Eight Minneapolis charities benefit from Meeting Professionals International convention

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Eight Minneapolis charities benefit from Meeting Professionals International convention

Meet Minneapolis sponsors Corporate Social Responsibility day with a twist on Aug. 4

MINNEAPOLIS, August 1, 2014 Meet Minneapolis, Convention and Visitors Association, announces its sponsorship of a day of giving back to the Minneapolis community on August 4 by the 1,900 attendees of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) 2014 World Education Congress (WEC) at the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC). But theres a twist: six varying activities will be available for individuals to participate in throughout the day that could look like they are just for fun. However, each activity provides items benefitting eight Minneapolis-area charities.

From a bike obstacle course where participants will also help build bikes for kids to Food Plinko, where canned food items are part of a game that will go to one of three charities, participants can spend 10 minutes or several hours helping make a difference for Minneapolis area organizations.

Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, is the continuing commitment by business to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the community and society at large. In recent years, meetings and conventions have increasingly adopted CSR practices by providing opportunities to attendees to give something back to the communities where they meet. MPI and Meet Minneapolis enlisted the help of destination management company metroConnections to provide hands-on activities benefitting these groups:

  • Washburn Center for Children
  • Minneapolis Public Schools
  • Matter
  • Second Harvest Heartland
  • Emergency Foodshelf Network
  • Bridging
  • Simpson Housing Services
  • Project Linus

Additional sponsors The Depot Renaissance Hotel, Marriott Minneapolis Northwest, Thrivent Financial and Marriott Minneapolis City Center are assisting with the activities throughout the day. Attendees will join them in the Ballroom at the MCC in building bikes, assembling school supplies, donating food items, building and painting furniture, packing hygiene kits and making blankets for those in need.

Minneapolis residents are the number one volunteers in the country, said Melvin Tennant, president and CEO, Meet Minneapolis. That reputation provided a platform and MPI wanted to provide an opportunity for the meeting professionals to learn about incorporating CSR activities into their own meetings, so we were excited to work with our partners to bring these unique, fun and beneficial activities to WEC.

MPI is the worlds largest and most vibrant global meeting and event industry association. WEC runs August 2-5. The signature event through which MPI delivers industry leading education, unparalleled networking and critical business opportunities to the meeting and event community will provide an estimated economic benefit to the area of $4.7 million. Additionally, meeting professionals attending the event have the ability to bring their own future events to Minneapolis; potentially resulting in an additional estimated $86 million in future economic benefits. MPI WEC was last held in Minneapolis in 1994.

PHOTO/VIDEO OPPORTUNITY

Members of the media are welcome to take video or photography of the event and interview opportunities are available.

When: August 4, 8-11 a.m. or 12:30-5:30 p.m. (best opportunities for photography are at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.)

Where: MCC Ballroom, 1301 Second Avenue S., Minneapolis

Visuals: Highly interactive environment in 28,000 square foot ballroom with:

  • Fun, hands-on activities performed by MPI WEC attendees (full descriptions available: http://www.mpiweb.org/Events/WEC2014/Events/CSR-Central)
  • Representatives of charities working with meeting professionals
  • Sponsor organizations assisting attendees with activities
  • CSR expert on behalf of MPI available for interviews on request
  • Meet Minneapolis representative available for interviews on request

Interviews: Coordinate any interviews by contacting Kristen Montag, 651-335-5754 (cell)

ABOUT MEET MINNEAPOLIS

Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. It actively promotes and sells the Minneapolis area as a destination for conventions and meetings, works to maximize the visitor experience and markets the city as a desirable tourist destination to maximize the economic benefit of the greater Minneapolis area.

Meet Minneapolis is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of the Destination Marketing Association International.

Follow us:

Online: www.minneapolis.org and http://go.minneapolis.org

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/meetminneapolis?ref=ts

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/meetminneapolis

On Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/meetminneapolis/

#askMPLS

When attendees or other visitors attending events in the city have questions about where to go, what to do or just need directions, all they need to do is ask by using the Meet Minneapolis hashtag #askMPLS on social media. Staff members are on the ready to respond to questions and assist to ensure a great visitor experience for all who come to Minneapolis

MEDIA CONTACT

Kristen Montag, media & communication manager, 612.767.8038, kristenm@minneapolis.org, Minneapolis_PR on Twitter.

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