International Paper employees donate food to ministry

Published 1:58 pm Saturday, December 1, 2018

FRANKLIN
On Wednesday, International Paper employees donated 3,610 pounds of food to benefit the Franklin Cooperative Ministry.

International Paper employees at the Franklin mill on Wednesday afternoon donated 3,610 pounds of food that went to the Franklin Cooperative Ministry. Margaret Anne Smith, director, said this is the largest single donation the agency has ever received.

Jenny Dixon, communications manager for the Franklin mill stated, that the donation will provide 2,869 meals to those suffering from food insecurity.

Special recognition in the food drive goes to the following:

No. 1. The Finance/Purchasing/Storeroom Team collected 614 pounds (56 pounds per person;)

No. 2. The Maintenance/Engineering/Reliability Team collected 1,898 pounds (21 pounds per person;)

No. 3. The Management/Manufacturing Excellence/Human Resources Team collected 271 pounds (19 pounds per person.)

Margaret Anne Smith, director of the FCM, was overwhelmed by the amount of food donated.

“I feel like a little girl at Christmas,” she said while watching boxes being loaded onto a trailer for delivery. “This is the largest single donation we’ve ever seen.”

This presentation has been part of the month-long “Thanks for Giving” campaign taking place at IP. Other events include LIFE Month (Life-Changing Injury and Fatality Elimination safety program.)

“International Paper is committed to sending our IP team members, contractors and guests home safely at the end of each day. Since the program began, there has been a 60 percent reduction in LIFE injuries,” stated Dixon.

IP employees have also pledged to contribute $30,000 with a company match to the Franklin-Southampton United Way campaign.

From the  International Paper Foundation, the IP Giving Team awarded $75,000 in support of 25 organizations/schools in the area.