OREANDA-NEWS. October 23, 2012. BP employees celebrated a historic milestone today, reaching USD 20 million donated to more than 14,500 US-based non-profit organizations through The Fabric of America Fund since the program launched in October 2007. All full-time US-based employees can designate up to USD 300 annually to donate to a charity of their choice, with no matching funds required.

“Employee engagement is a cornerstone of BP’s efforts to make a positive difference in the communities in which we work and live,” said Crystal Ashby, Executive Vice President – Government and Public Affairs. “Providing our employees with the means to connect directly to organizations of their choosing makes BP’s Fabric of America Fund unique. BP is proud that, through our employees and their interests, we have provided USD 20 million of support to organizations across the US.”

Fabric of America Fund donations have been made by BP employees to non-profit organizations in all 50 states and more than 3,000 cities and towns. In 2012 alone, employees have given more than USD 1.79 million through the program to a wide range of organizations focused on health, education, poverty, technology and other important issues.

BP America created The Fabric of America Fund to empower employees to invest in the communities where they live, work and do business. The Fund enables employees to support organizations they strongly believe in, and encourages them to be an active part of the fabric of their local communities.

In addition to The Fabric of America Fund, BP employees can also positively impact their communities through the BP Foundation, a separate legal entity from BP that was established in 1952. “In 2011, the BP Foundation matched nearly USD 6 million of financial donations, charitable gifts and volunteer time by US-based employees to eligible charitable organizations,” said Ben Cannon, Executive Director of the BP Foundation.

Additional information on Fabric of America donations, including the top 10 states, cities and organizations to receive contributions, is available upon request.