Birmingham, AL (September 27, 2005) — WTTO 21 has teamed with Taco Bell , and the Taco Bell Foundation, to raise funds to benefit local Boys and Girls Clubs through an online auction of sports collectibles. The Gridiron Greats Charity Sports Auction kicked off on September 5th, and will be available to the public for bidding on SEC and other exciting sports memorabilia through November 26th, 2005.
The auction items will change weekly, with lots ranging from autographed footballs, jerseys, and helmets, to game tickets. Sports fans will go wild for the opportunity to own these exceptional items being offered from their SEC sports heroes. "We're thrilled to have found a new avenue to raise funds for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Alabama" said Donald Ghareeb, a local Taco Bell Franchisee, and Taco Bell Foundation Board member. "Gridiron Greats is our first entrée into online fund raising. The opportunity created by melding the popularity of athletics and the internet should be a huge win for the Boys and Girls Clubs," Ghareeb continued.
The Gridiron Greats Charity Sports Auction website is accessible through a link on the promotions page of the WTTO 21 website (WTTO21.com). The auction website is maintained by EBay, and all proceeds donated to the Taco Bell Foundation benefit local Boys and Girls Clubs.
"Taco Bell has raised money locally for the Boys and Girls Clubs since 2002. We feel giving back to the communities we live and operate in is a must for our organization." said Ghareeb. In addition to significant contributions to the Taco Bell Foundation, local Taco Bell restaurants have raised $80,000 to date for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Alabama.
Taco Bell Foundation is a public charity established in 1992 to improve the lives of young people. Through an exclusive partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America, the Foundation created a national program to foster educational, career and service opportunities for teens. The Foundation's goals are met through donations from Taco Bell customers, along with support from Taco Bell Corp., its employees and franchisees.
The Taco Bell Foundation has successfully raised more than $15 million to benefit at-risk teens over the past 10 years. This funding supports programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), providing leadership and personal growth opportunities for more than a million young people since 1995.