Community Story — A Strong Relationship Between the Dow Family and Our Neighbors

	SCO employee Elliot visits with one of the sites near neighbors during SCOs Door-to-Door event. About 50 employee volunteers spent an afternoon visiting near neighbors and distributing news about the site and shelter-in-place information. During the visits, residents also had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about Dows operations. Here, Elliot is explaining how chemicals and plastics that Dow produces go into a variety of household products such as the plastic bag clip that he is holding.
	SCO employee Billy explains some of the operations of a chemical production facility inside the PTEC trailer, an interactive learning environment that helps students understand Process Technology. Students from Hahnville High School, including (left to right) Kentrell, Jamie, Brody and Kaitlyn, were able to talk to real-life process technicians that work at local chemical manufacturing facilities such as Dow at the event and learn more about the future career opportunity.
	SCO employees visited two local agencies that are funded by the United Way, giving employees an opportunity to see how money donated every year to the United Way is put to good use. Here employees Tommy, Katherine and Robert talk with two clients at the Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC) of St. Charles in Boutte.
	Employees Lending a Hand after Hurricane Katrina – St. Charles Operations employee, Greg, help to distribute water and ice to evacuees at the FEMA distribution station set up at the West Bank Bridge Park in Luling, Louisiana. Greg was among more than 50 St. Charles Operations employees that donated time at the distribution station since the day after the storm.

At St. Charles Operations (SCO) we are committed to the success and support of our community. Here are a few examples of our areas of work.

Hurricane Katrina Response

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many St. Charles Operations employees offered their hands and their hearts towards many relief efforts throughout the community — volunteering their personal time in shelters, sharing their home with displaced families, and taking part in donation drives to help evacuees. St. Charles Operations also provided equipment, supplies and skilled volunteers (electrical and mechanical) to get the local hospital, health unit, grocery store and bank back on line to provide basic services to the community. See web page for more information:    

Dow and UCC Respond to Employee and Community Needs in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina Aftermath.

Community Grants

In 2005 Dow awarded $35,000 to eight non-profit organizations for community projects in St. Charles Parish with the site’s Community Grant Program. The grants were selected on a competitive basis, with a committee of Dow employees and community residents reviewing the proposals and selecting the projects that best matched the criteria for the program.

United Way

SCO plays a key role in St. Charles Parish’s United Way campaign and activities. Through contributions and volunteer participation in site events that included a golf tournament, site jambalaya cook-off and a fishing rodeo, Dow employees donated $260,000 for the site’s 2005-2006 United Way Campaign Drive. Total corporate contributions amounted to $65,000, bringing the contribution total to $325,000.

Partner-in-Education

We want to show our commitment to the future by supporting students and teachers. SCO is a Partner-in-Education with three area schools: Hahnville High, Luling Elementary and St. Rose Primary. We also use our expertise in science and technology to judge science fairs, present in-class demonstrations and stress the importance of science and education at all levels.

Science and Environmental Education

SCO provides special focus on science and environmental education, in part through scholarships and other award programs. We help sponsor a national, award-winning middle school program called the “LaBranche Wetland Watchers” group. We are also involved in an annual Clean Sweep event, and we co-sponsor an annual Household Hazardous Materials Collection Day for our community.

Volunteer Service Hours and Donations

Our dedicated employees also give hundreds of volunteer service hours and donations through programs such as: 

• Junior Achievement & Exchange City
• Student Mentoring
• Job Shadowing
• Career Connections
• Food Drives
• Toy Drives

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