Q: What are the Cheerios® Sisters Saving Hearts grants?
A: The Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts grants are part of a three-year initiative designed to honor individuals nationwide who invest their time and energy helping some of the 38 million Americans afflicted with heart disease, particularly African-American women. Each Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts grant recipient will receive a $5,000 grant to donate to the charity or community based organization of their choice.
Q: Is Cheerios partnering with any organizations this year on this initiative?
A: Cheerios has partnered with The Links, Inc. and the Association of Black Cardiologists,
Inc. to raise awareness for heart disease prevention in the African American community.
The Links, Association of Black Cardiologists and Cheerios have a long heritage of
working together to award health scholarships to deserving students. Tackling heart
disease and empowering individuals with grant monies is an impactful way to address a
significant and largely preventable disease.
Q: Why is Cheerios doing this?
A: Cheerios is the only leading cold cereal clinically proven to lower cholesterol. As such, Cheerios is committed to fighting heart disease by supporting the individuals working tirelessly in their communities to combat this disease. Through the Sisters Saving Hearts grant initiative, Cheerios is helping to raise awareness about the prevalence of heart disease among African-Americans and honoring individuals who have invested their time, talent, and spirit in helping those who suffer from the disease in their community. Cheerios will donate financial grants to five charities and/or community-based organizations across the country.
Q: How will Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts grants help African-American women?
A: Though the Sisters Saving Hearts grant program, Cheerios hopes to increase awareness of the incidence of heart disease among African-American women and the community as a whole, provide women with information and tools to help them lower the risk factors associated with heart disease and empower women to take control of their overall health.
Q: Who are last year's winners?
A: They are: Charkarra Anderson-Lewis, Andrea Estes, Barbara Gathers, Teresa Kennedy and Sandra Waters. Read more about their stories on www.SistersSavingHearts.com.
Q: When does the program start accepting nominations?
A: Completed online and hard copy nomination forms will be accepted between February 1,
2009 and March 14, 2009.
Q: Who can nominate individuals for a Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts grant?
A: Anyone who knows about – or has been touched by the nominees’ work – a friend, relative, colleague, employer or any other beneficiary of the nominee’s service. Self-nominations are also accepted. To nominate and individual, you must be 18 years of age or older at time of entry and reside in one of the 50 United States or District of Columbia during the competition.
Q: How do I nominate someone?
A: Individuals may nominate a friend, family member, colleague, organization or themselves
to receive one of five Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts grants by completing an online nomination at www.SistersSavingHearts.com or mailing a hardcopy nomination form to Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts grants, P.O. Box 72913, Rockford, MN 55572. Hardcopy nomination forms can be downloaded from the Sisters Saving Hearts website or call 1-866-644-7714 for more information.
Q: What does the Sisters Saving Hearts Awards recipient win?
A: The Sisters Saving Hearts grant recipients will receive a $5,000 grant which will be distributed to the charity or community-based organization of the winner’s choice. They will also be recognized at an awards luncheon and will receive a trophy commemorating their commitment and dedication to their community.
Q: Who can receive the $5,000 Grant?
A: Any charity or community-based program or organization of the award recipient’s choice that is also a recognized 501c(3) organization.
Q: Who will choose the winners?
A: A panel of judges will select the five Sisters Saving Hearts grant recipients.
Q: How will winners be judged/selected?
A: All entries must meet the program entry requirements. Initial judging will be done by
a panel of judges based on the criteria outlined below:
- Essay describing the honoree and his/her community impact;
- Nature of the honoree’s activities on behalf of heart disease, including work to help educate, explain the importance of healthy cholesterol levels;
- Explanation of how nominees work has delivered cholesterol lowering benefits.
Q: How long has the Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts Awards been in existence?
A: The program was initiated in March 2007 and will continue for at least three years.
Q: How can I obtain a copy of the official rules?
A: A copy of the rules can be downloaded free-of-charge from www.SistersSavingHearts.com.
Hard copies of the rules can be requested by writing to Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts, P.O. Box 72913, Rockford, MN 55572 or by calling 1-866-644-7714.
Q: What kinds of organizations cannot receive the grant?
A: As a standard practice, the Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts grant and the General Mills Foundation grant does not support:
- Organizations without 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, along with 509(a)(3) public charity status. The Cheerios Sisters Saving Hearts grant and the General Mills Foundation are further restricted by the 2006 Pension Protection Act in making grants to certain 509(a)(3) designated supporting organizations.
- Organizations that do not comply with the General Mills’ Foundation’s Non-Discrimination Policy
- Schools
- Advertising
- Religious organizations for religious purposes
- Travel by groups
- Political causes, candidates or legislative lobbying efforts
- Individuals