Photo from CNW News Group
New Year’s resolutions. Almost everyone makes them, but few keep them. In fact, one of the largest studies on the psychology of New Year’s resolutions found that just 12 per cent of people made their resolutions stick. Enter the Pepsi Refresh Project.
The Pepsi Refresh Project is all about helping people create positive change in their lives and in the lives of others. Every two months, Canadians submit ideas that impact their communities in a positive way to www.refresheverything.ca. Then, Canadians decide which ideas will receive one of ten available grants by voting online everyday for their favourites. 2011 will see the continuation of the Pepsi Refresh Project and offers Canadians the perfect opportunity to make good on that resolution.
Of the thousands of unique New Year’s resolutions Canadians have come up with, ranging from volunteering to help those in need to living a more environmentally conscious lifestyle to supporting local artists and musicians, many have one thing in common: the ultimate desire to do good. With hundreds of ideas for good to be submitted to the Pepsi Refresh Project in 2011, Canadians can make even the most ambitious of resolutions a reality by voting for their favourite ideas at www.refresheverything.ca. After logging in, Canadians are just a simple point and click away from voting to make a big impact.
In addition, Canadians with ideas to make their communities a better place can submit them for a chance to win grants ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. There will be two more opportunities to submit these ideas in 2011: on February 1 and April 1.
As of January 7, 2011, 10 Canadians had already kicked off the new year with a bang with a new batch of fantastic ideas for which they have been declared finalists. These ideas received the most votes in their category in the months of November and December and are on track to receive grants. A sample of the wide variety of finalists from round three are:
- The Camp Dorset Corporation plans to use their $100,000 to help those taking dialysis to put their feet up with their loved ones during a family vacation at their serene facilities which include a dialysis unit on site
- The J.L. Forster Secondary School Student Parliament will use its $5,000 to get Windsor teens with special needs moving and grooving with a video dance party
- The Northern Lights Children’s Day Care Centre plans to use its $10,000 grant to create an environment where all kids can get in on the fun, with a fully accessible playscape on their facilities for children of all abilities
Looking back on six months of doing good in 2010
The new year is also a time for reflection on the past year, and 2010 was an incredible year for the Pepsi Refresh Project. After opening submissions on June 1, the Pepsi Refresh Project gave away over $660,000 dollars to 38 individuals and organizations effecting change in over 25 communities across Canada.
“We’re starting to see the Pepsi Refresh Project transform lives across the country” said Dev Aujla, ambassador for the Pepsi Refresh Project, “To look back at all the strong campaigning and dedicated voting that Canadians did in 2010 and see their projects become a reality is really inspirational.”
Get a jump on your resolutions: 265 ideas for good now open for voting
The calendar change also meant a fresh batch of 265 fantastic ideas from Canadians are up for grants in round four of the Pepsi Refresh Project. This round features ideas ranging from empowering youth through introduction to arts programs such as music, dance, and visual arts to hosting cultural events in local communities that will bring residents closer together. Voting for this round closes on February 28 with 10 new finalists being announced on March 1. Grants will be awarded as follows: one $100,000 grant, two $25,000 grants, three $10,000 grants, and four $5,000 grants for a total of $200,000 each cycle.
Canadians interested in following the progress of the Pepsi Refresh Project here in Canada can follow Pepsi on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pepsicanada) or Twitter (@PepsiCanada) for updates on all the good taking place across the country.
About the Pepsi Refresh Project
In an effort to support those who generate innovative, optimistic ideas, the Pepsi Refresh Project will award more than $1 million to move communities forward over the course of a year. Individuals and organizations can apply for grants to benefit a variety of projects, and Canadians can vote for the best ideas for funding at http://www.refresheverything.ca/. The Pepsi Refresh Project is an evolution of the Joy It Forward initiative that the Pepsi brand launched in 2009, which showed the brand as an optimistic catalyst for idea creation. The Pepsi Refresh Project will fund projects that make a difference in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighbourhoods and Education.
About PepsiCo Canada and the Pepsi Brand
PepsiCo’s businesses in Canada are organized into two business units. PepsiCo Foods Canada includes Frito Lay Canada and the Quaker Foods & Snacks business. PepsiCo Beverages Canada includes the Pepsi, Gatorade and Tropicana businesses. The Pepsi brand has been bringing fun and refreshment to Canadian consumers for over 75 years. For more information, please visit http://www.pepsico.ca/.
About PepsiCo, Inc.
PepsiCo offers the world’s largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade – also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in more than 200 countries. With annualized revenues of nearly $60 billion, PepsiCo’s people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.pepsico.com/.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pepsicanada
Twitter: @PepsiCanada
For further information:
Maureen Juniper or Kelly Mansell
PraxisPR
Office: 905-949-8255 Ext. 226 or 221
maureen@praxispr.ca or kelly@praxispr.ca
