$9.7 Million Awarded for Water Stewardship

The Coca-Cola Foundation—the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Co.—awarded $26 million to 85 community organizations, including $9.7 million in grants for water stewardship, during the first quarter. The grants support the foundation's global priority areas.

The water stewardship grants will benefit:

• 2 million people worldwide with improved access to clean water or sanitation;
• 3.1 billion liters of water will be conserved;
• 48 tons of debris will be collected; and
• 8.9 million people will benefit from increased water conservation and education.

Organizations receiving grant funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation include:

• ACF Stakeholders Inc., Sustainable Water Management Plan, benefiting residents of 80 counties in Georgia, Alabama and Florida, $50,000;
• Bonneville Environmental Foundation, East Fork Bear River Water Restoration Certificate Project, benefiting watershed conservation efforts and providing protection for the Bonneville cutthroat trout and other state-listed sensitive species, Oregon, $250,000;
• The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation - Global Environment & Technology Foundation, Replenish Africa Initiative, benefiting two million people in 17 African countries with improved access to water and sanitation services, $7 million;
• Earth Day Network Philippines Inc., Agos Ram Pump Project, to providing access to water and sanitation for more than 15,000 residents of 12 upland communities, $279,630;
• Landcare Australia Ltd., Coca-Cola & Landcare Australia Watershed Protection and Regeneration Program 2012, supporting 12 community water quality improvement projects,  $102,000;
• Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development, Rainwater Harvesting Program, supporting installation of rainwater harvesting projects, Greece, $300,000;
• Plan International India Chapter, Improving Water and Sanitation Facilities in Indian Schools, benefiting 10,000 children in 50 schools, $249,984;
• Pronatura Mexico A.C., Catch Water Ponds in Five Communities in Mexico, supporting the rebuilding of five rainwater catchment ponds, benefiting 2,000 people, $500,000;
• Pronatura Mexico A.C., Drip Irrigation Systems, benefiting 500 small farmers with irrigation systems for backyard vegetable gardens, $100,000;
• Thames21 Ltd., Big Waterways Clean Up 2012, organizing 4,000 volunteers to clear London-area rivers and canals of debris in advance of the 2012 Olympic Games, $40,000;
• UN-Habitat, Schools for Wash and Groundwater Recharge Promotion South Asia, benefiting 30,000 children by providing improved water, sanitation facilities and rainwater harvesting structures in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, $750,000;
• Urban Farming Inc., Urban Farming/Coca-Cola Rain Barrel Harvesting Project, supporting installation of rainwater harvesting and irrigation systems in Ohio and Michigan, $100,000; and
• Water Environment Federation, U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize, supporting the 2012 U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition in the U.S., benefiting students and schools participating in water-related science projects and education, $25,000.