3.16.2005 ET

(CSRwire) ATLANTA - For the fifth year in a row, UPS is the largest donor to United Way and has set a new national record by contributing more than $57.3 million.

This year's support surpasses the previous record donation set in 2004 by UPS of $54.2 million. In fact, UPS was the first company to exceed the $50 million mark in one annual campaign when it donated $52.2 million in 2002.

"UPS has once again raised the bar for companies nationwide, overwhelmingly demonstrating its commitment to changing lives and making a difference in every community that it serves," said Brian Gallagher, president and CEO of United Way of America. "On behalf of the entire United Way system, I sincerely thank our gracious partner for its continuous support."

Nearly 232,000 UPS employees in the United States participated in this year's campaign, contributing $47.7 million. The company then contributed $9.6 million. In the company's hometown of Atlanta, UPS employees donated $4.2 million, the largest contribution of any Atlanta-based company.

UPSers worldwide are committed to the communities and neighborhoods where they live and work. This past fall, more than 3,500 employees outside the United States in 35 countries donated more than 13,000 hours as part of UPS's Global Volunteer Week. The week of giving is an extension of the company's daily commitment to volunteerism. In the past year, more than 30,000 employees participated in UPS's Neighbor-to-Neighbor program, a company-wide volunteer initiative that matches employees and their families with volunteer opportunities based on their interests, skills and availability.

"I am continually impressed by UPS employees' dedication to the communities where they live and work," said Evern Cooper Epps, president of The UPS Foundation and vice president of UPS corporate relations. "They freely give of their time and money to help various important causes, including United Way."

Founded in 1951, The UPS Foundation identifies specific areas where its support will clearly impact social issues. The UPS Foundation's major initiatives currently include programs that support increased nationwide volunteerism, family and workplace literacy and hunger relief. In 2004, The UPS Foundation donated nearly $40 million to charitable organizations worldwide. Visit community.ups.com for more information about UPS's community involvement.

UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS), and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com.

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