Six Millionth Online Kick Hits the Target

Football-related donations will reach underprivileged children - PlasticsEurope closes out 2006 by reaching its goal

PlasticsEurope announced today that participation from supporters across the globe has enabled the association to reach its goal of attracting 6 million “kicks” on its charity website called Kick- to- Give. As a result, donations totalling €250,000 will be granted to various football-related charity causes

The donations comprise a €100,000 contribution to the Johan Cruyff Foundation, plus another €150,000 worth of sports equipment for deserving children across Europe under the banner of PlasticsEurope’s “Kits for Kids” initiative.

In September, PlasticsEurope donated €100,000 to the Johan Cruyff Foundation at an Open Day event involving 1,500 children at the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium. The Johan Cruyff Foundation provides handicapped children with sports equipment and supports projects that help them develop their skills. The PlasticsEurope funding will be used to help the foundation set up football activities in Eastern Europe and Eurasia.

The €150,000 Kits for Kids initiative included the donation of complete football kits to 143 teams of underprivileged children, and the sponsorship of a football pitch in Wheathampstead, UK.

The football-themed Kick- to- Give website (www.KickToGive.org) was launched in June 2006 in conjunction with the World Cup games, with the objective of attracting enough support to enable PlasticsEurope to guarantee the donations totalling €250,000. Using a donate-per-click mechanism, the site tracked the number of clicks that visitors registered on the site.

“The industry’s donation to the Johan Cruyff Foundation reflects our commitment to charitable causes. Our 2006 activities enabled us to capture ‘European football fever’ and channel that energy to a good cause,” said Nancy Russotto, Executive Director of PlasticsEurope.

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For further information contact:
Hans van Doorn
Communications Director
PlasticsEurope
Avenue E. Van Nieuwenhuyse 4/3
B-1160 Brussels
Tel : +32 (0)2 676 17 41
Email: [email protected]

Notes for editors

1. PlasticsEurope represents the plastics manufacturers in Europe. The association has more than 60 member companies, producing over 90% of polymers across the EUs 25 member states plus Bulgaria, Croatia, Norway, Romania, Switzerland and Turkey. The plastics chain in Europe - including converters and machinery manufacturers - employs over 1.6 million people. The combined turnover of the industry is in excess of 160 billion euro per year. PlasticsEurope operates from six decentralised offices: one in Brussels and five regional centres located in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.