Huber Selects Impact Your Community Funding Recipients
ATLANTA (January 13, 2021) – J.M. Huber Corporation chose six organizations for Impact Your Community (IYC) funding. This annual Huber Helps program supports projects that can benefit a community for multiple years or generations, offering the Company the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy in a way that smaller contributions may not, particularly when the need exceeds a Huber site’s local community engagement budget.
Employees from locations around the world advocated for causes that they believed Huber could help, submitting 20 applications for IYC funding in late 2020. Projects were evaluated on a variety of criteria including having a robust governance structure and financial model, creating a long-term positive impact in a community, and providing opportunities for Huber’s employees to participate in volunteerism when appropriate.
After an extensive review and evaluation process, the following organizations / projects were selected to receive funding in early 2021:
Conewago Valley Foundation for Education
Huber Engineered Materials (HEM) — Hanover, Pennsylvania
Funds for the construction of a greenhouse for use in an Agricultural Education Program
The mission of the Conewago Valley Foundation for Education is to support the local school district, which incorporates the City of Hanover, where the Miller Chemical & Fertilizer facility is located. The foundation promotes individual and collaborative excellence, enabling students to become competent, confident and creative community citizens and employees.
The Huber contribution will be used to construct a greenhouse that will be used for Agriculture and Science classes, as well as the Future Farmers of America youth organization. As the program expands, they have envisioned how the greenhouse could grow products that would support their Family & Consumer Science program and Food Services in the district.
HEM — Bauxite, Arkansas
Funds for the creation of a natural play area for local children
Grace Discovery Center is a non-profit program located in Saline County, a highly urbanized area where HEM’s Bauxite plant is located.
Huber Helps funding will support the Center’s objective of providing a play area, which uses items from nature—dirt, rocks, trees, vegetation, water—to provide mind stimulating games and challenges for children. The recreational area will be used by children from local communities and schools, as well as those in foster custody (some of whom are currently in the care of Bauxite employees) to explore, discover, create, make predictions and solve problems in a socially distanced, safe, outdoor learning environment. This gift will lessen stress in addition to helping children gain valuable skills for school, social interactions and the future workforce.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Red River Valley of Oklahoma
Huber Engineered Woods (HEW) — Broken Bow, Oklahoma
Funds for the construction of a new facility with appliances, games, furnishings and Wi-Fi access
The Boys & Girls Club is a well-known, respected and well-governed charitable organization serving underprivileged children. Located in the community next to HEW’s Broken Bow plant, this Boys & Girls Club chapter is the only after-school organization for at-risk youth in the area. The organization serves ages five to 18 of all nationalities in an area where the poverty level is at 80%.
The Huber contribution will help the organization construct a larger, properly outfitted building to serve more children. The new facility will be equipped with recreation equipment such as billiards, foosball, ping pong and air hockey tables. It will also have a kitchen and small laundry room. Wi-Fi access will be available for local children to complete their homework, receive tutoring and play video games in a safe environment.
CP Kelco — San Diego, California
Funding for one year program needs for the Street of Dreams project, which benefits local teen mothers at risk
Operational since 1998, Musicians for Education’s signature program Street of Dreams (SOD), is an arts education and college bridge program for teen mothers ages 12 to 18 who come from a background of foster care, group homes and homeless shelters. The program has a 100% success rate, with all students completing the program, graduating from high school and enrolling in college.
An integral part of the program is a peer mentorship program called the Dream Team Project, in which graduates of the program provide emotional support to high school seniors to help them through the transitional year into college. The peer mentorship aspect is essential for the long-term success of the students who are the first high school graduates and college attendees in their families.
CP Kelco — Shanghai, China
Funding for the 2021 educational program
Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) started their program in 2009 with the mission to provide a one-year, high-quality training course in baking and pastry preparation, free of charge. The program benefits marginalized Chinese youths aged 17 to 23, enabling them to find qualified jobs and lead independent lives after graduation. More than 35% of the graduates confirm their employment before graduation and others receive an average of 2-3 job offers within two weeks after their graduation. To date, SYB has trained about 400 students.
The Huber Helps donation will help the 2021 class of 20 students undertake baking classes, life skills training and internships through graduation. COVID-19 conditions permitting, CP Kelco’s Shanghai office employees may have the opportunity to volunteer with the organization.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Danville Area
HEW — Crystal Hill, Virginia
Funds for the renovation of the Teen Center
The Boys & Girls Club of the Danville Area (BGCDA) is located in the community next to HEW’s Crystal Hill plant. BGCDA’s mission is to inspire all youth to reach their full potential as caring, productive and responsible citizens. The organization’s outcomes are that 100% of club members graduate on time, 100% of club members are promoted to the next grade, zero members are involved in gangs and there is a zero teen pregnancy rate.
The Huber Helps funding will be used to renovate the Teen Center and provide technology upgrades to support use of internet in building.
Visit the Huber Helps page to learn more about Huber’s community engagement initiative.
