HARRISON, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Harrison Public Library Foundation announced today that Jarden Corporation, a global leader in branded consumer products, has pledged a $100,000 grant to help renovate the Downtown Harrison Public Library. The grant will be in the form of a matching challenge, whereby Jarden will contribute $1 for every $2 contributed by the local corporate community up to $100,000. Through this matching challenge, Jarden hopes to inspire other local companies to make contributions to reinvigorate and enhance the library.
“We are pleased to support the much-needed renovation of the Downtown Harrison Public Library,” said Martin E. Franklin, Executive Chairman of Jarden Corporation, based in Rye, New York. “We chose to support the renovation because the area is home to many of our employees and the library is just steps away from our corporate headquarters. To the dozens of other large companies nearby, we challenge you to make similar gifts to the Library, to help support the community where we all do business.”
The Harrison Public Library has been an educational, recreational, cultural and social hub in the town for more than 100 years, but is in dire need of renovation. With the help of funding from corporate and individual contributions, the Harrison Public Library Foundation plans to upgrade the building’s infrastructure, improve technology and update and expand square footage to better accommodate and support the growth of the town’s population.
“Libraries are an integral part of our communities, providing educational and social programs and safe places for residents of all ages to learn, grow and stay connected to their community and world around them,” said James E. Lillie, CEO of Jarden Corporation. “It is our hope that other local corporations and individuals will join Jarden in contributing to the library fund to help reach their goal.”
The planned renovations will allow the Downtown Harrison Library to host more educational classes, employment seminars and other community-focused programs. Expanded and updated areas will provide comfortable space to read, work and socialize. New technology will include 41 computer stations and a community room with state-of-the-art TV studio equipment, a small stage and a surround-sound speaker system that can be used to host musical performances, lectures, art exhibits and film screenings. In addition, the renovated Library will feature a new teen facility, to be named the “Marmot Teen Center”. Marmot is a globally distributed brand of high-performance, technical clothing, apparel and equipment owned by Jarden.
“I want to thank Jarden Corporation and its senior management for stepping up with a generous contribution to help renovate the library,” said Ross Halperin, Executive Director of the Harrison Library Foundation. “We hope that other local companies will recognize the value that having this updated space would bring to Harrison and the entire surrounding community.”
In addition to the corporate contributions from Jarden, The Harrison Library Foundation has secured contributions from the Richard E. Halperin Memorial Fund ($1.2M), The Town of Harrison ($1.1M) and a NY State Construction Grant ($73k). An additional $1.1 million is needed to complete the project. Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2014, requiring fundraising completion by October 2013.
For more information on the Harrison Library Foundation and how to make a contribution, please visit: http://www.hplf.org/
About Harrison Library Foundation
The Harrison Public Library Foundation (“HPLF”) is a nonprofit organization created to support the Harrison Public Library's facilities and programming. HPLF's first campaign, launched October 2, 2011, aims to raise funds to renovate the Richard E. Halperin Memorial Library Building at 2 Bruce Avenue. The Foundation’s mission is to improve and enhance the Harrison Public Library’s facilities, to support its programs and capabilities, and to ensure that it will remain the heart of the community for present and future generations of Harrison residents. For more information, visit http://www.hplf.org/
About Jarden
Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of a diverse range of consumer products with a portfolio of over 100 trusted, quality brands sold globally. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, Aero®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, ExOfficio®, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, Invicta®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Völkl® and Zoot®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Breville®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®; and Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bernardin®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Lifoam®, Lillo®, Loew Cornell®, Mapa®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, Quickie®, Spontex® and Tigex®. Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden ranks #383 on the Fortune 500 and has over 25,000 employees worldwide. For further information about Jarden, please visit www.jarden.com
