United Way of Greater Los Angeles Names Enterprise Rent-A-Car Winner of Its Leadership and Spirit of Los Angeles Awards

Generosity of Enterprise's Young Employees Bucks National Trend and Earns the Company Top United Way Honors

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10 -- United Way of Greater Los Angeles today announced that it has honored Enterprise Rent-A-Car with its Leadership Award for the 2005/2006 giving campaign, based on the company having the largest amount of donors in Los Angeles County giving $1,000 or more in support of United Way and its programs. In addition to this prestigious honor, Enterprise Rent-A-Car was also one of the award-recipients for United Way's Spirit of Los Angeles Award, based on executing a campaign that raised nearly $2 million, more than $1 million of which was designated to United Way's Bridge the Gap fund. As generous with time as with financial support, Enterprise Rent-A-Car employees are also some of the most active in their communities, having participated in United Way's Commitment to Caring volunteer program for the past two years.

"By encouraging and nurturing philanthropy among its workforce, Enterprise is ensuring that the current and next generation of business leaders values social responsibility and community leadership," said Elise Buik, United Way of Greater Los Angeles president and CEO. "We commend them for their vision, leadership and outstanding commitment to community."

With a strong showing in nearly every category considered by the United Way awards committee, Enterprise edged out the competition by "bucking the trend" cited in a recent study, which found the young and prosperous were among the least generous of all working-age Americans.* Of the 18 percent of Enterprise's workforce that donated at United Way Leadership Levels ($1,000 or more annually,) the vast majority of those donors were under 35. Additionally, the workforce displayed a high percentage of employees donating at extremely high levels from an individual donor standpoint. More than 28 percent of Enterprise's local workforce donates at United Way Leadership Levels ($1,000 or more annually).

"Enterprise is extremely proud of the philanthropy efforts and great generosity of our employees," said Greg Stubblefield, President of California and Hawaii, Enterprise Rent-a-Car. "We have been running a United Way workplace campaign for ten years now and have seen how it is now an intrinsic part of our culture, with exponentially increased employee participation every year."

During United Way of Greater Los Angeles' 2005/2006 annual giving campaign, Enterprise Rent-A-Car raised $1,993,201, with employees contributing $1,213,850 to that total, more than four times the amount of other regions and 42 percent directed to United Way of Greater Los Angeles' Bridge the Gap fund. Enterprise Rent-A-Car also supports employees taking an active role in the community through volunteerism and has participated in United Way's Commitment to Caring volunteer program for the past few years as a sponsor and supplier of volunteers.

United Way's Spirit of Los Angeles Award recognizes the companies that have raised at least $1 million specifically for the Bridge the Gap fund, designed to help alleviate poverty in Los Angeles.

Other companies and organizations recognized for contributions to the United Way 2005/2006 fund include: The Aerospace Corporation, Willis Risk and Insurance Services, Teamsters Western Region, Greater Los Angeles Federal Employees' Combined Federal Campaign, Bobrick, City of Lancaster, City of Santa Clarita, Panda Restaurant Group, Valero Wilmington Refinery, Bank of America, The Boeing Company, Los Angeles Times, Wells Fargo, AT&T, Edison International, L.A. County Employees, Northrop Grumman, and UPS.

About United Way of Greater Los Angeles

United Way of Greater Los Angeles is a nonprofit organization that creates pathways out of poverty to improve the quality of life for Greater Los Angeles area residents. With a focus on meeting basic needs, improving educational achievement and increasing financial stability for the most vulnerable in our community, United Way helps nearly three million people each year in Los Angeles County. United Way also gives voice to the most pressing issues facing Greater Los Angeles through its social reports and advocacy work and provides solutions by partnering with community leaders and engaging supporters. United Way's social reports examine key issues facing Los Angeles, and outline solutions to make a measurable impact on people's lives and the community as a whole. For more information, visit www.unitedwayla.org.

* "The least generous of all working-age Americans in 2003, the latest year for which Internal Revenue Service data is available, were among the young and prosperous" (citing a study by the New Tithing Group). David Cay Johnston, "Study Shows the Superrich Are Not the Most Generous," The New York Times, December 19, 2005

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