Ten innovative nonprofits receive $40,000 GSK IMPACT Awards for contributing to a healthier Philadelphia region

Winners build healthy communities by tackling fitness, nutrition, literacy, and other pressing community health challenges
Nov 11, 2015 9:00 AM ET

November 11, 2015 /3BL Media/ - GSK [LSE/NYSE: GSK] and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey  (UWGPSNJ) today announced the GSK IMPACT Award Winners in a ceremony at GSK’s Navy Yard site. Ten local nonprofits earned $40,000 each in recognition of their outstanding contributions to a healthier Philadelphia region.

“There is an important connection between our health and our community,” said Becki Lynch, Manager GSK Community Partnerships. “The more we understand this connection, the more we can improve it. Today’s GSK IMPACT Award Winners show us how there are many ways to build a healthier Philadelphia region.”
 

The winners are:

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern Pennsylvania

www.bbbssepa.org/

Children’s Village

http://childrensvillagephila.org/ 

Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children

www.dvaeyc.org/

Education Law Center - PA

www.elc-pa.org/

KleinLife

http://kleinlife.org/

Mighty Writers

www.mightywriters.org/

Philadelphia City Rowing

www.philadelphiacityrowing.org/

Rebuilding Together Philadelphia

www.rebuildingphilly.org/

Senior Community Services, Inc.

www.scsdelco.org

Urban Tree Connection

http://urbantreeconnection.org/

In the Philadelphia Region, the GSK IMPACT Awards are presented in partnership with UWGPSNJ.  (@PhillySJUnited). “We’re proud to continue this partnership with GSK to create healthier communities for all of our neighbors,” said Kevin Dow, Senior Vice President, Impact and Innovation, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. “Congratulations and thanks to this year’s GSK IMPACT Award winners for the important work you do to support a healthier region. Together, we can change lives and strengthen our communities – one child, one adult and one family at a time.”

The GSK IMPACT Awards for Greater Philadelphia is one of several charitable programs GSK offers as part of a commitment to building healthier communities across the nation. Much of what influences health happens outside the doctor’s office – ensuring that communities have access to healthy foods, safe places to play and exercise, and the support of family and social networks are all important factors in improving health outcomes and helping people do more, feel better, and live longer.

How the winners were selected: This was a competitive awards process with nearly 60 applications. GSK US Community Partnership and UWGPSNJ staff members reviewed the applications and coordinated site visits, and the winners were selected by a panel of local and national community health experts.

Applications were accepted from nonprofit organizations that addressed at least one of the following health factors and measures: 1) Diet and exercise; 2) Education; 3) Built environment; 4) Employment; and 5) Family and social support.

 

The History of GSK IMPACT Awards:

- For 19 years, GSK has honored outstanding nonprofit programs that are improving access to health in and around our U.S. corporate campuses in Durham, North Carolina and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with GSK IMPACT Awards.

- To date, exemplary U.S.-based nonprofits have been honored with $8.4 million in GSK IMPACT Awards. Over the past 19 years, $6.2 million has been awarded to 155 local nonprofit organizations in Greater Philadelphia.

- The name ‘IMPACT’ represents the criteria winners must demonstrate that their work is: Innovative, Measured, Partnered, Accountable, Community-centered, and Transformative.

 

About GSK:

GSK, one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information go to us.gsk.com, follow us on twitter.com/GSKUS or visit our blog (www.morethanmedicine.us.gsk.com/blog/).

 

About United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey:

UWGPSNJ, serving communities in Pennsylvania’s Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, and New Jersey’s Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May and Cumberland counties, is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people’s lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measures the results. United Way is advancing the common good in Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey by positively impacting the lives of people throughout the region in the areas of education, income, and health. For more information about United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, visit www.UnitedForImpact.org.

 

Join the conversation! Tweet using @GSKUS and #GSKimpact.

 

For more information:

GSK Inquiries:  

Marti Skold-Jordan

919-328-0507

Marti.x.Skold-Jordan@gsk.com

 

United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey Inquiries:

Emily Lovelidge

215-665-2517

elovelidge@uwgpsnj.org