SOURCE:Eastman Chemical Company
DESCRIPTION:
Thanks to our Eastman team members - and several community partners and neighbors, we collected a record-setting 25,000 items for the 2016 Supplies for Soldiers campaign! In December, more than 1,000 care packages made their way around the world to 73 U.S. soldiers deployed overseas.
Each soldier received multiple boxes of toiletries, entertainment items such as books and playing cards, non-perishable food/drink mixes, and practical items, including batteries, note pads and much more. Each soldier also received notes and letters from area students sharing their gratitude and sweet wishes:
“Thank you for fighting for this country and me.”
“Thank you for protecting us.”
“Thank you for my freedom.”
“You’re my hero and I’m going to be a soldier one day like you.”
“I’m sorry you’re not home with your family.”
Started by a small group of employees in 2009, Supplies for Soldiers provides support to loved ones, friends, family members and neighbors that are deployed overseas during the holiday season. In 2012, Eastman adopted the program and has since expanded the program to other domestic sites through the company’s Corporate Responsibility efforts.
“In 2015, we nearly doubled the number of items donated over the previous year, and we topped that number again in 2016,” said Angela McCamy, Corporate Social Responsibility specialist, and campaign manager. “This is the most successful collection year in the history of the program. I’m excited about the level of participation from Eastman sites across the U.S. and from our local communities. It makes my heart happy to know that 73 soldiers and their units who could not be with their families this Christmas, received some comforts from home. They know that we’re thinking and praying for them and they’re not forgotten.”
“Eastman has always been a strong supporter of the military and this program exhibits our personal support for those service men and women deployed overseas,” said Etta Clark, vice president of Global Public Affairs and Policy. “Simply providing items like toothbrushes, magazines, snack bars, books, or blankets – small things that we take for granted and use every day but are needed and appreciated by our soldiers - affords us the opportunity to show our troops how much their service to our country means to us".
After receiving their packages, thank you notes from deployed soldiers began pouring in at a rapid pace.
“Thank you, thank you and thank you Eastman Supplies for Soldiers.”
“…It’s easy to forget why we do what we do, especially after being in the service for several years. But this kind gesture of care packages like these reminded us all of the reason we ‘raised out right hand.’ Thank you to all that were involved in Eastman Supplies for Soldiers…”
“…These care packages obviously have had a great deal of thought and effort put into preparing them; it really does help boost spirits. Knowing there are more people back home thinking of us, other than our families, is extremely uplifting. Thank you again…”
Thanks to everyone for your donations. Every small item adds up to make a big impact. Thanks to the many volunteers who worked hard to collect, sort, pack and ship these comforts of home to our deployed soldiers. It’s takes all of us to make this campaign a success every year.
Tweet me:.@eastmanchemco Eastman Supplies for Soldiers Ships Record Number of Packages http://bit.ly/2iKmEi8
KEYWORDS: Volunteerism & Community Engagement, Philanthropy, Eastman, Supplies for Soldiers, Corporate Responsibility
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