Tim Cook, the first openly gay Fortune 1,000 company CEO, has donated funds to aid in the promotion of the gay rights movements initiated in his hometown, Alabama, and in two other states in the south.
Apple's CEO donated a "substantial" amount to the Human Rights Campaign, which is based in Washington, to boost the projects aimed at promoting the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. According to the organizers of these gay rights initiatives, Cook's donation will be allocated to contribute to the US$8.5 million campaign to be launched in April in the states of Arkansas, Mississippi, and of course Alabama. The project is reportedly plotted to run for three years. The amount of Cook's contribution, however, was undisclosed.
The initiative, which is dubbed as Project One America, aims to encourage the public to be more broad-minded and accepting of the members of the LGBT community. This effort is focused on public relations activities, which include television and radio advertisements, as well as direct-mail fliers. There will also be staff members to be hired in every state to ensure that the information are disseminated accordingly and actively.
"When Tim first learned about HRC's Project One America - our bold, comprehensive campaign to dramatically advance equality for LGBT Americans in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi- he said, "I'm in." Thanks to his generous personal financial investment in the program, together we will move the needle forward at the local and state level, tearing down misperceptions and providing concrete protections for those who need it most," wrote Human Rights Campaign Spokesperson Jason Rahlan in a blog entry following the hefty donation of the Apple CEO to the movement.
In accordance with the description provided in its website, the initiative 'Project One America' is "a comprehensive, multi-year campaign to dramatically expand LGBT equality in the South through permanent campaigns in Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas."