PEARL MILLING COMPANY CONTINUES COMMUNITY FUNDING EFFORTS WITH P.E.A.R.L. PLEDGE; 2022 APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

Multi-year grant program will award a total of $750,000 in grants this year and seeks nominations for nonprofit organizations in communities across the country.

CHICAGO, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearl Milling Company, the pancake mix and syrup maker that has been creating memorable breakfast moments for over 130 years, today announces the second year of P.E.A.R.L. Pledge, its multi-year community funding initiative to support nonprofit organizations focused on uplifting Black women and girls. Starting today through May 18, eligible nonprofit organizations can apply at www.pearlmillingcompany.com/pearlpledge for a chance to receive a grant ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 to further their programming and impact in their communities. People can also nominate organizations through May 9 to participate in the application process. Grant recipients will be announced Fall 2022.

Launched in 2021, P.E.A.R.L. Pledge was developed with the purpose of championing the success of Black women and girls in the U.S. and is based on five key pillars: Prosperity, Empowerment, Access, Representation and Leadership. Recognizing the importance of Black women in the brand's history and the need to provide more support for Black women and girls today, P.E.A.R.L. Pledge offers funding to 501c3 organizations that are working to make positive changes in their communities and beyond. 

"As we enter year two of P.E.A.R.L. Pledge and reflect on the amazing work of the 2021 grant recipients, we feel more inspired and grateful to be a resource to organizations that understand the importance of supporting and empowering Black women and girls," says Michelle McAlister, Senior Director of Marketing. "We've only just scratched the surface on the role we can play in our communities, so we're excited to continue this journey and welcome a new class of grant recipients this year."

How to Nominate and Apply
Those who wish to apply for a P.E.A.R.L. Pledge grant this year must meet the following criteria:

• Based in the U.S., serving communities within the country
• Categorized as a nonprofit organization with 501c3 Public Charity status
• Offer programming serving Black women and/or girls
• Aligns with P.E.A.R.L. Pledge mission and pillars

Grants will be awarded based on several factors, including how the chosen organizations will use the funding. In addition to opening applications for eligible nonprofits, Pearl Milling Company also encourages people to nominate organizations that align with the P.E.A.R.L. Pledge program and criteria to apply for a grant. Starting today, both nominations and applications can be submitted at www.pearlmillingcompany.com/pearlpledge. Nominations will close by 11:59 p.m. EST on May 9, 2022, and applications will close by 11:59 p.m. EST on May 18, 2022.

To help select the grant recipients, Pearl Milling Company will once again work with an Advisory Council made up of women with a passion for addressing critical needs being faced by Black women and girls today, bringing expertise in areas such as racial and social justice and entrepreneurship.

In 2021, 14 nonprofit organizations from 11 cities across the country received grants to create or expand upon programming benefitting Black women and girls in their communities. The funds were granted for a variety of initiatives including fighting food insecurity, providing access to education and job training, and raising awareness of the health disparities affecting Black women. For the full list of the 2021 grant recipients and more information on each organization, visit www.pearlmillingcompany.com/pearlpledge/recipients.

In 2020, PepsiCo announced its Racial Equality Journey (REJ) Initiative – investing more than $400 million over five years focused on increasing Black representation at PepsiCo, supporting Black-owned businesses, and uplifting Black communities in the U.S. As an extension of PepsiCo's REJ efforts, P.E.A.R.L. Pledge adds to PepsiCo's community investment to drive long-term change by addressing systemic barriers to economic opportunity for Black Americans.

For more information about P.E.A.R.L. Pledge, visit www.pearlmillingcompany.com/pearlpledge and follow Pearl Milling Company on social media at www.facebook.com/pearlmillingcompany and www.instagram.com/pearlmillingcompany/ for updates on the program.

About Pearl Milling Company
Pearl Milling Company, owned by The Quaker Oats Company, a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., provides great-tasting pancake mixes, syrups, cornmeal, flour and grits products that have been helping families create memorable breakfast moments for over a century. Founded in 1888, Pearl Milling Company began as a small mill in St. Joseph, Missouri producing flour, cornmeal and, beginning in 1889, the famous self-rising pancake mix that would go on to be known as Aunt Jemima. Its pancake mix varieties include Original, Buttermilk, Whole Wheat, Cap'n Crunch's Berrytastic Pancake Mix, as well as its Pancake On The Go products in Chocolate Chip, Buttermilk & Maple, Double Chocolate and Blueberry. Syrup varieties include Original, Lite, Butter Rich, Butter Lite, and Country Rich, in addition to several cornmeal, cornmeal mix and grits offerings. For more information, please visit www.pearlmillingcompany.com, www.facebook.com/pearlmillingcompany or follow us on Instagram @pearlmillingcompany.

About The Quaker Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For more than 140 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition. Quaker® Oats, Quaker® Rice Cakes and Quaker Chewy® Granola Bars are consumer favorites. For more information, please visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @Quaker.

About PepsiCo 
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE The Quaker Oats Company