Can Manufacturers Institute Partners With Non-Profit Food For All in Great American Can RoundUp

-- Celebrates America Recycles Day On November 15 –

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) is proud to announce non-profit organization Food For All has signed on as a partner for The Great American Can RoundUp.

The RoundUp initiative is designed to help organizations recycle cans for cash and raise environmental awareness among participants. The partnership allows RoundUp participants to choose to donate the money they collect from recycling to Food For All, who will distribute the proceeds to soup kitchens and food banks in participants' local cities and towns, nationwide.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Can Manufacturers Institute on their Great American Can RoundUp initiative," said Denis Zegar, President and CEO of Food For All.  "The opportunity to bridge an environmentally conscious recycling initiative to feeding the hungry here in the U.S. is civic responsibility at its finest."

CMI is also encouraging everyone to properly celebrate America Recycles Day this November 15 by recycling what might be the most common image that comes to mind when we hear "recycle" -- the aluminum beverage can.  

75 years after the first beverage can was introduced to the market, it's never been easier for consumers to show their environmental concern by recycling through the 8,660 community recycling collection programs in place across the country and recycling drop-off centers available nationwide. But now, recycling can also be considered big business for avid recyclers.    

Last year, the aluminum industry paid out more than $800 million to can recyclers and the aluminum recycling rate was 57.4 percent.  An average of 101,218 aluminum cans are recycled every minute in the U.S., which adds up to more than two billion pounds of aluminum being diverted from landfills each year.  Manufacturing new aluminum cans from recycled cans uses 95 percent less energy than producing cans from virgin materials and a recycled aluminum beverage can makes its way back to the store shelf in as little as 60 days.

"Recycling has become a 'green' activity that everyone understands and can participate in," added Robert Budway, President of the Can Manufacturers Institute.  "We are eager to see how ambitious and generous our Great American Can RoundUp participants will be, both with collecting cans and donating their proceeds to Food For All."

Those interested in the Great American Can RoundUp can find more information, the official registration form, rules and a free educational Can RoundUp toolkit at CMI's website – www.cancentral.com/roundup.  Registration has been extended until November 30.  

For facts on recycling and information about the history of the beverage can, please visit http://canniversary.com/recycling.html

To follow CMI's Cans: Infinitely Recyclable and mascot Al the Can on Twitter and Facebook:

http://on.fb.me/9iP3ky  -  http://twitter.com/ALtheCan  -  http://on.fb.me/bXwfFr  - http://twitter.com/CansRecyclable

About Food For ALL:

Food For All is a 501(c)(3) non-profit marketing organization that raises money for domestic and international charities through retail point-of-purchase (P.O.P.) programs. These P.O.P. programs appear in over 6,000 grocery retail locations nationwide at  various times throughout the year. Customers donate simply by selecting a $1, $3 or $5 donation coupon at the checkout stand, handing it to the cashier, and having the UPC scanned. Proceeds are then designated by the retailer to community-based, non-profit agencies. A portion of the funds also supports Food For All's international programs. The primary focus of our funding is hunger relief; we also support non-profit agencies whose missions are to promote health, education, and community. Along with our P.O.P. programs, Food For All receives support through manufacturer-sponsored cause marketing promotions, special events, and individual contributions.  For more information, visit http://foodforall.org/.

SOURCE Can Manufacturers Institute