Diageo North America Honors US Military Troops on Veterans Day Through Annual Military Service Appreciation Day Event
Hundreds of Diageo employees across North America assemble care packages for military service men and women at its 7th annual care packing event
In commemoration of Veterans Day this year, Diageo North America hosted its seventh annual Military Service Appreciation Day event. Together, Diageo employees, non-profit organizations and community leaders designed and assemble care packages for US military troops serving overseas and at home. To further support and celebrate Crown Royal’s Purple Bag Project, Diageo employees located in New York, NY, Stamford, CT, Plainfield, IL, Relay, MD, Miami, FL, and Portland, OR packed the brand’s signature purple bags with personal care items, food essentials, and handwritten notes to extend a gesture of gratitude and generosity to our troops. For over a decade, Crown Royal has doubled down on its mission to ignite exceptional generosity within our communities by giving back to the people and places that support them. Through this initiative, the Purple Bag Project has supported over 1MM servicemen and women across the world.
The occasion also featured a virtual fireside chat with Claudia Schubert, President of Diageo North America and special guests Darrell K. Williams, President, Hampton University and Lt. General, US Army Retired; Terence “TJ” Spann, Eastern Region President, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., and Lt. Colonel, US Air Force Retired; and Thomas Wood Newton, Sergeant, Tuskegee Airmen. Representatives from Diageo’s Veterans and Friends of Veterans Business Resource Group with community partners – Packages from Home and iPads for Soldiers also joined the event to share remarks to honor those serving in the US military.
“Every year, we honor our US military troops on Veterans Day through our annual Military Service Appreciation Day packing event. It makes our Diageo community so proud to help encourage the brave military men and women serving in the armed forces and to recognize the many distinguished veterans we have across the country,” said Claudia Schubert, President, Diageo North America. “Crown Royal’s Purple Bag project is just one of the many ways we continue to support our active-duty service members and veterans. As we continue partner with non-profit organizations, we hope that our contributions through this initiative positively impact this community for years to come.”
To support US veterans, active-duty personnel, and their families, Diageo created the Diageo Salutes the Troops program, a year-round initiative that gives charitable donations and hosts community service events, which include:
Donating more than 1,000 iPads this past year to deployed military soldiers overseas and at Walter Reed Medical Center, which makes it a total of over 11,000 iPads donated over the years.
Partnering with the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston for our Diageo’s Learning Skills for Life program to support military veterans by offering technical and life skills-based training. Learning Skills for Life provides free learning and career opportunities within the hospitality industry to people who don’t have access to proper training.
Focusing on establishing a community aimed at making the company a great place to work for all those who have served and are currently serving through the Veterans and Friends of Veterans Business Resource Group.
Learn more about Diageo’s ongoing commitment to the military and veteran community, including our Society 2030 goals.