Greif, Inc. helps support Habitat for Humanity’s 29th Annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project
DELAWARE, Ohio (Nov. 30, 2012) – Greif, Inc. (NYSE: GEF, GEF.B) helped sponsor Habitat for Humanity’s 29th annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, an internationally recognized weeklong event of building houses. This year’s build is taking place from Nov. 23 – Dec. 1 in Léogâne, Haiti.
President and Mrs. Carter joined nearly 600 volunteers to help build 100 homes in the Santo community in partnership with families affected by the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in 2010. The 2012 Carter Work Project was the culmination of a two-year effort to help families left homeless from the disaster. Volunteers helped build 150 houses in the Santo community in 2011.
Greif, a global provider of industrial packaging products and services, is a Gold sponsor for the Carter Work Project 2012 in Haiti. Twelve Greif employees joined the other volunteers to help build homes in the Santo community. Greif also donated rain catchment systems for 300 core houses in Léogâne, and more through a gifts-in-kind contribution to Habitat.
In addition to supporting Habitat’s Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, Greif and Habitat are working together to develop and test water solutions for the countries where access to clean water remains a challenge. Furthermore, Habitat and Greif are testing the Greif water backpack, PackH2O, an innovative water transport system, for use in disaster response projects in more than 20 countries. PackH2O is a low-cost, durable and efficient human water transport tool, designed to ease the burden of carrying water home rather than using jerry cans or buckets. Greif, which has operations in more than 200 locations in more than 55 countries, is positioned to be one of Habitat’s important global partners.
The Carter Work Project is the culmination of a two-month observance to bring attention to the need for safe and decent housing and the pivotal role of housing in community development, which began with special events on World Habitat Day, Monday, Oct. 1.
World Habitat Day is designated each year by the United Nations to call attention to the need for adequate housing for everyone by raising awareness and mobilizing people to take action in response to the need of better shelter around the world. This year’s World Habitat Day theme was “many homes, one community.”
The Carters are Habitat for Humanity’s most famous volunteers and give a week of their time each year to help Habitat build, renovate or repair homes and raise awareness about the need for affordable and decent housing. They joined Habitat for Humanity in 1984 to help renovate a decaying building in New York City’s Lower East Side. Today, the building is part of a thriving, reinvigorated and dynamic community. Since that build, the Carters and thousands of volunteers have worked with Habitat for Humanity across the United States and in Mexico, Canada, Hungary, South Africa, South Korea, India, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Laos and Vietnam.
About Greif
Greif is a world leader in industrial packaging products and services. The company produces steel, plastic, fibre, flexible, corrugated and multiwall containers; intermediate bulk containers; containerboard and packaging accessories; and provides blending, filling and industrial packaging reconditioning services for a wide range of industries. Greif also manages timber properties in North America. Greif has a long-term commitment to creating and engaging in sustainable business practices, investing in manufacturing process improvements that reduce waste, energy and water use. Greif also supports humanitarian relief efforts with the development and distribution of its PackH2O water backpack and through other activities. For more information about Greif’s sustainability achievements, go to www.greif.com/sustainability.
About Habitat for Humanity Haiti
Habitat for Humanity has been at work in Haiti for 28 years and has provided housing solutions through a variety of initiatives including new home construction, progressive building, home repairs and improvements, and land reform advocacy. Habitat also builds capacity in construction skills, disaster risk reduction and financial literacy, and works in coordination with community and government agencies. To learn more, please visit habitat.org/Haiti, or follow us at www.facebook.com/Habitat for Humanity Haiti - Official Site or at www.twitter.com/habitatinhaiti.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat’s blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.