Collette has always given back to local communities through their involvement in Tourism Cares since 2002. Their employees volunteer on projects including preservation & beautification projects at Plimouth Plantation, Nuweetooun School in Exeter, Rhode Island & the National Park site at historic Ellis Island. The Collette Foundation was launched in 2007 to help children around the world. With over 150 volunteers who establish & manage projects in Australia, China, Costa Rica, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa and the U.S. In South Africa for example, the foundation is supporting rural communities by supplying Hippo Water Rollers. The use of these rollers in remote villages allows a safer way to collect water, as children were carrying too much wait for their backs, and they can collect 5 times the amount of water they used to in one trip. 100 families were given the Hippo Rollers in January of this year. In the U.S., Collette works with Second Harvest Food bank. Volunteer employees help raise money, package food & assist with the Backpack program, which provides a pack of food to each participating child on Fridays. Each backpack includes small pop top entrees, such as beans & franks or chili, along with cereal, a fruit cup, chocolate milk and snacks to make sure the children & their families have food over the weekend & during school vacations.
Watch the Collette Foundation video, & look for future posts on the new Project Green & Blue.