Pepsi Beverages Company and Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh Revitalize West Pittsburgh Youth Facility

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Oct 01, 2010, 10:57 ET

Rebuilding Together Projects Nationwide Selected for PBC Grants

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pepsi Beverages Company (PBC), the North American beverage business unit of PepsiCo, is partnering with Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh, an affiliate of the nation's leading nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership, to drive revitalization efforts to the West Pittsburgh Police Athletic League's youth facility at the Trinity Church.

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This project is one of seven Rebuilding Together affiliate projects selected by PBC as grant recipients for fall 2010. PBC is issuing a total of $100,000 in grants to these projects, providing Rebuilding Together affiliates with the resources needed to help homeowners and community centers free of charge, across the country this fall.

"West Pittsburgh is one of our region's best kept secrets and a neighborhood on the rise," said Steve Hellner-Burris, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh. "PBC's investment in this community will provide more than 150 young people a safe and fun place to go after school."

PBC associates will join the Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh team to make much needed repairs and upgrades to the facility in preparation for the program's launch. In addition to the West Pittsburgh Police Athletic League, PBC is mobilizing associates in its six business units to refurbish homes and community centers in San Diego, Atlanta, Washington D.C., St. Louis and Seattle throughout the months of September and October.

Work on the Police Athletic League facility will focus on preparing the various spaces for use by the neighborhood's youth. In the Game Room, volunteers will make repairs to a damaged floor, clean and insulate drafty windows, and build storage units for the program's athletic equipment. By installing new electrical service and delivering computers with internet access, the group is transforming an old dusty classroom into a Computer Learning Center. In the basement, where free after-school meals are prepared, PBC associates will be building a wheel-chair accessible ramp so that children with disabilities can participate in the program's offerings.

"Pepsi Beverages Company is committed to serving homeowners and communities who are in need of our resources and volunteer-power," said Catherine Patterson, senior manager, PBC Foundation & Community Engagement. "We are pleased to mobilize our team in Pittsburgh, and we are pleased to continue our work with Rebuilding Together to deliver tangible impact to communities nationwide and rebuild houses and centers into safer and warmer homes."

As a National Corporate Sponsor, PBC has been an active collaborator and sponsor of many Rebuilding Together projects and efforts since 2008. During this time, PBC's support of Rebuilding Together has provided nearly $1 million to serve communities in need. These contributions are an articulation of PBC's and PepsiCo's dedication to "Performance with Purpose" – a commitment to give back to the communities in which it serves as well as delivering sustainable growth. The 'PBC Gives Back' projects identified by Rebuilding Together preserves affordable homeownership by providing repair, accessibility modifications, and energy efficient upgrades for low-income homeowners and community centers serving low-income neighborhoods.

ABOUT REBUILDING TOGETHER PITTSBURGH

Rebuilding Together is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing extensive rehabilitation and modification services to those in need at no cost to those served. With the help of everyday citizen volunteers, skilled trades people, the support of local business and major corporate partners, Rebuilding Together affiliates in America's largest cities and smallest towns make life considerably better for thousands of low-income homeowners and the communities in which they live by completing 10,000 projects per year. Rebuilding Together has programs dedicated to, energy efficiency, veteran's housing, aging in place and gulf coast reconstruction. For more information, visit www.RebuildingTogether.org. You can also follow Rebuilding Together on Twitter @rebldgtogthr or become a fan on Facebook at Facebook.com/RebuildingTogether.

About Pepsi Beverages Company

Pepsi Beverages Company (PBC) is PepsiCo's beverage manufacturing, sales and distribution operating unit in the United States, Canada and Mexico. PBC handles approximately 75 percent of PepsiCo's North America beverage volume. Its diverse portfolio includes some of the world's most widely recognized beverage brands, including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, Aquafina, Gatorade, SoBe, Lipton, and Amp Energy. In many markets, PBC also manufactures and/or distributes non-Pepsi brands, including Dr Pepper, Crush, ROCKSTAR, and Muscle Milk. The operating unit is headquartered in Westchester County, New York and employs approximately 70,000 people. Learn more about PBC at www.pepsico.com/pbc.

SOURCE Rebuilding Together