The PepsiCo Foundation continues to show its commitment to the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola with grants to the Tryon Palace Foundation and The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina

PURCHASE, NY, -- June 6, 2017 - Today, the PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, announced two grants that will support New Bern, NC, the 'birthplace' of Pepsi. This is the second year in a row the PepsiCo Foundation will make a pair of $25,000 donations to benefit the Tryon Palace Foundation and The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

PepsiCo is committed to building brighter futures in the communities where it operates, especially in New Bern, where its history dates back to the late 1890's when pharmacist Caleb Bradham created his first batch of Pepsi-Cola.

The grant to The Tryon Palace Foundation is intended to refurbish and repair the historic New Bern Academy Museum. This landmark's rich history includes serving as the state's first public school and as a Civil War hospital.

'We are so grateful for this generous gift from the PepsiCo Foundation, joining the gifts of many New Bernians and North Carolinians who believe that the preservation of the Academy and the story it enables us to tell are vital,' said Tryon Palace Foundation President Nelson McDaniel. 'This gift, an addition to the wonderful support given by PepsiCo through the years, is clear affirmation of its pride in the birthplace of Pepsi.'

The second grant will support The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina's 'Stop Summer Hunger Initiative.' This program ensures that children continue to have access to nutritious food throughout summer break when school meals are not available.

'Summer is an especially tough time for the families we serve, and thanks to partners like the PepsiCo Foundation, we're able to continue our work distributing nutritious food options for those who are hungry in our community,' said the Food Bank Eastern Regional Director George Young. 'We're incredibly grateful for PepsiCo Foundation's commitment to our mission of ensuring no one goes hungry in central and eastern North Carolina.'

'PepsiCo has deep roots in North Carolina,' said Tony West, PepsiCo General Counsel and President of the PepsiCo Foundation. 'The donation to Tryon Palace will ensure that its rich and storied history will be preserved for future generations, and the gift to the Food Bank will allow for children and their families to focus on enjoying their summer break rather than where they will get a nutritious meal.'

PepsiCo has been holding its annual shareholders meeting in New Bern since 2012.

About PepsiCo Foundation
Established in 1962, the PepsiCo Foundation works with non-profit partners to develop innovative, sustainable solutions that address challenges in underserved communities around the world. The Foundation, along with PepsiCo and its employees, seeks to catalyze efforts that advance our Performance with Purpose 2025 goals related to increasing access to nutritious servings, providing access to safe water, partnering to increase recycling rates, and enabling young women to progress through school and be successful in the workforce. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com/Purpose/Global-Citizenship.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated approximately $63 billion in net revenue in 2016, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose - our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

About the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is a nonprofit organization that has provided food for people at risk of hunger in 34 counties in central and eastern North Carolina for more than 30 years. The Food Bank serves a network of more than 800 partner agencies such as soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and programs for children and adults through warehouses in Durham, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, the Sandhills (Southern Pines), and Wilmington. In fiscal year 2015-2016, the Food Bank distributed more than 64.4 million pounds of food (60% of which was perishable) and non-food essentials through these agencies. Sadly, hunger remains a serious problem in central and eastern North Carolina. In these counties, more than 600,000 people struggle to access nutritious and adequate amounts of food necessary for an active and healthy life. foodbankcenc.org.

About Tryon Palace

Tryon Palace, located in New Bern, NC, is part of the Office of Archives and History, an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Tryon Palace is one of North Carolina's most significant historic sites. It is the home of the Governor's Palace, North Carolina's first colonial and first state capitol, and includes historic buildings, gardens and the North Carolina History Center, which revolutionizes the visitor experience through use of the latest interactive technology. The History Center includes galleries, a performance hall, the museum store and a waterfront café. Tryon Palace's mission is to engage present and future generations in the history of North Carolina from early settlement in 1710, the development of statehood and into the mid-twentieth century. It is dedicated to collecting, interpreting and preserving objects, buildings, landscapes and events that enrich understanding of the making of our state and nation.

Tickets and visitor information are available at Tryon Palace, 529 S. Front St., New Bern. For directions and further information about special events, programs or group tours, employment and more, visit our web site: www.tryonpalace.org or phone (800) 767-1560 or (252) 639-3500.

PepsiCo Inc. published this content on 06 June 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 06 June 2017 19:28:15 UTC.

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