Walmart and Pepsi Partner with Local Boys & Girls Club Chapters

Proceeds from every Pepsi product sold at Charlotte area Walmart stores will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte, Boys & Girls Clubs of Piedmont, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Cabarrus County

Charlotte, N.C. – Community give-back programs are reigniting in the greater Charlotte region, as Pepsi and Walmart come together with Charlotte-area Boys & Girls of America Club organizations to raise awareness, foster community, and donate a portion of proceeds to the programs that directly impact the children and families in surrounding communities.

The timing of this support program is no happenstance as charities work to recover from the pandemic downturn in donations, and as the Boys & Girls Clubs enter one of their busiest seasons as schools let out for summer vacations.

A portion of the proceeds from Pepsi beverage products sold will benefit local Boys & Girls Clubs in the Charlotte and surrounding metro areas. This partnership will donate up to $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte, Boys & Girls Clubs of Piedmont, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Cabarrus County, to continue the tradition of building great futures in step with these Charlotte-based Boys & Girls Clubs.

The participating chapters of Boys & Girls Club will use the proceeds from this partnership for summer enrichment programs at all six of their clubs. These organizations are eager to bolster their program offerings as Covid restrictions minimized their capacity by 50 percent, only allowing them to serve as few as 50 of the community’s children at a time.

According to Marty Clary, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte, all was not completely lost in their clubs during the pandemic. “While our capacity was cut in half and we could only serve about 50 children at a time, we were able to create and maintain some positive programming, such as a virtual learning website for kids to do exercise activities and STEM projects online, instead of coming into the club in person, as well as virtual field trips to give them a continued sense of community,” he shares.

Participating Walmart stores, spanning four counties, with fifty percent based in Mecklenburg, are excited to partner with Pepsi to give back to local organizations right in their backyard. Walmart and Pepsi strongly believe in supporting organizations in their communities, especially those that support children and their families through education and enrichment.

“We are proud to be partnering with Pepsi to benefit our local Boys & Girls Clubs, and to honor the great work and legacy of these clubs within our community, coupled with their fervor and fortitude to continue serving local families throughout the pandemic,” said Mike Young, Walmart Market Manager in the Charlotte-area.

“Our collaboration with our friends at Walmart will help support the important efforts of the local Boys & Girls Clubs,” said Paul Finney, President & CEO of Pepsi Bottling Ventures. “Their dedication to the children and families in the Charlotte-area during the pandemic has been remarkable, and we’re honored to do our part to ensure that these programs continue to thrive.”

The timing of this partnership is central as area clubs are underway with recruiting, both individual and corporate volunteers, to come back into the clubs and serve their local communities.

About The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte

The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte was founded in 1935, giving local youth a safe place to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsibly citizens. Today, six clubs serve more than 1,200 members in Mecklenburg and Union counties. For a membership fee of only $5, school-aged children can join the Boys & Girls Clubs, where they will find a positive and fun place to spend out-of-school time. At the Club, they receive guidance from trained Youth Development staff and volunteer mentors and access to various academic and recreational programs. Other key program areas include the arts, character and leadership development, financial literacy, STEM, and health and life skills. For more than 80 years, Boys & Girls Club sites located in diverse neighborhoods and in close proximity to public housing have provided safe and positive environments to help children excel in school and succeed in life. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte is a program of The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte. For more information, visit BGCCharlotte.org.

About Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC

Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC (PBV) is the largest privately-held manufacturer, seller, and distributor of Pepsi Cola beverages in North America. With 16 distribution locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Delaware, PBV serves some of the most recognized beverage brands to over 9 million consumers. PBV is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C. Learn more by visiting, www.pepsibottlingventures.com.

About Walmart in North Carolina:

Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online and through their mobile devices. In North Carolina we serve customers at 217 retail units and online through Walmart Online Grocery, Walmart.com and our family of brands. We are proud to employ 59,047 associates in North Carolina. Walmart supports local businesses, spending $13.2 billion with North Carolina suppliers in FYE18 and supporting 87,596 North Carolina supplier jobs. Walmart continues to be a leader in employment opportunity, sustainability, and corporate philanthropy. In FY18, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed more than $68 million in cash and in-kind donations to local nonprofits in North Carolina and our North Carolina associates volunteered more than 16,000 hours with local causes. Additional information about Walmart can be

found by visiting our corporate website and our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter channels.