Nine Innovative Nonprofits Receive $40,000 #GSKimpact Awards for Contributing to a Healthier Triangle Region

December 4, 2013 /3BL Media/ - GSK [LSE/NYSE: GSK] and Triangle Community Foundation today announced the GSK IMPACT Award Winners in a ceremony at GSK’s Research Triangle Park facility. Nine local nonprofits earned $40,000 each in recognition of their outstanding contributions to a healthier Triangle region.

“There is an important connection between our health and our community,” said Katie Loovis, Director, US Community Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, GSK. “The more we understand this connection, the more we can improve it. Today’s GSK IMPACT Award Winners show us how it’s done.”

The winners are:

• Association for the Preservation of the Eno River Valley, Inc. - Building healthy communities by protecting the nature, culture, and history of the Eno River basin
• The Center for Volunteer Caregiving - Building healthy communities by providing volunteer services to seniors, family caregivers, and adults with disabilities
• Communities In Schools of Wake County - Building healthy communities by surrounding students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
• Farmer Foodshare, Inc. - Building healthy communities by connecting people who grow food with people who need food
• Haven House, Inc. - Building healthy communities by strengthening youth and young adults through effective programs, advocacy, and community mobilization
• Inter-Faith Food Shuttle - Building healthy communities by pioneering innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger
• Kidznotes, Inc. - Building healthy communities by transforming the lives of underserved children through classical, orchestral music training
• PLM Families Together, Inc. - Building healthy communities by moving families from homelessness to independence.
• Student U - Building healthy communities by empowering students to develop the academic skills and personal well-being necessary to succeed in college and beyond

In Triangle Region, the GSK IMPACT Awards are presented in partnership with Triangle Community Foundation. “A healthy community is the result of the dedicated, thoughtful, and intentional work of many people and programs,” said Triangle Community Foundation President Lori O’Keefe. “The GSK IMPACT Awards not only recognize some outstanding programs, but also provide a healthy financial investment – allowing the winners to maximize their impact on their critical community health programming.”

Much of what influences our health happens outside the doctor’s office – in our communities. Community factors such as safety, the accessibility of healthy foods and recreational spaces, and the support of families and social networks undeniably contribute to our health, and present a formidable challenge for GSK to achieve our mission of helping people do more, feel better, and live longer. The scope of the GSK IMPACT Awards was expanded this year to recognize nonprofit organizations with sustainable programs that address these critical community factors.

The Event:
The GSK IMPACT Award Winners for the Triangle Region were recognized today in a ceremony at GSK’s RTP campus and reception featuring Executive Host Jack Bailey, SVP, Policy, Payer, and Vaccines, Lori O’Keefe, President, Triangle Community Foundation, GSK; Emcee Shannon Vickery from UNC-TV, and a special musical performance by Kidznotes, Inc., one of the award winning organizations.

The Selection Process:
This was a competitive awards process with nearly 60 applications. GSK US Community Partnership and Triangle Community Foundation staff members reviewed the applications and coordinated site visits, and then the winners were selected by a panel of local and national health experts.

Applications were accepted from nonprofit organizations that addressed at least one of seven following health factors and measures: 1) Diet and Exercise; 2) Access to Care; 3) Community Safety; 4) Education; 5) Employment; 6) Family and Social Support; and 7) the Built Environment. Through the process, applicants had to demonstrate that their organization has stable operations and strong financial health, and that their programming is evidence-informed, innovative, collaborative, replicable or scalable, and systemic.

The History of GSK IMPACT Awards:

• For 17 years, GSK has honored outstanding nonprofit programs that are improving access to health in and around our U.S. corporate campuses in Durham, North Carolina and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with GSK IMPACT Awards.
   
• To date, 173 exemplary U.S.-based nonprofits have been honored with $6.9 million in GSK IMPACT Awards. Over the past five years, $1.5 million has been awarded to 37 local nonprofit organizations in the RTP area.
   
• The name ‘IMPACT’ derives from the focus that winners must have demonstrated in their application submissions: Innovation, Management, Partnership, Achievement, Community Focus, and Targeting Need.

Healthy Communities:
As part of GSK’s longstanding commitment to building Healthy Communities, in 2012 the company launched a national initiative designed to better understand the barriers and identify opportunities for building healthier communities in the United States. Phase one of Healthy Communities featured a listening tour that uncovered new insights about what it means, and what it takes to build a healthy community. Phase two, which includes the expanded scope of the GSK IMPACT Awards, leverages that knowledge and demonstrates innovative ways local organizations and businesses can work together to build healthier communities.

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 us on twitter.com/GSKUS or visit our blog (www.morethanmedicine.us.gsk.com/blog/). 

Triangle Community Foundation – a nonprofit that manages over $160 million in funds established by families, businesses, individuals, and organizations. From these funds, it makes grants to nonprofit organizations and administers a variety of programs for the community’s benefit. The Foundation manages over 790 funds, ranging in size from $10,000 to $7 million, mainly for the benefit of Wake, Durham, Orange and Chatham counties. During the 2012-2013 fiscal year, the Foundation granted more than $13 million to nonprofits, schools and community efforts. For more information go to http://www.trianglecf.org/, follow us on twitter.com/TriComFdn or visit us on facebook.com/trianglecf.

Join the conversation! Tweet using @GSKUS and #GSKimpact.

View and download photos of the GSK IMPACT Award winners.

GSK Media  Inquiries:
Jennifer Armstrong
Jennifer.L.Armstrong@gsk.com
+1 215 751 5664
(Philadelphia) 

Triangle Community Foundation Media Inquiries:
GBW Strategies
Greg Behr 
gebehr@gmail.com 
+1 919 272 5621

Billy Warden:
billy.warden@gmail.com 
+1 919 412 0630