IL TEA PATRIOTS TO BENEFIT FROM NATIONAL $1 MILLION DONATION

Donation to provide grants for development of organization's grassroots resources

Lisle, IL - September 22, 2010 - Tea Party Patriots (TPP), the nation's largest Tea Party organization with more than 2,800 affiliated organizations, today announced that it has received a $1,000,000 commitment to fund a grant program for the purpose of growing and strengthening regional and local Tea Party Patriots affiliates across the country.  The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, is committed to building a stronger tea party movement. TPP made the announcement at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington. D.C.
"The Tea Party movement is here to stay," said Jenny Beth Martin, Co-founder and National Coordinator of Tea Party Patriots. "This fund will be distributed over the next several weeks, to help ensure that the principles and values of the Tea Party Patriots will inform the citizens of the nation as we head into election season."


The funds will be distributed in grant form based on applications made by TPP affiliates across the country.  Recipients of the grants will come from among thousands of TPP affiliate organizations.
"In keeping with the spirit and philosophy of Tea Party Patriots, this fund will be immediately and broadly distributed to tea party organizations on the ground, in order to allow them to leverage their current efforts" said Mark Meckler, Co-Founder and National Coordinator of Tea Party Patriots. "We will continue to focus on the tea party activists in the field. They are responsible for the success of the tea party movement. The core values of the Tea Party Patriots are resonating with tea party activists and with voters across America, and we expect this organization to continue its dramatic growth."
"This infusion of money will help our local TEA organizations in their local, grassroots activities," said Denise Cattoni, state coordinator of Illinois Tea Party Patriots. "We have over 70 local TEA organizations throughout the state that have grown significantly in numbers and have influenced local, state, and national debates. Our impact has been accomplished by members of these local groups digging into their individual wallets to pay for communication basics … websites, emails, and flyers. Our groups are extremely excited about what this donation can provide in Illinois." A list of all local Illinois TEA Patriot groups is available at www.illinoistea.org.

The Core Values of Tea Party Patriots are fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and support of the free market system. Tea Party Patriots is a national grassroots coalition with more than 2,800 locally organized chapters and more than 15 million supporters nationwide.  Tea Party Patriots is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting the principles of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets.  Visit Tea Party Patriots online at www.TeaPartyPatriots.org.

For more information or to arrange an interview with Mark Meckler or Jenny Beth Martin, contact Randy Lewis (678) 596-5589 or randy@fitzlew.com. For information and to arrange an interview with Illinois Tea Party, contact (630) 290-2130 or Dcattoni@aol.com.