Earlier this year, Dow’s St. Clair River site launched a program with Noelle’s Gift to Children to support equity in local schools. Noelle’s Gift was established in January 2013, in honour of a beautiful, dedicated caring volunteer and school teacher named Noelle Paquette. She recognized that there are many marginalized students who are victims of circumstances beyond their control and require assistance. Noelle was always aware of others in need and she believed every child deserves an equal opportunity to become a “Smash Hit” as she would often say to her students.
Through this project, Noelle's Gift to Children is building closets in Lambton County and Chatham-Kent schools. Dow funding will support the construction of the closets, and filling them with essential items like food, clothing, toiletries, sanitary products and other necessities that can be accessed discreetly by students in need. As well, Dow volunteers will be helping to assemble, deliver and stock the closets.
"This year, Dow is celebrating 125 years and we have a strong legacy of charitable investment in our region. Dow's former Sarnia site was the Company's first international location outside of the U.S., and now that we have a site in Corunna we will continue to invest in this community," said Amy Cunningham, Training Coordinator and Dow sponsor for the project. "We're excited to be working with Noelle's Gift to Children to ensure our local students have the resources they need to succeed."
The project was funded as part of Dow’s ALL IN ERG Fund, which allows the Company’s employee resource groups to apply for funding for non-profits who are addressing inclusion, diversity and equity needs in communities where Dow operates. Since the Fund was established in 2019, it has supported 37 projects in 20 countries worldwide.
“We are truly thrilled that Dow is supporting our new project,” said Michele Stokley, Noelle's Gift committee member. “Our goal is to build a closet for each school, with the wonderful help from The Carpenters Union Local 1256. We will be filling the closets with outerwear and essentials. This will ensure instant access for any child in need.”