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Metsä Board Americas, a distributor of paperboards, is partnering with Homes with Hope, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in local communities.
The partnership began by combining Metsä Board's paperboard with the manufacturing capabilities of local converter Kari-Out. Metsä Board Americas donated rolls of MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB, a dispersion-coated barrier paperboard with medium barrier properties against grease and moisture that is both recyclable and compostable. Kari-Out produced takeout boxes free of charge, replacing Styrofoam, previously used by Homes with Hope to serve food.
With the help of its logistics partner, Corporate Traffic, Metsä Board delivered 72,200 paperboard containers to Homes with Hope's food pantry in Westport, CT. The donation was distributed to eight additional organizations in Fairfield County, extending its impact.
This collaboration highlights Metsä Board Americas' commitment to corporate social responsibility. "As our presence in the Americas expanded, we wanted to develop initiatives designed to positively impact the community," said Nathan Pajka, Sustainability Manager, Metsa Board Americas. "We also wanted to align our outreach with our business model and product portfolio to leverage our skillset and make a more meaningful difference locally."
Helen McAlinden, President & CEO of Homes with Hope, expressed appreciation for the partnership: "This collaboration with Metsä Board Americas provides tremendous value to our food pantry operations and the individuals we serve, as well as to numerous other non-profit providers throughout Connecticut. The donation reached near and far around the State. This generous donation was made available and valued by many of our non-profit community partners. The sustainable takeout containers enable members from our many non-profit partner agencies to safely transport food from pantries and Community Kitchens to work or home, addressing both practical needs and environmental concerns."
Building on this success, Metsä Board Americas is looking to develop a consistent donation schedule with Homes with Hope for the future and plans to expand their product donations to include paper plates and cups. The company has also established a Community Engagement Committee comprising nearly 30 team members to consider and facilitate additional initiatives across four categories: youth education, material donations, volunteerism, and charitable giving.
