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The quality of life in our communities directly affects the success of our business. While we cannot reshape our society, we know we are a part of it, and we certainly have a stake in it. And so we are determined every year to dedicate some of our resources to improving community life. 

We take great pride in our reputation as a leader in corporate citizenship. Through volunteerism, product donations, cash contributions, and special initiatives, we support activities that fortify the body, strengthen the mind, and inspire the heart.

Our policy is to give nonprofit organizations at least 2% of our U.S. pretax income annually through cash and product donations, amounting to almost $220 million corporate-wide over the past 10 years. In response to our growing business, we formed the Sara Lee Foundation in 1981 to oversee our philanthropic activities. In fiscal 1998, our corporate-wide donations totaled more than $32 million, of which nearly $8 million represented Sara Lee Foundation spending.

The Sara Lee Foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois, and focuses its giving - about $9 million in fiscal 1999 - on nonprofit organizations in the Chicago area. At the Foundation, we think the most effective way to make a difference with our giving is to concentrate on specific areas, each with a distinct reason and purpose: women , culture , hunger and people in need. In addition to making grants to nonprofits, Sara Lee created three awards programs that focus attention, recognize good work, and encourage wider support for certain issues.

The Frontrunner Award celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of women in our society. It brings national notice to individuals who are making a difference in the arts, business, government and the humanities.
The Chicago Spirit Award honors innovative, exceptional Chicago-based organizations that help people who lack food, shelter or other basic needs.
The Leadership Award is given to outstanding nonprofit organizations in communities where Sara Lee employees live and work.