Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan, National Kidney Foundation, Harbor Habitat for Humanity and Kent Girls on the Run to benefit from Old Orchard sponsorships

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 13 /-- When hurricanes ravaged Florida last year, Old Orchard stepped in and donated juice. When the horrific Tsunami hit earlier this year, Old Orchard teamed up with International Aid, Inc., and donated juice. This summer, Old Orchard brings that charity home by continuing as the official beverage sponsor of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan, donating juice to Harbor Habitat for Humanity, becoming the official juice sponsor of the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan and continuing its sponsorship of the Fifth Third River Bank Run to benefit the Kent Girls on the Run organization.

Since the summer of 2004, Old Orchard has donated more than $500,000 worth of juice to local, national and international charities. To kick off the summer, Old Orchard will reenergize Fifth Third River Bank Run participants with juice and juice cocktails, as the official juice sponsor of the country's largest 25K road race. The 28th Annual Fifth Third River Bank Run is Saturday, May 14th, and winds through downtown Grand Rapids.

"We believe charity starts at home, supporting the local communities and consumers who have supported us as we've grown into a national brand," said Michael McDonald, vice president of sales and marketing for Old Orchard Brands. "Since last year, we've implemented many positive changes to our Old Orchard juice lines. With the addition of Old Orchard Organics and new, single-serve packaging, plus the re-launch of our LoCarb fruit juice cocktails under the Healthy Balance label, the River Bank Run athletes will have many refreshing choices."

For the second consecutive year, Old Orchard is the official beverage sponsor of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan, donating product to four Walk for Wishes events across the state and the organization's Wish-A-Mile 300 Mile Bicycle Tour.

"Old Orchard has just been a phenomenal supporter of our organization, helping us to keep our costs down so we can raise the funds needed to grant wishes to children with life threatening illnesses," said Maura Race, community development director for Make-A-Wish of Michigan. "We grant approximately 400 wishes a year and we couldn't do it without the help from our corporate sponsors, of which Old Orchard is one of our biggest."

Celebrating more than 20 years of making magic, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan is a chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, the largest wish-granting organization in the world. Since its inception in 1984, the Michigan chapter has granted wishes to nearly 4,300 children and their families. The Foundation has offices in Lansing, Livonia, and Grand Rapids and more than 80 percent of its expenditures are directly related to program services. To learn more about the Foundation, call 800-622-WISH or visit the newly redesigned website at http://www.wishmich.org/ .

The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan joins the ranks of organizations receiving juice from Old Orchard this year. Old Orchard becomes the official juice sponsor of the organization and will donate juice to be used at 10 National Kidney Foundation of Michigan Walks, including Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Detroit and Battle Creek.

The National Kidney Foundation, Inc., a major voluntary health organization, seeks to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation. For more information, visit the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan website at http://www.nkfm.org/ .

"Teaming up with the Kidney Foundation is a natural fit," McDonald said. "We have several 100 percent juice products that help with the prevention of urinary tract infections while promoting good cardiovascular circulation, such as our 100 percent Grape juice and our new Pomegranate Blueberry 100% fruit juice."

Keeping up its efforts near home, Old Orchard has accepted the challenge from Harbor Habitat for Humanity to provide juice for 1,000 volunteers during a one-week building blitz in July. More than 5,000 servings of juice will hydrate and refresh volunteers who will experience a week of exciting hard work alongside former President Jimmy Carter and hundreds of volunteers from throughout the U.S. and around the world.

"We would like to thank Old Orchard Juice Company and their employees for partnering with other state, regional and national companies to provide the innumerable goods and services necessary to assist Harbor Habitat for Humanity in eliminating substandard housing in the Benton Harbor area," said Mike Green, executive director of Harbor Habitat for Humanity. "Their gift of fruit juice will be greatly appreciated by the 1,000 volunteers working during the five days of build week."

Harbor Habitat for Humanity (HHFH) is a Christian nonprofit housing organization that seeks to eliminate substandard housing in Benton Harbor and Benton Charter Township. HHFH has been selected by President Carter as one of the host sites for the Jimmy Carter Work Project in 2005, when 20 homes will be constructed in Benton Harbor over a one-week period. For more information on Harbor Habitat for Humanity, visit http://www.harborhabitat.org/ .

"We wanted a focused and driven partner to round out our sponsorships in Michigan this year," McDonald said. "Building homes for families is a great way to put a community on the right path toward success."

Sparta, Michigan-based Old Orchard Brands is one of the fastest growing fruit juice brands in the United States. The privately held company started operations in 1985 and offers consumers 29 frozen concentrate flavors and 42 bottled varieties in a range of 100 percent fruit juices, blends and low- carbohydrate fruit juice cocktails.

Source: Old Orchard Brands

CONTACT: Dave Roznowski of Straightline Public Relations,
+1-616-456-0750, roznowski@straightlinepr.com for Old Orchard Brands; or Kevin
Miller of Old Orchard Brands, +1-616-887-1745, kmiller@oldorchardbrands.com

Web site: http://www.oldorchardbrands.com/
http://www.wishmich.org/
http://www.nkfm.org/
http://www.harborhabitat.org/