NORTON, Mass. -- The Deutsche Bank Championship established another Championship charity record in 2008 by generating $3.5 million for the Tiger Woods Learning Center, the Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation and many New England charities. In its six-year history, the Championship has generated nearly $14 million for charity.
The Deutsche Bank Championship has become a New England Labor Day tradition, and its list of past champions is a "Who's Who" among professional golf: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, two-time winner Vijay Singh, Adam Scott and Olin Browne. With the support of its Founders Club Partners, Official Partners, fans and "Blue Crew" volunteers, the Deutsche Bank Championship will continue to provide the ultimate PGA TOUR experience and make a lasting impact in its community.
"Nothing is more gratifying for us than yet another record year of charitable contributions," said Seth Waugh, CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas. "We are proud to support these organizations that are making a difference in the lives of children, both in New England and nationally, and we couldn't have done it without the impressive support of our valued partners."
The primary beneficiary of the Deutsche Bank Championship is the Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC). The TWLC is a youth educational facility that helps thousands of students from diverse backgrounds broaden their perspectives of the world, explore their interests and investigate new possibilities for the future. This unique mission also carries through to many of the local charities throughout New England that benefit from the Championship and its Birdies for Charity program.
Among the charities the Deutsche Bank Championship supports are the Tiger Woods Foundation and 34 New England- and Northeast-based organizations: Agassiz Village, The Arc of Northern Bristol County, Artists for Humanity, Attleboro/Norton YMCA, Boston Cares, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence, Boston Children's Chorus, Camp Harbor View, Casa Myrna Vazquez, Clarke School for the Deaf, Epiphany, First Tee of Massachusetts, Francis Ouimet, Generations Incorporated, Girls Golf of New England, Hockomock Area YMCA, Ian's Friends Foundation, Mass Mentoring Partnership, Markman Children's Program, Mother Caroline Academy, Nativity Preparatory School, Partners for Youth with Disabilities, St. Mary's Women and Children's Center - GRLZ RADIO, Stop and Shop/Giant Family Foundation, Saint Vincent's, Tenacity, United Cerebral Palsy, VolunteerMatch.org, Worcester Technical High School, The Writer's Express, The Young Entrepreneurs Alliance (YEA), YMCA of Greater Boston and YMCA of Greater New York.
A significant component to the success of the Deutsche Bank Championship's charity work is the support of its Founders Club Partners. In 2008, Stop & Shop continued its charitable efforts by hosting its Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation Golf Classic on Monday of Championship week. The event raised more than $1 million in one day and has made a direct impact not only on the Family Foundation but also on several other charities in New England, including The Hole in the Wall Camp and KaBoom.
"The Deutsche Bank Championship is able to make a significant impact in our local communities because of events like this and our other charitable initiatives," said Eric Baldwin, Championship Director of the Deutsche Bank Championship. "We are honored to have the chance to partner with so many worthy organizations both throughout New England and nationally."
Another key component to the Deutsche Bank Championship's charitable efforts is the Birdies for Charity program. Launched in 2006, Birdies for Charity is a pledge-based fundraising program that allows fans and corporations to contribute directly to the charity of their choice while connecting themselves to the Championship. In 2007, the Birdies for Charity program raised more than $300,000, and in 2008, the program generated almost $800,000 for local and national charities.
The Birdies for Charity program is an initiative that allows charities to use and leverage professional golf as a vehicle for fundraising. The program has enjoyed success at several PGA TOUR events and has proved to be a favorite among golf fans. It is a fun, easy, spirited and interactive way for local New England charities and the Tiger Woods Learning Center to raise money in support of their causes. The fundraising program is designed to give participating charities the opportunity to generate contributions for their organizations, with 100 percent of all pledges going to the charities.
In addition to supporting local New England charities, every donor is eligible to "Guess the Birdies" and become a contest winner. The person who guesses the exact number of
birdies made by all the players during the four rounds of the Deutsche Bank Championship wins the grand prize - Red Sox season tickets for the following season. All other entrants are eligible to be randomly selected to win the first prize, a VIP trip to the Tiger Jam Concert, an annual concert in Las Vegas that raises funds for the Tiger Woods Foundation.
David Barbour of Rehoboth, Mass. won the grand prize of Red Sox season tickets for 2009, and Carol Mondok of East Hampton, Mass. won the first-place prize of a trip to Tiger Jam. Barbour pledged his donation to the Attleboro/Norton YMCA, and Mondok pledged to the Markman Children's Program.
The Markman Children's Program is another example of a local community non-profit that needs charitable contributions from the Deutsche Bank Championship to thrive.
"The Birdies for Charity Program is an excellent resource for non-profits like us who are grateful for donations to help us succeed," said Bill Annino, Project Manager for the Markman Children's Program. "We would never get the kind of exposure we have received if not for the Deutsche Bank Championship and its charity contribution program."
In addition to its substantial charitable contributions, the Deutsche Bank Championship is also a leader in sustainability. In 2008 the Championship launched a major environmental initiative to reduce the carbon footprint of the event and became the first-ever "carbon neutral" event on the PGA Tour.
For more information on the Championship's charitable efforts, visit www.dbchampionship.com and click on "Charity," or contact Charity Coordinator Jenn Spicer at Jennifer.Spicer@imgworld.com or 508-285-8528. Details on the 2009 Championship will be available soon.
About Deutsche Bank:
Deutsche Bank is a leading global investment bank with a strong and profitable private clients franchise. A leader in Germany and Europe, the bank is continuously growing in North America, Asia and key emerging markets. With 81,308 employees in 75 countries, Deutsche Bank competes to be the leading global provider of financial solutions for demanding clients creating exceptional value for its shareholders and people.
The Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation administers the philanthropic activities of Deutsche Bank within the United States, Latin America and Canada. Together, the Bank's Community Development Group and Foundation carry out the firm's corporate citizenship commitments through a program of loans, investments and grants. Based in New York City, the Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that concentrate on community development, education, and the arts. www.community.db.com/
About IMG Sports & Entertainment
Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment's diverse businesses include: product and brand licensing; consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports.
IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year.
More information about IMG is available at www.imgworld.com.
About the Tiger Woods Foundation:
Since its inception in 1996 by Tiger Woods and his father Earl, the Tiger Woods Foundation has reached an estimated 10 million young people through character development, career exploration and grant making programs. Programs developed and supported by the Tiger Woods Foundation all share a similar mission of empowering young people to dream big and to set specific goals to achieve their dreams.
Launched in February 2006, the Tiger Woods Learning Center is an innovative 14-acre, after school campus designed to inspire career exploration. Serving members in grades five through 12, classes include forensic science, robotics, engineering, aerospace, video production and marine biology. More information on the Tiger Woods Foundation and its programs can be found at www.tigerwoodsfoundation.org.
About the Stop & Shop Family Foundation:
Started in 2003, the Stop & Shop Family Foundation helps fulfill the philanthropic goals of The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company and Giant Food. The first Golf Classic, held in 2003 to introduce the Foundation, raised over $400,000, and three subsequent events have raised close to $3 million for the fund. The Foundation supports healthy living and educational and recreational programs for kids in the communities served by the Stop & Shop Supermarket Company and Giant Food.
