U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company's Employees Donate $125,000 to Chicagoland Nonprofits

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company’s Employees Donate $125,000 to Chicagoland Nonprofits

Employee-Giving Fund has Awarded $379,000 Since 2011 to Benefit the Homeless, Seniors and Underserved Youth

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company’s (USSTC’s) employees have donated $125,000 to 14 nonprofits based in the Chicagoland area through the Altria Companies Employee Community Fund (ACECF). This marks the fourth year that USSTC’s employees, part of the Altria family of companies, have made grants to help serve those most in need in the Chicago region.

“These grants illustrate our ongoing commitment to making a difference in the communities where our employees live and work,” said Brian Quigley, President and CEO, USSTC. “As we celebrate our 40th year in the Franklin Park community, and more than a century in the Chicagoland area, we are proud to address the important needs of our neighbors and help make this community even better.”

ACECF is an employee-funded charitable giving program managed and supported by Altria companies’ employees. Every dollar employees give to ACECF goes directly to non-profit groups working to address the challenges our communities face including domestic violence, emergency services, hunger relief, homelessness, and youth and adult services. More than 270 employees at USSTC’s Franklin Park plant, a 500,000-square-foot facility, donated $125,000, up from $100,000 last year.

ACECF provided grants to the following Chicagoland organizations for 2014:

 Beacon Therapeutic School Inc.

 By The Hand Club For Kids

 Carenet Pregnancy Services of Dupage County Inc.

 Comfort Zone Camp Inc.

 Community Action Partnership of Lake County

 Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cook County

 Facing Forward To End Homelessness

 Family Rescue

 Family Shelter Service Inc.

 Greater Chicago Food Depository

 Maryville Academy

 Neighborhood House Association

 Night Ministry

 United Methodist Village Retirement Communities Inc.

ACECF is one of the only employee-driven workplace-giving programs publicly reported among U.S. companies, according to the Changing Our World organization. Altria Group makes an annual contribution to the fund and pays for its administrative costs. This ensures that every employee dollar raised goes directly to support non-profit organizations in our local communities.

ACECF was founded in 2000 by employees because they wanted a way to be more actively involved in helping their local communities. Formerly the Philip Morris Employee Community Fund, the program expanded after Altria’s headquarters moved to Richmond, Va. This year, the fund awarded 141 grants totaling $3.1 million to nonprofits in Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Throughout the past 14 years, ACECF has awarded 1,593 grants totaling more than $43 million to non-profit organizations.

To learn more about the ACECF, please visit altria.com.

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