Arkansas, U.S.A. — Walmart have announced a donation of up to $4.5 million to help 90,000 teachers in the U.S. purchase much-needed classroom supplies. In its fourth year, the Teacher Rewards program will help offset the cost of classroom expenses for teachers across the country. These funds come at a critical time, as U.S. teachers going back to school will often spend their own money to ensure their students have the supplies they need to learn throughout the school year.

Also today, in addition to the Teacher Rewards program, Walmart is sponsoring the “Teachers Rock” benefit concert that will take place tonight at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles and air on August 17 on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET. Proceeds from the concert will benefit DonorsChoose.org, Feeding America and Teach for America.

“Each year teachers across the country provide their time, talents and often their own money to ensure students have what they need to be successful in the classroom,” said Michelle Gilliard, senior director of giving at Walmart. “Through our Teacher Rewards program we will once again send our nation’s teachers back to school with the support and resources they need to continue educating the future leaders of our country.”

Through the Teacher Rewards program, more than 4,600 U.S. Walmart stores, Distribution Centers and Sam’s Club locations are eligible to select one local kindergarten through eighth grade public school and provide $50 reward cards to 20 teachers. Winning teachers can use the funds to purchase essential items for their classrooms such as paper, folders, binders, clipboards, pens, pencils, crayons and markers. Local stores will begin selecting schools to participate in late August.

The Teacher Rewards program is an example of Walmart’s ongoing support of education initiatives that help students prepare for their future. In 2011, Walmart and its Foundation donated more than $50 million to fund education programs across the country.

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Yoga Aid Foundation, an international nonprofit that raises funds for charities through philanthropic yoga events, announced that it will host the first-ever, one day, around the world yoga tour benefiting 15 humanitarian-based charities internationally.

On September 9, 2012, The Yoga Aid World Challenge will unite yogis around the globe in an effort to raise $1million with 100% percent of the proceeds going directly to the selected charitable organizations.

Starting in Sydney, the 24-hour yoga relay will travel around the world and end at sundown in Los Angeles. The Yoga Aid challenge will bring together renowned teachers, studios and students in over 20 countries, creating a united community, while focusing on raising money for charity. During these events, yogi participants will embark on a 2-hour yoga practice as a way to celebrate the funds they raised for the charity partners.

Unlike any other event, all expenses are supported privately – ensuring 100% of donations go straight to the charities.

The Yoga Aid Challenge supports select charities in each country. This year, the Yoga Aid Challenge has chosen four charities that all embrace the power of yoga to support for the USA leg of the world relay:

• Off the Mat, Into the World
• The Africa Yoga Project
• Ganga Action
• Yoga Across America

“The Yoga Aid family is calling on the entire international yoga community to band together and help us host at least 200 events in 20 countries and raise more than $1 million for charities during the 2012 Challenge,” said Clive Mayhew, Co-founder, Yoga Aid Foundation.  “We could not be more excited for the 2012 Yoga Aid World Challenge, as we hope to raise more money through yoga than ever before.”

Those individuals who are inspired by The Yoga Aid World Challenge are encouraged to signup and become Community Ambassadors. Ambassadors bring The Yoga Aid World Challenge home to their communities by creating, organizing and hosting a local event, whether the venue be a nearby park, studio or community center.

Furthering Yoga Aid’s commitment to giving, the Foundation will provide all of the necessary event tools and funding for the creation of any local event scheduled during the September 9th24-hour global yoga-relay.

“The Yoga Aid World Challenge is more than just our way to give back – it is an international charitable platform uniting all yogis for the greater good and activating a sense of joy in giving back to the world.”Eriko Kinoshita, Co-founder, Yoga Aid Foundation.

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Salvation Army raised $147.6 million through the 2011 Red Kettle Campaign, marking a new fundraising record. The new record, a 3.4 percent increase from 2010, highlights the support of American donors who gave generously despite a continued slow economy.

In its 120th year, after beginning on the wharf in San Francisco in 1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has become a Christmas tradition that utilizes volunteers to ring bells at 25,000 red kettles nationwide. In 2011, The Salvation Army expanded on the Campaign by incorporating new technologies at kettles and hosting national events to inspire giving.

“In troubling times, we are truly grateful for the generosity of the American donor to support the traditions of the campaign and help The Salvation Army carry on its Mission,” said Commissioner William Roberts , National Commander of The Salvation Army. “We have been working to expand the Red Kettle Campaign to reach new and young donors, and with continued support, we are able to meet human need in His name during the winter months and year round.”

In keeping with tradition, the Dallas Cowboys helped The Salvation Army launch the campaign by hosting the 15th annual National Red Kettle Campaign Kickoff at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Grammy Award winning, international superstar Enrique Iglesias performed LIVE, with special guest Pitbull, on a nationally televised stage on Thanksgiving Day, singing to more than 31 million Americans.

The Salvation Army, in partnership with Sky Blue Group, Swift Entertainment and Universal Studios CityWalk, also hosted the second annual “Rock the Red Kettle Concert” on December 17 to encourage young Americans to support charitable causes.

With host Mario Lopez of “Extra,” popular, Grammy-winning and platinum-selling recording artists such as Honor Society, Greyson Chance, Hanson, Colbie Caillat, Cody Simpson, and Drake Bell performed at Universal Studios CityWalk’s state-of-the-art “5 Towers” concert venue in Hollywood.

World-renowned actor and recording artist Robert Davi made a guest appearance at the concert, following the release of his re-imagined version of the Christmas classic, “Mistletoe and Holly.” Proceeds from the song’s sales supported the Red Kettle Campaign.

Salvation Army bell-ringers manned red kettles at store fronts and in shopping malls nationwide. Corporate partners who helped the Army set a new fundraising record include:

• Walmart - $41.5 million raised
• Kroger - $13.1 million raised
• Sam’s Club - $5 million raised
• jcpenney - $3 million raised
• Big Lots - $1.4 million raised

The Walmart Foundation made a donation of $1 million to the Army as part of its effort to support hunger relief in America. Sam’s Club and The Salvation Army also partnered with Off the Field, a professional football players’ wives association, to host the fifth annual Dream Drive on December 8. Twenty pre-selected families from The Salvation Army Adopt-A-Family program in 10 cities received $1,000 in gifts from Sam’s Club for a total donation of $200,000.

The Salvation Army partnered with jcpenney for the third year to bring Christmas gifts to 63,000 children and seniors as part of the Angel Giving Tree Online at jcp.com/angel. Customers could adopt, shop and ship gifts for people in need through jcp.com.

Square, which donated credit card readers for The Salvation Army to use in test markets - San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas and New York, helped make giving easier for donors. Sprint also donated smartphone devices to The Salvation Army to mobilize the credit card application.

To raise awareness during the campaign, The Salvation Army also hosted the inaugural World Record Bell Ringing Contest. Twenty-four bell ringers set out to surpass a benchmark of 36 hours of continuous ringing of a hand bell. Three bell ringers, Caleb Stokes and Leilan McNally in Indianapolis, IN and Darrell Tureskisin Springfield, IL surpassed the record and rang a bell in support for 60 hours straight.

dashingstock / Shutterstock.com

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The holidays are always a time of increased focus on giving and charitable activity, but, this Christmas, the Petya I. Edwards Foundation has truly given one deserving family a gift they will not soon forget—a much-needed new car.

The Texas-based charity is known for offering vital financial assistance to families in need, but what they do is far from merely giving handouts. On the contrary, the Petya I. Edwards Foundation chooses individuals and families who have been dealt difficult hands, such as unemployment or health expenses, but who are resolved to regain their footing.

The Foundation offers the family help and educational services and ultimately allows them to stabilize, which is precisely what is happening through their work with one Texas family. The family in question is made up of mom Sally*, her husband, and their three daughters. Sally lost her job in June, following which the family lost their apartment.

Sally has since found new work, but her husband is still diligently searching for employment. The family has been staying with friends, and remains in need of such essentials as clothing for the girls, a washing machine, and more. But, up until this holiday season, their greatest need was for an automobile. Sally’s new work requires her to make an hour-and-a-half commute, by bus, every morning.

However, as a gesture of Christmas charity and compassion to the family, the Petya I. Edwards Foundation gifted them with a new car over the holiday season, something that will surely prove to be a great and immediate blessing to Sally and her entire family.

While the new car is certainly a great asset to the family, their needs remain very numerous, and very urgent. Says Sally, “I am just trying to make it through the holidays without them seeing all their friends getting presents and knowing I cannot afford to get them much.” The girls, ages 5, 14, and 16, are in dire need of clothing and other life essentials. The Petya I. Edwards Foundation is asking for its patrons to become involved with the wellbeing of this highly deserving family.

All of the charitable actions of the Petya I. Edwards Foundation are made possible by the generous donations of caring supporters. Checks and cash donations can be sent directly to the charity, where they will be administered to families in need, such as Sally’s.

* Name changed to protect the privacy of the family.

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