TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP BIRDIES FOR CHARITY TO HELP NONPROFITS OF THE REGION
Registered charities will earn a minimum 15% bonus in addition
to their collected pledges
HARTFORD, Conn., May 12, 2016 – The Travelers Championship is proud to support local nonprofits through the Birdies for Charity program, a fundraising mechanism designed to increase charitable giving. Registration for the 2016 fundraising program is open and more than 100 charities are expected to take part this year.
“There are many charities doing great work within our community, and this program provides a simple and effective way for participating groups to raise money to continue making an impact,” said Travelers Championship Tournament Director Nathan Grube. “The Birdies for Charity model has proven to be a successful fundraising tool, and with the corporate support of CohnReznick and Ford Motor Company, charities are now able to earn bonus money for their organizations.”
Presented by CohnReznick, Birdies for Charity is a pledge-based fundraiser, similar to a walk-a-thon, where nonprofit organizations can solicit contributions or pledges based on the number of birdies made during the 2016 Travelers Championship. Participating organizations receive 100 percent of the pledges they collect, plus a minimum 15 percent bonus. Administration of the program is turnkey and is provided by the Travelers Championship and CohnReznick. CT Community Nonprofit Alliance is also an important partner of this program, providing resources and outreach to all nonprofits throughout the state.
“We are incredibly proud of our affiliation with the Travelers Championship, which began with our involvement with Birdies for Charity in 2009,” stated Ed Kindelan, CohnReznick’s Regional Managing Partner – New England. “Our support of the program has expanded from the first year, when our firm provided back office support by processing pledges, to being sponsor of the Birdies Bonus Bucks program with an annual contribution of $50,000 that is returned directly to participating charities. The program continues to grow with more Connecticut not-for-profit organizations joining each year, and we look forward to breaking all previous records for participation and donations in 2016.”
CohnReznick serves as the presenting sponsor of the Birdies for Charity program and provides $50,000 toward the Bonus Bucks pool. With their administrative support, CohnReznick handles tracking pledges, sending invoices and collecting payments. Ford Motor Company also supports the Bonus Bucks pool by providing an additional $15,000. The total pool of $65,000 is distributed to all participating Birdies for Charity partners based on their amount of collected pledges. Participating charities receive 100 percent of their collected pledges plus an additional 15 percent from the Bonus Bucks pool.
New this year, the Travelers Championship is partnering with iHeartMedia and Renee DeNino, Director of Community Affairs, as the official radio partner of Birdies for Charity. DeNino has a proven track record of helping charities grow through the Community Access platform, a weekly show broadcast on nine iHeartMedia stations. She combines her passion for supporting the community and her dedication to the Travelers Championship to help elevate awareness for the Birdies for Charity program and the charities involved.
As part of the PGA TOUR’s tradition of giving back, the Travelers Championship donates 100 percent of its net proceeds to charity. Since Travelers became the title sponsor in 2007, the tournament has generated $10 million for more than 500 charities, including $1.565 million in 2015.
All nonprofits are encouraged to attend the Birdies for Charity Annual Breakfast on May 19 to network and learn more about the program. The event will be held at the Riverfront Boathouse at 8:00 a.m. For more information on the breakfast or the Birdies for Charity program, please visit www.travelerschampionship.com/birdies-for-charity/ or contact Katie McMorrow at kmcmorrow@travelerschampionship.com.
The Travelers Championship will take place August 1-7. Tickets are on sale now at www.TravelersChampionship.com.
About the Travelers Championship
The Travelers Championship, held in Cromwell, Connecticut, is one of the premier events on the PGA TOUR and part of the FedExCup series. The tournament proudly supports the PGA TOUR’s Tradition of Giving Back by donating 100 percent of net proceeds to charities. Travelers, a leading provider of property and casualty insurance for home, auto and business, is the Official Property Casualty Insurance Provider of the PGA TOUR. The company became the tournament’s title sponsor in 2007. Travelers has been doing business in the community for more than 160 years and has been a corporate sponsor of this event each year since its inception in 1952. Complete details are available at www.TravelersChampionship.com.
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