promote healthy behaviors and champion local policy changes.  These young leaders will also award “mini” grants for local improvement projects in East St. Louis that will encourage healthy activity for their families and peers.

Arthur Culver, Superintendent, East St Louis School District 189, said “After school programs throughout the community offer safe environments that align with our standard of excellence. We are looking forward to the outcomes as a result of receiving opportunities such as receiving the GSK IMPACT Grant. Together we can provide sustainable results, which will change the lives of the students we serve.”

East Side Thrives is the third GSK IMPACT Grant recipient – following great work already underway in Denver, CO and Philadelphia, PA.  A program will also be announced in Raleigh-Durham, NC in 2016.  The GSK IMPACT Grant is one of several charitable programs GSK offers as part of a commitment to building healthier communities across the nation. Much of what influences health happens outside the doctor’s office – ensuring that communities have access to healthy foods, safe places to play and exercise, and the support of family and social networks are all important factors in improving health outcomes and helping people do more, feel better, and live longer.

The East Side Thrives Initiative is made up of the following member organizations:

• Christian Activity Center
• Greater East St. Louis Community Fund
• Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation
• Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, Inc.
• St. Louis Regional Public Media, Inc. (The Nine Network of Public Media)
• Sinai Family Life Center
• The Forum for Youth Investment
• United Way of Greater St. Louis
• Vision for Children at Risk, Inc.
• Wyman Center, Inc.

About GSK

GSK – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information go to us.gsk.com, follow GSK on twitter.com/GSKUS or visit GSK’s blog (www.morethanmedicine.us.gsk.com/blog/).

Founded in 1915, the goal of The St. Louis Community Foundation is to increase charitable giving and expand the impact charitable dollars have on improving the quality of life in the greater St. Louis area and beyond.  The Community Foundation is a nonprofit foundation composed of more than 400 charitable funds with total assets of $320 million.  On behalf of its donors, the Community Foundation donates approximately $25 million annually to organizations, many of which work tirelessly to make St. Louis a better, healthier place to live.  In all, The Community Foundation has granted $225 million over the last 25 years.  For more information about The St. Louis Community Foundation, please visit www.StLouisGives.org.

Contact – For interview opportunities, please contact:

GSK
Marti Skold-Jordan         Marti.x.Skold-Jordan@GSK.com           919-328-0507

United Way of Greater St. Louis
Natasha Sakovich          Natasha.Sakovich@stl.unitedway.org   314-640-4750     

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D 'Risk factors' in the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2014.