Sherwin-Williams Foundation Awards $50,000 Grant to MedWish

CLEVELAND, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After a national competition, The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE: SHW) has awarded its annual signature grant to MedWish International. The $50,000 grant will create the Sherwin-Williams Children's Health Fund (SWCHF), designed to expedite the shipment of medical supplies from Northeast Ohio to children worldwide.                      

MedWish International is a Cleveland based non-profit organization committed to the recovery, repurposing, and redistribution of donated medical supplies and equipment healthcare providers routinely discard. Working with over 50 hospitals, private practices, and medical device companies, MedWish recovers 1.5 tons of medical supplies every day. One of the challenges MedWish faces is supplying doctors and nurses in the world's poorest and most underserved countries, recipients often cannot afford all the fees associated with each shipment. The SWCHF will provide subsidies of up to $7,500 per 40-foot shipping container to supply worthy projects in developing countries throughout the world.

"Funding from Sherwin-Williams will make it possible to distribute 105 tons of medical supplies, such as ultrasound machines to ensure healthy births, microscopes for early detection of life-threatening diseases, and gloves and masks to protect patients and their caregivers," said Dr. Lee Ponsky, president and founder of MedWish. "Thanks to the generosity of Sherwin-Williams, all of these supplies and much more will be made available to children around the globe."

"The Sherwin-Williams Foundation is very pleased to support the inspirational work of MedWish," said Chris Connor, Chairman and CEO of The Sherwin-Williams Company. "Their mission of reaching out to children around the world with life saving supplies shows how a Public-Private partnership can offer a helping hand to children in need.

Over our 146 year history, Sherwin-Williams has always reached out to the communities where we do business. The driving force of the Sherwin-Williams Foundation is our commitment to enhancing education and children's health and safety."

MedWish has already used the SWCHF to subsidize its first shipment of 2012: over 20,000 pounds of life-saving supplies are heading to Honduras. The shipment contains 144 items including: 24 beds and night stands, an ultrasound, 3 mobile x-ray machines, 4 exam tables, 24 infusion pumps, a mammography machine, and 2 operating room tables.  "This shipment will improve health and save lives for thousands of people in Honduras," said Brian Smith, a MedWish Board member who arranged the shipment through the nonprofit Helping Hands for Honduras. Smith is the Director of Strategic Project Development at the Cleveland Clinic. "Ultrasound helps improve maternal health, mammography provides faster detection and treatment of cancer, and the 2 dozen beds will make a huge difference in ensuring every patient is comfortable."

To download a picture of the check presentation:
http://www.sherwin-williams.com/press/trade/kits/2012/

About MedWish International
MedWish International is a Cleveland based non-profit organization committed to the recovery, repurposing, and redistribution of donated medical supplies and equipment healthcare providers routinely discard. One of just two dozen similar medical surplus redistribution organizations in the United States, since 1993 MedWish has provided 2.7 million pounds of life-saving medical surplus to 97 countries throughout the world. For more information, visit www.medwish.org. To download pictures of recent missions: http://minus.com/mbDhivM#2

About Sherwin-Williams
Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers.

With 32,000 associates and $8.76 billion in sales, S-W is the USA's #1 paint and coatings company; #3 in the world.

The company manufactures products under well-known brands such as Sherwin-Williams®, Dutch Boy®, Krylon®, Minwax®, Thompson's® Water Seal®, Ronseal™, Becker Acroma™, Sayerlack®, Euronavy®, Altax™ and many more.

With global headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, Sherwin-Williams® branded products are sold exclusively through a chain of more than 4,000 company-operated stores and facilities, while the company's other brands are sold through leading mass merchandisers, home centers, independent paint dealers, hardware stores, automotive retailers, and industrial distributors.

The Sherwin-Williams Global Finishes Group delivers a wide range of products to the automotive refinishes, product finishes, and protective and marine markets in 109 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.sherwin.com.

Contact:
Mike Conway
Director Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Sherwin-Williams
Direct: 216.515.4393
Pager: 216-422-3751
[email protected]

SOURCE The Sherwin-Williams Company