A major soda manufacturer recently made headlines when its charity donated a sizable sum to support a number of nonprofit fundraising efforts during the fourth quarter of this year.

The Coca-Cola Foundation handed out grants totaling $17.9 million to a 83 organizations all over the globe to give money to those in need. The initiatives included $3.6 million to support nutrition and fitness programs, $3.9 million to support education, $1.6 million for recycling efforts and nearly $5 million to help local communities.

"As a local company in more than two hundred countries, The Coca-Cola Company has a role to play in building sustainable communities," said Coca-Cola Foundation chair Ingrid Saunders Jones. "Our consumers increasingly expect us to be part of their community's solution, and through our support of these 83 programs, we are making a powerful difference to improve lives and help communities thrive."

The Coca-Cola Foundation made other headlines this year when it gave $1 million to help victims of the recent earthquakes in Turkey. The charity donated the funds to the Turkish Red Crescent, in an effort to support people in Ercis and Vam, two hard-hit regions.