Diageo North America Honors Veterans Day With Employees and Community Partners Assembling 10,000 Care Packages from Home for Deployed Military

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11/17/2020 - 10:00 AM

NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To honor Veterans Day this year, Diageo North America employees assembled 10,000 care packages from their homes for American military heroes serving overseas. This initiative contributed to the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project, which packs essentials, personal care items and handwritten notes in the brand's iconic purple bags and sends them to our troops as a symbol of generosity. After over a decade of supporting the military, Crown Royal recently celebrated a momentous milestone and packed its one millionth purple bag.

The Diageo employee packing party event, now in its fifth year, was originally created to show appreciation for those serving in the military. This year, it was held virtually for the first time and featured a fireside chat with Debra Crew, President of Diageo North America and US Army Veteran, and special guests from the company's non-profit partners and community, including Packages From Home, iPads for Soldiers and the Kappa Epsilon Psi (KEΨ) Military Sorority. Hundreds of employees joined the celebration and volunteered by packing bags with essentials, decorating care packages with uplifting pictures and messages or writing letters.

"This year has been unlike any other and, as a veteran myself, it makes me very proud to continue this tradition of honor at Diageo and show our gratitude to all those who serve our country," said Crew. "We had an overwhelming response from our employees, many of whom included their families in the virtual packing this year. I can tell you from experience that the generosity and enthusiasm of our team and charitable partners makes an enormous connection and positive impact with the military community."

As in previous years, Diageo partnered with non-profit organizations such as Packages from Home, the official charity partner of the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project, and iPads for Soldiers, an organization that provides iPads to soldiers in battle and wounded warriors as morale boosters and key elements in the recovery process.

To support veterans and active duty personnel in ways that make a direct and meaningful impact on their lives and the lives of their families, the company developed the Diageo Salutes the Troops program. In addition to the year-round community service events and charitable donations of this program, other efforts conducted by the company in appreciation of the military community include:

Through Diageo's Learning Skills for Life program, the company partnered with the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston to support military veterans by offering technical and life skills-based training. The Learning Skills for Life program provides free learning and career opportunities within the hospitality industry to people who don't have access to proper training.
The Veterans and Friends of Veterans Business Resource Group is a group created by employees committed to making Diageo a great place to work for all those who have served.
The Veteran Buddy System, launched by Veterans and Friends of Veterans at Diageo North America, assists newly-hired veterans in their transition from active duty service to working life at Diageo.

To learn more about Diageo's work, including its company values and brands with purpose, visit www.diageo.com.

About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

About Crown Royal
Crown Royal Canadian Whisky is the number-one selling Canadian whisky brand in the world and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal's smooth, elegant flavor and gift-worthy presentation reflect its regal origins – it is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information, visit www.crownroyal.com. Crown Royal encourages all consumers to please enjoy responsibly.

Media contact:
Luis Carlos Rabago, Diageo
luis.rabago@diageo.com
(203) 690.0860