In the wake of disaster, Southwire’s Project GIFT® stepped into action for the second time in two months, providing relief to victims impacted by recent tornadoes that tore through Hamilton, Miss. In just three days, Project GIFT was able to collect food and supplies for hundreds of affected families.
During an outbreak of severe weather that began on Saturday, April 14 and continued terrorizing the southern and eastern United States over the weekend, 10 tornadoes hit Mississippi, leaving one fatality, more than 45 injuries and widespread damage throughout the state. Five days later, Southwire’s Starkville, Miss., Plant hosted a three-day community collection for relief supplies.
“Despite bad weather during the first day of the drive, our community came together once again,” said Natalie Henley, Human Resources manager and Giving Back coordinator for Southwire’s Starkville facility. “I’m very grateful that we as a company are able to help out people in need. When you witness what others have gone through, it makes you realize how lucky you are.”
Through the three-day collection, the Starkville Project GIFT team was able to fill a tractor-trailer of relief supplies, which were distributed in Hamilton, Miss., on Saturday, April 20.
“When we arrived at the Hamilton Distribution Center to drop off the supplies we collected, the director was not expecting an 18-wheeler to come rolling up,” said Henley. “Being such a small town, they were surprised and amazed that a company did so much to help.”
To learn more about Southwire’s efforts to give back in our local communities, visit Southwire Community on Facebook.