Sept. 27, 2006

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Twin Cities Corporations Go Head-to-Head in United Way Volunteer Apprentice Competition

Best Buy, Cargill, General Mills and Target Teams Makeover Rooms of Local Charities, Teams to be Judged by 2005 NBC Apprentice Winner Dr. Randal Pinkett

MINNEAPOLIS – Twin Cities corporations are putting their volunteer skills to the test in the first ever 2006 United Way Volunteer Apprentice Competition. Teams of volunteers from Best Buy, Cargill, General Mills and Target are renovating rooms at a Twin Cities charity with a budget of only $2,200 and three weeks to complete their projects. President & CEO of BCT Partners; Winner of NBC’s The Apprentice with Donald Trump, Dr. Randal Pinkett will judge the teams on the quality of their projects, team resourcefulness and creativity.

The event was created by United Way’s Emerging Leaders Program^TM to encourage the next generation of leaders to become involved in their community. The participating companies were chosen because of each company’s long commitment to the Twin Cities and United Way. Companies each chose a local agency to complete their project and were given a total budget of $2,200 of which $200 was seed funds.

“United Way’s Volunteer Apprentice competition is an opportunity for leading Twin Cities corporations to put their volunteer skills to use and provide examples of how to help those in need right in our own community,” says Jacinda Adams, Senior Market Segment Manager and Workforce United Way Emerging Leaders Program Manager. Adams continues, “We hope all Twin Cities organizations use this opportunity to find their own ways to serve locally.”

Renovations kicked off on Monday, September 11 and must be completed by Friday, October 6. Project completions will be marked with a special event featuring Dr. Pinkett.

Volunteer Apprentice Projects

Best Buy is renovating Summit Academy OIC’s community classroom. Summit Academy is a community-based vocational training and job placement program in North Minneapolis. The agency helps adults achieve self-sufficiency regardless of background, economic status or level of ability.

Over the past five years, Best Buy and its employees have raised more than $20 million for United Way. Since the early 1990s, employees of Best Buy have given their time and talents to support United Way through volunteering, events and activities, with the corporation matching a portion of their financial contributions.

Cargill’s team is renovating a room at Sabathani Community Center in South Minneapolis. Sabathani was founded in 1966 to provide recreational facilities for neighborhood youth. It has since expanded to provide basic services to the neighborhood’s recent immigrants and refugees. Cargill has supported the United Way’s efforts since the 1970s, and in the past five years, the company has given more than $31 million in contributions through matching employee and retiree pledges, special events and local facility and corporate donations. Cargill was also the recipient of two United Way Summit Awards in 2005.

General Mills’ volunteer team is remodeling the Oak Park Neighborhood Center kitchen. Oak Park provides a variety of services to local residents including youth enrichment and employment programs, Clothing Closet, housing assistance and an emergency loan program.

Since the 1960s, General Mills has partnered with United Way agencies across North America. General Mills, along with its employees and retirees, have contributed more than $47 million over the last five years to United Way agencies. For the last several years, General Mills has been the largest contributor to the Greater Twin Cities United Way with a gift of over $6.5 million in 2005. The company this year received two United Way of America Summit Awards for its campaign and philanthropic efforts.

Finally, providing team members with a new, truly hands-on opportunity throughout its 2006 United Way campaign, Target is renovating the lobby and lounge at Catholic Charities’ Exodus Residence in Downtown Minneapolis. Exodus provides transitional housing for low-income single men and women, and for adults diagnosed with mental illness and/or chemical dependency. Its programs provide meals, intensive case management and support groups to empower residents. Target has supported United Way since its first store opened in 1962. In 2005, Target and its team members gave more than $12 million to United Way, and more than 1,000 team members volunteered their time through the United Way’s Caring Connection program.

Apprentice Winner Shares Keys to His Success, Judges Competition

While the projects will culminate on Friday, Oct. 6, 2005 to allow judging by United Way’s Board of Directors and others, NBC’s The Apprentice winner Dr. Randall Pinkett tours the projects Thursday October 26 and will help declare a winner. Later that evening, Dr. Pinkett will serve as keynote speaker to address an Emerging Leaders audience on leadership, volunteerism and philanthropic activities.

“Dr. Pinkett’s long history of serving his community will provide an example of how our next generation of leaders will be able to continue our community’s strong legacy of helping those in need,” says United Way CEO Lauren A. Segal.

Prior to his appearance on NBC’s The Apprentice, Pinkett had established himself as an entrepreneur, speaker, author, and scholar and community servant. He is the Co-Founder, President and CEO of BCT Partners, a multimillion-dollar management, technology and policy-consulting firm based in Newark, NJ. In addition, Dr. Pinkett holds five academic degrees, and he maintains an active involvement in helping to address issues facing underserved communities, communities of color and the nonprofit organizations that serve them.