CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust Awards $5 Million to Non-Profit Organizations Nationwide

Recipients across 22 states given grants for programs serving children with disabilities 


WOONSOCKET, R.I., Dec. 7  /PRNewswire/ -- The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust, the private foundation managed by CVS Corporation, announced today that it has awarded more than $5 million in grant funds to non-profit organizations across the U.S. for programs serving children with disabilities this year.

Organizations were chosen through the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust's 2006 grant application process. Grants were awarded to organizations involved in children's health and education, with a particular focus on initiatives to improve the lives of children with disabilities and programs that promote awareness and inclusion of children with disabilities.

"CVS strongly believes in giving back to the communities where we live and work," said Eileen Howard Dunn, Vice President of the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust.  "Grants from the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust are an effective way for us to support the extraordinary work done by community organizations to help children with disabilities and their families and to promote health, wellness and education.  Through our community investments, we hope to ensure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to reach their greatest potential and succeed in life."

For the past five years, the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust has invited non-profit organizations to apply for grants.  Since 2001, it has awarded grants totaling more than $16 million to more than 250 organizations.  During that time, the Trust has also provided approximately $4 million in grants to support pharmacy schools and pharmacy scholarships around the country.  In addition, it provides ongoing support to the CVS Corporate Scholarship Program for children of CVS associates and to the CVS Volunteer Challenge Grant Program, which donates funds to community organizations for which CVS associates volunteer.

Funding from the 2006 CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust grants went to a wide variety of projects including Perkins School for the Blind (Watertown, MA) to expand its infant and toddler assessment program; Roger Williams Park Zoo (Providence, RI) to build a Treehouse for All as part of an inclusive learning environment in its multi-sensory children's zoo; SIRE, Inc. (Hockley, TX) for its therapeutic horseback riding programs for children with disabilities; and Space Coast Early Intervention Center (Melbourne, Florida) for a unique interdisciplinary program that includes young children challenged by disabilities and their typically developing peers.

"This is such an exciting time in the history of Roger Williams Park Zoo. As we move forward with a master plan that will truly change the face of our zoo, we look forward to providing unique experiences for all of our visitors," said Jack Mulvena, Director of Roger Williams Park Zoo.  "This new tree house will allow hundreds of thousands of people of all ages and abilities to connect with the wonders of the natural world side by side, without barriers or limitations.  The significant contribution made by CVS to this important facet of the new Roger Williams Park Zoo speaks to our shared commitment to providing access to shared experiences that everyone can enjoy together."

"The generous support from the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust will allow Perkins School for the Blind to serve more babies and toddlers who are blind," said Steven M. Rothstein, President, Perkins School for the Blind.  "We are deeply grateful for this support.  It will make a profound difference in our neighborhoods."

Grants were also awarded to Children's Hospital Boston Center for Communication Disorders (Boston, MA), March of Dimes Rhode Island (Providence, RI), Art Education for the Blind (New York, NY), Children's Institute of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA), Hole in the Wall Gang Fund, Inc. (New Haven, CT), Kids Included Together, Inc. (San Diego, CA), Youth Challenge (Cleveland, OH), Evanston Park Foundation (Evanston, IL) and Safe Kids of Georgia, Inc. (Augusta, GA).

Following is a complete list of organizations receiving CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust grants for 2006:

  Arizona
   Arizona Centers for Comprehensive Education and Life-Skills
   Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health

  California
   Goodwill Industries of Orange County
   Kids Included Together, Inc.
   Pediatric Therapy Network
   Speech and Language Development Center, Inc.

  Connecticut
   Connecticut Institute for the Blind
   Greater Hartford Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc.
   Hole in the Wall Gang Fund, Inc.

  District of Columbia
   St. John's Community Services

  Florida
   Access Sports America
   Lighthouse Central Florida, Inc.
   Space Coast Early Intervention Center
   United Cerebral Palsy of Tampa Bay, Inc.

  Georgia
   Challenged Child and Friends, Inc.
   Safe Kids of Georgia - MCG Children's Medical Center
   Special Olympics of Georgia, Inc.
   Stepping Stones Educational Therapy Center, Inc.

  Illinois
   Benjamin District 25 Early Intervention Preschool
   Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Foundation
   Evanston Park Foundation-Noah's Playground for Everyone
   Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association
   Have Dreams
   Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
   Saint Francis Medical Center (Children's Hospital of Illinois)

  Indiana
   Bloomington Hospital Foundation, Inc.

  Kentucky
   Louisville Deaf Oral School

  Louisiana
   Baton Rouge General Foundation

  Massachusetts
   Access Sports America
   Bay Cove Human Services, Inc.
   Children's Hospital Corporation (Children's Hospital Boston)
   Inner City Scholarships-Diocese of Boston
   Outdoor Exploration, Inc.
   Partners for Youth with Disabilities, Inc.
   Perkins School for the Blind
   The UMass Memorial Foundation (Children's Medical Center)
   World T.E.A.M. Sports (The Exceptional Athlete Matters)

  Maryland
   Special Olympics of Maryland, Inc.
   The Arc of Baltimore
   The William S. Baer School Partnership Board

  Michigan
   Comprehensive Therapy Center, Inc.
   Therapeutic Riding, Inc.

  Missouri
   Children's Center for the Visually Impaired

  New Jersey
   Foundation of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

  New York
   Art Education for the Blind, Inc.
   Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, Inc.
   Dance in Education Fund, Inc.
   National Dance Institute, Inc.
   National Society to Prevent Blindness
   The Sailing Foundation of New York

  North Carolina
   Free Rein, Inc.
   Special Olympics of North Carolina, Inc.
   University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-Division TEACCH

  Ohio
   Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center
   The Arc Hamilton County
   Youth Challenge

  Pennsylvania
   Center for Creative Play
   Children's Institute of Pittsburgh
   Heart of Variety Fund
   The Children's Home of Pittsburgh
   The Children's Hospital Foundation

  Rhode Island
   CVS Highlander Charter School
   March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
   Rhode Island Zoological Society (Roger Williams Park Zoo)
   Turning Pointe Therapeutic Riding
   US Cerebral Palsy Athletic Association - National Disability
    Sports Alliance
   Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island

  South Carolina
   Meyer Center for Special Children
   Volunteers of America of the Carolinas

  Texas
   Dallas Services for Visually Impaired Children
   Seedlings Braille Books for Children
   SIRE, Inc. (Houston's Therapeutic Equestrian Centers)



The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust will be accepting applications for 2007 grants from May 1 to June 15, 2007.

For additional information, go to http://www.cvs.com/corpInfo/community/charitable_mission.html.

About the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust

The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust, Inc. is a private foundation managed by CVS Corporation, which operates approximately 6,200 retail and specialty pharmacy stores in 43 states and the District of Columbia in addition to its online pharmacy, CVS.com; its retail-based health clinic subsidiary, MinuteClinic; and its pharmacy benefit management, mail order and specialty pharmacy subsidiary, PharmaCare.  The Trust's mission is to provide funding for health care, education and community involvement initiatives targeting children with disabilities in communities where CVS/pharmacy stores are located.  General information about CVS is available through the Investor Relations portion of the Company's Web site at http://investor.cvs.com/, or through the press room portion of the Company's website, at http://www.cvs.com/pressroom.

   CONTACT:
   Carolyn Castel
   401-770-5717
   

DATASOURCE: CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust



CONTACT:  Carolyn Castel of CVS Corporation, [phone], or

 



Web site:  http://www.cvs.com/

http://www.cvs.com/corpInfo/community/charitable_mission.html

http://investor.cvs.com/

http://www.cvs.com/pressroom 

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