Oct 19, 2016
As residents begin to rebuild following Hurricane Matthew, Southwire’s Project GIFT will host a disaster relief collection on Thursday, Oct. 20, and Friday, Oct. 21. The collection will be held in the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter in Carrollton, Ga., from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. during the two-day event. Non-perishable food items and bottled, non-carbonated beverages will be accepted.
The longest-lasting Category 4 or 5 hurricane on record in the eastern Caribbean, Hurricane Matthew caused more than six billion dollars in damage in the United States. Overall, U.S. rainfall amounts from the storm totaled more than 13.6 trillion gallons, enough to fill the Rose Bowl stadium 163,000 times.
“Southwire has a large footprint in the state of Georgia, an area that experienced much of the damage from Hurricane Matthew, so it is extremely important for us to give back during this time,” said Kristian Whittington, Southwire’s manager of employee engagement and communication and Project GIFT coordinator. “This is a need that is ongoing, and the residents of this area will require assistance for weeks, even months.”
Through a partnership with Georgia Power, donations accepted through Southwire’s collection will be delivered to America’s Second Harvest, a locally-inspired, volunteer-driven nonprofit food bank and community-partnering organization based in Savannah, Ga. As part of Feeding America, America’s Second Harvest works with smaller food banks to provide assistance in the Brunswick and Savannah area. The organization is currently assisting with hot meals for the displaced and providing non-perishable food items for the more than 340,000 affected residents in the area.
Items collected through this effort will include non-perishable food items and bottled, non-carbonated drinks, such as bottled water, sports drinks and juices. Monetary donations will also be accepted.
“Representatives from America’s Second Harvest have told us that the hurricane aftermath in the Savannah and Brunswick area is significant, and their current food and beverage supply will not meet the expanse of this need,” said Whittington. “We know that our friends, business partners and fellow residents in west Georgia are committed to giving back in times of need. We’ve seen it time and time again in our disaster relief efforts, and we want to encourage all who are able to stop by the collection and donate to the victims of the hurricane.”
For additional information on the disaster relief collection, visit Southwire’s social media sites or call (770) 832-4729.