NORTHBROOK, IL, September 10, 2015 — Astellas Pharma today announced that it has awarded $100,000 grants each to the American Red Cross and Stop Hunger Now in support of their efforts to advance access to healthcare and expand community development around the world.

Almost 1,500 Astellas employees (over 50%) across the US, Canada and Brazil cast their vote and selected grant recipients from a select group of non-profit disaster relief and health-based organizations. The grants are part of a new Changing Tomorrow Day initiative to multiply the impact of Astellas’ annual global day of service by “the power of 10,” in honor of the company’s 10^th anniversary.

For the campaign, Astellas is committed to achieving 10,000 volunteer hours across the Americas between May 2015 and March 2016. So far this year, Astellas employees have contributed more than 3,600 hours across the US and Canada. The company’s annual all-employee service day will gather over 500 employees from its Americas headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois, and research affiliate Agensys in Santa Monica, California, on September 11 in dedication to those lost on 9/11.

“Astellas’ Changing Tomorrow Day grants will provide communities with critical services and resources,” said Jeff Winton, senior vice president, chief communications officer, Corporate Affairs at Astellas. “We look forward to collaborating with the grant recipients in their efforts to help serve those who are most in need.”

The Award Recipients

• The American Red Cross will use the grant to purchase a Next Generation Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) for the Chicago area to deliver essential disaster relief, including food, shelter and supplies. The vehicle will also help the Red Cross quickly respond to the growing needs of people affected by tornadoes, floods, fires, hurricanes and other crises.
   
• Stop Hunger Now will support ongoing earthquake relief in Nepal following the devastating earthquakes this past spring which killed more than 7,000 people. The grant will fund two large scale emergency health kits with equipment, renewables, medications and basic medical supplies to help treat more than 20,000 people over three months. An additional 195,000 meals will be packaged by volunteers and distributed to support local relief efforts.

To support the grants, Astellas employees will also participate in volunteer activities with each recipient organization over the coming year. Later this fall, Astellas will host a blood drive and restock disaster relief vehicles with the American Red Cross at its Americas Headquarters. In May, Astellas volunteers packaged more than 15,000 meals in support of Stop Hunger Now, half of which were sent to feed hungry families in Burundi.

In addition to the annual global day of service, employees can volunteer up to five paid days a year at a qualified nonprofit of their choice through the Astellas Volunteer Time Off Program.
 

About Astellas
Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at www.astellas.us. You can also follow us on Twitter at @AstellasUS. Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AstellasUS.

###