SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 3, 2007 – Sterling Communications Inc., an independent high-tech public relations agency, recently assembled and donated more than 200 hygiene kits to Glide Health Services, a San Francisco-based organization serving the city’s poor and disenfranchised. The kits benefited Glide’s HIV/AIDS Services program, which aims to build a healthier community through street-based outreach and harm reduction education.

“Sterling and its employees have long been committed to giving back to the community,” said Marianne O’Connor, president and CEO of Sterling Communications. “And, thanks to donations from several local businesses and support from Glide, we were able to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.”
 
As part of this agency-wide project, Sterling matched its employees’ donations of $300, totaling $600 contributed by the agency as a whole toward the purchase of needed supplies. Sterling then assembled the kits at its bi-annual agency meeting and delivered them to Glide in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood.

In addition to contributions from the agency and its employees, several Bay-Area businesses donated complimentary or discounted supplies. Hotel Nikko and the Toll House Hotel each offered washcloths, shampoos, soaps and lotions; DrugBarn contributed discount supplies; and local dentist Dr. Cynthia Hom donated 150 dental products, including toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss.

“We use more than 3,000 kits per year to engage those we serve and build a healthier community, and we rely heavily on donations from local companies and individuals who are committed to social change,” said Marcel Miranda, Glide Health Services Heath Promotion Manager. “We very much appreciate Sterling’s generous contribution to our work. We truly believe that these hygiene kits are a valuable tool in helping those at risk to make a larger change in their life.”

Sterling Communications has a history of giving back to the community, including donating a portion of its monthly profits to the Humane Society in the wake of last year’s Hurricane Katrina. Sterling also hosts an employee program that includes quarterly community outreach activities. In December, employees collected more than 1,250 pounds of food, donated more than 55 hours of time and contributed $400 to two local food banks.

About Glide
Located at Ellis and Taylor in the Tenderloin, one of San Francisco's harshest urban environments, Glide is an oasis that has served the poor and disenfranchised for over 30 years. Glide serves over one million free meals a year. Glide also provides dozens of other programs and services, including AIDS testing, health care, women's programs, crisis intervention, literacy and computer training, jobs training and placement, and educational programs for children, youth and family. For more information, visit www.glide.org.

About Sterling Communications, Inc.
Sterling Communications, Inc. — the Inside Agency^SM — is an independent, full-service public relations agency that provides industry-leading technology companies with strategic communications counsel and tactical expertise.  The agency’s client roster includes providers of Internet infrastructure software, e-business platforms, telecommunications, wireless, mobile and networking solutions, digital video, interactive media, consumer technology and healthcare technologies.  Founded in 1989, the company is headquartered in Silicon Valley, with additional offices in San Francisco and Seattle.  More information can be found at http://www.sterlingpr.com.

Inside Agency is a service mark of Sterling Communications, Inc.  All other trademarks belong to their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged.