Pepsi announced the latest round of Pepsi Refresh Project Grant recipients, who have been collectively awarded $1.3 million. The Pepsi Refresh Project, a ground-breaking initiative designed to fund good ideas, big and small, that help refresh our world, will award more than $20 million in 2010 to the ideas voted most likely to move our communities forward by the public via online voting.

The 32 newest Pepsi Refresh Grant recipients are being recognized during National Volunteer Week, a week dedicated to encouraging Americans to donate their time to the causes and organizations they support. This month’s 32 top vote-getters in six categories (Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education) offer a diverse group of volunteer opportunities for consumers who want to get involved in what they care about.

The Pepsi Refresh Project launched in January, inviting individuals and organizations to submit beneficial, achievable, constructive and «shovel-ready» ideas that would make a positive impact on communities. In March, the first group of 32 ideas was announced. Meanwhile, Americans votes for a new batch of over 1,000 ideas from March 1 through March 31 at www.refresheverything.com.

Refresh Grant recipients include:

* Homes of Hope for Children, Inc., Hattiesburg, MS, intends to use a $250,000 Refresh Grant to build a safe haven for children to learn and grow (Food & Shelter);

* The Tommy Foundation, Inc., Lancaster, PA aims to spread awareness about Autism, a disorder that affects 1 in 110 US Children. Just in time for National Autism Awareness month, this $50,000 grant will help this organization produce a documentary that will educate the public on dealing with this disorder (Education);

* Kids Coupes Inc., of River Ridge, LA will use $50,000 to fund Project P.O.T.S «Peace on the Street,» an organization whose goal is to engage kids in after school activities, thusly keeping them away from violence on the streets (Neighborhoods);

* SelflessTee, Albany, NY, will use a $50,000 grant to spur social change through fashion. Profits generated from the sale of specially designed t-shirts will fund a variety of socially impactful ideas, generating a ripple of «refresh» (Health);

* Resounding Harmony, Dallas, TX is a singing group that aims to affect change through benefit concerts for worthy causes. The $25,000 grant they will receive will allow them to produce a «Sing for the Cure» performance, raising money to fight breast cancer (Arts & Culture);

* Janet Huey, in Houston, TX, will use a $5,000 Refresh Grant to treat heartworm positive dogs, reducing the rate of euthanasia in her community (The Planet);

* Bikeloc, based in Brooklyn, NY, is an organization whose goal is to educate their community about the benefits of the local food movement. A $5,000 grant will fund a 100-day bike and local food tour across the country (Food & Shelter).