Huber Helps Awards 2018 Impact Your Community Funding

Every year, J.M. Huber Corporation employees all over the world contribute funding and volunteer time to a variety of causes and organizations in their communities. In June, Huber Helps, the Company’s expanded approach to community engagement, launched new funding for Impact Your Community projects. The aim is to support projects with the potential for Huber to leave a lasting legacy in a way that smaller contributions may not, particularly when the need exceeds a site’s local philanthropy budget.

Requests funding represented a wide variety of organizations and projects ranging from local park and playground revitalization to social enterprise initiatives.

Huber evaluated all requests and distributed funds to three organizations in December. The criteria included a robust governance and funding model and track record, opportunities for multiple employees to volunteer with the organization, geographic diversity, and alignment with one of the four focus areas of Huber Helps: Environment; Education & Wellness; Affordable Housing; and Humanitarian Support.

The following are the organizations that received 2018 funding:

MUST Ministries “Building Hope a Home” Capital Campaign (Atlanta, Georgia)

Donation for a new shelter + in-kind product donation of Huber Engineered Woods materials

MUST Ministries is a not-for-profit organization based in Cobb County, Georgia, whose housing programs address the emergency and long-term needs of persons experiencing homelessness and rental assistance for those who are facing eviction.

Huber’s office in Atlanta has a long-standing relationship with MUST Ministries. Employees from Huber Engineered Materials (HEM), CP Kelco and Corporate have been volunteering and donating to the organization for several years.

Currently, MUST Ministries operates the 72-bed Elizabeth Inn Shelter, which provides three meals a day and extensive support services to men, women and children. As a result of an increase in the rate of homelessness in Cobb County, this shelter can no longer support the needs of the community and must turn away approximately 300 people every month as there is not enough room.

MUST’s “Building Hope a Home” capital campaign is raising the needed monies to build a new 138-bed shelter with an overall goal of raising USD $10.8 million. Construction on the shelter will begin in early 2019.

J.M. Huber Corporation will be a significant donor to this project, contributing funding as well as Huber Engineered Woods products.

Outdoor Outreach Environmental Education Program (San Diego, California)

Donation to fund 2019 program

Since 1999, Outdoor Outreach has provided opportunities for 12,500 San Diego kids to explore their world, challenge themselves and discover what they’re capable of. The youth served are confronted by poverty, homelessness, gang violence and family dysfunction, and have few resources and support to draw on.

Employees from CP Kelco’s plant in San Diego, California, have supported Outdoor Outreach for the past several years through volunteering in their local environmental education program as part of team building activities.

With every opportunity to surf, bike, kayak or climb, Outdoor Outreach gives local youth two things that greatly increase their chances of success: First, they provide opportunities for them to share new experiences, overcome challenges and discover their strengths. And second, they give them the chance to connect with supportive peers and mentors who believe in their potential. In addition, each program places emphasis on environmental stewardship.

J.M. Huber Corporation will sponsor Outdoor Outreach’s 2019 Environmental Education program, enabling 350 underprivileged youth to learn about environmental stewardship.

Shanghai Young Bakers Project (Shanghai, China)

Donation to fund 2019 class

Shanghai Young Bakers started their program in 2009 with the mission to provide a one-year high-quality training in baking and pastry preparation, free of charge, to disadvantaged Chinese youths and to empower them to become skilled and responsible adults with the abilities to live independent lives and support their families.

A sustainable Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the Chi Heng Foundation, administers the program, and it is managed by a multinational team made of full-time staff, interns and volunteers. More than 35% of the graduates confirm their employment even before the graduation and others receive an average of two to three job offers within two weeks after their graduation.

Numerous CP Kelco employees are familiar with the Young Bakers program, and multiple CP Kelco and Huber Engineered Materials customers are already corporate sponsors.

J.M. Huber Corporation’s donation will help the current class of 32 students undertake baking classes, life skills training and internships through to their graduation in July 2019.

Recognition ceremonies with all organizations will take place in early 2019. We thank all employees who submitted project applications—the response to the invitation for submissions reflected how committed Huber employees are to doing good in their communities and living by the Huber Principles.