MILWAUKEE, July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Briggs & Stratton Corporation (NYSE: BGG), the exclusive licensee of GE Generator Systems, recently donated a GE Generator to severely wounded Marine, and Purple Heart recipient, John "JT" Doody thanks to the help of the Gary Sinise Foundation. JT's family initially reached out to the Foundation for help with acquiring the whole house generator after they attended a Lt. Dan Band show in Tampa, FL in 2013. Given the Foundation's existing partnership with GE on its 'Get Skills To Work' program, as well as the appliances GE donates to the Foundation's Smart Homes program, it was simply a matter of making a few calls to get JT what he needed.
"We were pleased to be able to assist with the donation to the Gary Sinise Foundation," said Amanda Grandy, marketing manager for Briggs & Stratton. "Our ties to GE remain very strong, and we are proud to support this endeavor and the Gary Sinise Foundation."
"What enables our Foundation to succeed are the relationships we have in place. Thanks to our existing relationship with GE and Briggs & Stratton, we were able to move swiftly in getting John's needs met," said Judy Otter, Executive Director of the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Back in 2007, JT suffered a brain injury and was paralyzed from the neck down when he was shot during combat duty in Fallujah. After having spent close to three years in a hospital he's happy to be home and the donated GE 20kW generator system from Briggs & Stratton will enable JT to stay there in the event of power outage.
About Briggs & Stratton Corporation
Briggs & Stratton Corporation, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the world's largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. Its wholly owned subsidiaries include North America's number one marketer of portable generators and pressure washers, and it is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of lawn and garden and turf care through its Simplicity®, Snapper®, SnapperPro® Ferris®, Murray®, Branco® and Victa® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in over 100 countries on six continents. For additional information, please visit and www.briggsandstratton.com.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About the Gary Sinise Foundation
Gary Sinise Foundation honors its defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need by creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen and build communities. These include its R.I.S.E. program (Restoring Independence and Supporting Empowerment), whose flagship initiative is a custom Smart Home building project for severely wounded veterans. Each home is customized to ease their daily challenges and help restore independence with features like retractable cook tops, cabinets and shelving, elevators and more, all accessible via an iPad. Both through its own efforts and through its Building for America's Bravest partner program, Gary Sinise Foundation is constructing these one-of-a-kind homes all across the country, each for a wounded hero, their caregivers and family. Other programs include Relief & Resiliency Outreach, Invincible Spirit Festivals, Serving Heroes and Arts & Entertainment Outreach. Over the years, the Foundation has formed numerous corporate partnerships including GE on their Get Skills to Work program to help veterans translate military skills into advanced manufacturing jobs while empowering employers with tools to recruit, onboard and mentor veterans.
The Gary Sinise Foundation (Federal Tax ID 80-0587086) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity as defined in sections 509(A)(1) and 170(B)(1)(A)(VI) of the Internal Revenue Code. Combined Federal Campaign, CFC #27963. For more information, please visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.
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SOURCE Briggs & Stratton Corporation