Der Leim-Talk Blog

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Employees Take Action to be Part of Healing and Growth

Posted 02 Jul 2020 by Nathan Weaver, Vice President, Human Resources and Communications

The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, sparked tremendous outrage all over the world. Uprisings and protests led to the destruction of neighborhoods very close to our world headquarters.

Employees wanted to take action to be a part of healing and growth. Here are some of the ways in which they responded.

Essential Goods Drive

After stores were damaged and closed, and with the disruption of public transportation, many residents in Minneapolis and St. Paul found themselves without access to food and personal care items. Employees in Willow Lake held a product donation drive to offer relief to those communities. Two truckloads of essential supplies, including diapers, soap, and non-perishable food items were delivered to the neighborhoods hit hardest by the unrest. Three pallets of bottled water also were delivered to distribution centers in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Employee and Matching Gifts for Rebuilding Efforts 

Recognizing the importance of rebuilding the small businesses and community organizations affected by damage, the H.B. Fuller Company Foundation offered to match donations to the local business alliance We Love Lake Street. Employees responded very generously, donating more than $6,000 to the organization. The Foundation provided a $5,000 matching donation, resulting in an overall gift of $11,125 for the rebuilding effort.

New Racial Equity Fund

In the interest of impacting lasting change, the H.B. Fuller Company Foundation has created the Racial Equity Fund, pledging more than 60% of its giving this fall to the cause. This Fund will support organizations in the Twin Cities metropolitan area working to address historic, systemic racism and its impact on communities of color. The Foundation will be soliciting grant requests to help address racial inequities in employment, education and community safety.

We are proud of the many ways our employees have responded to adversity, and are committed to continuing to make our communities safe and equitable for all.

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