18th Annual Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants Program Awards $407,750 in Grants Worldwide.

NEWARK, N.J. -- The Prudential Foundation and Prudential Financial, Inc. [NYSE: PRU], recently provided $407,750 in Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants to 627 nonprofit organizations worldwide. The Prudential Foundation grants acknowledged the volunteer service of 562 Prudential associates and retirees in the United States, while the Prudential Financial grants recognized 65 Prudential employees in Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan and South Korea, all who excelled in commitment, leadership and service to their communities. The Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants program recognizes individual and team volunteers who provided a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service per individual. Grants range from $250 to $5,000 for each award winner's charitable organization.

Fast Facts  >

            >

--          >
Number of winners
            >
Total: 627
            >
U.S.: 562
            >
International: 65
--          >
Amount awarded
            >
Total: $407,500
            >
U.S.: $390,000
            >
International: $17,500
            >

--          >
Recipient charities
            >
627

The Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants program, which is now in its 18th year, exemplifies Prudential's continued commitment to supporting volunteerism. When the economy slows, as it did in 2008, volunteers are more vital to the health of our nation's communities than ever and programs such as the Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants help encourage people to participate and give back. In fact, a recent national survey found that the number of volunteers in the United States alone, increased by one million people last year.*

"It's gratifying to see the increase in the number of people who volunteer. We believe that honoring our employees for their altruism is a way of giving back on many levels -- to our employees, to the organizations with which they volunteer and to the communities who benefit from their time and effort," said Prudential Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Strangfeld.

* Sounding from the Listening Post Project, Volunteering in America Research Highlights, July 2009

Gabriella Morris, vice president and head of Prudential's Community Resources Department and president of The Prudential Foundation, added that, "Prudential employees and retirees continue to amaze and inspire us with their dedication to important charities and issues. Many tell us that the time they devote to their near-and-dear causes feels more like receiving a gift than giving one."

Charles Moore, executive director of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (www.CorporatePhilanthropy.org), said, "Today's businesses realize the importance of engaging employees and providing consistent support to their communities. Initiatives like Prudential's long-standing CARES Volunteer Grants Program demonstrate that philanthropy is a business imperative, embraced by management, employees, shareholders and customers alike. CECP is proud to see the strong philanthropic commitment of our member companies and to recognize the dedication of employees in so many volunteer projects."

Founded in 1977, The Prudential Foundation is the nonprofit grant-making organization funded by Prudential Financial, Inc. It is part of Prudential's Community Resources Department, a strategic combination of four units: the Foundation, which provides support to innovative direct-service programs that address the needs of our communities in the areas of education and economic development; the Social Investment Program, which makes socially-responsible investments in the primary areas of economic development and education; Local Initiatives, which strengthens Prudential by building strategic relationships through staff initiatives and volunteer empowerment; and Business Diversity Outreach, which facilitates diverse market development and outreach efforts for Prudential businesses.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader with approximately $580 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2009, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Leveraging its heritage of life insurance and asset management expertise, Prudential is focused on helping approximately 50 million individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth. The Company's well-known Rock symbol is an icon of strength, stability, expertise and innovation that has stood the test of time. Prudential's businesses offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. For more information, please visit www.news.prudential.com.

Editor's Note:

The Prudential CARES logo is immediately available upon request and Prudential Financial executives are available for interview to discuss this release and additional community outreach efforts by contacting Laura E. Richeson, APR, Bennett & Company Marketing, 407-478-4040 or [e-mail].