Pepsi Refresh Project

Imagine if you had the power to give up to $250,000 to a charity. Imagine if your own ideas for a better world had a chance to thrive and prosper. Imagine being able to make a difference with just a simple vote.

Pepsi is making such dreams a reality with their Pepsi Refresh Project, where YOU have the power to help move America forward.

The Pepsi Refresh Project, a groundbreaking effort to foster innovation in social good, will award more than $20 million this year to fund great ideas that refresh the world. Pepsi will fund projects that make a difference in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education.

Where do you come in? Right now, you can cast your vote at www.refresheverything.com for the consumer-generated ideas that you believe will make a positive impact on your community. This is the first of eleven opportunities for the public to win grants from $5,000 up to $250,000 throughout the year. The first voting session ends on February 28 and the ideas that receive the top votes will be announced on Monday, March 1, 2010.

You can also submit your own idea to be considered in the next round of voting. Submissions can be sent in starting at 12:00:01 a.m. ET on March 1st, 2010.



On Monday, Pepsi Refresh Project spokespersons Demi Moore and Kevin Bacon, kicked off the Pepsi Refresh Celebrity Challenge on the Today Show and joined college students to discuss great ideas in an interactive brainstorm that was viewed by thousands of others via a live stream on Facebook.

Here's a brief clip of Monday's event, as well as information on the Pepsi Refresh Project:

"The Pepsi Refresh Project puts the financial resources in the hands of those who are passionate about creating a better world. I am very pleased to be a part of this creative initiative to refresh our world," Demi Moore was quoted as saying in a press release.

Moore is campaigning in support of GEMS – Girls Educational & Mentoring Services. The grant would help GEMS reach out to women who have been victims of sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking. GEMS helps such women integrate back into society as healthy, safe, and productive individuals.

Recent Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award winner, Kevin Bacon, is campaigning for SixDegrees.org, which will give thousands of people a $20 Good Card — a gift card for charity — which they can use to support their favorite cause.

"I applaud Pepsi for its commitment to fostering social good and its tremendous work in encouraging people to submit their ideas on how to improve our nation. I am optimistic that great changes will be made throughout 2010 as a result of this," Bacon stated in a press release.



Visit the Pepsi Refresh Project Facebook page to cast your vote by February 28 in the Pepsi Refresh Celebrity Challenge for Moore or Bacon’s idea. Pepsi will grant $250,000 to fund the idea that wins the most votes.

Be sure to visit the Pepsi Refresh Project as well to vote on your favorite idea there, and to submit your own for the next round of voting. You can also find info on the project by following Pepsi on Twitter and/or #pepsirefresh.