It isn’t every day that local businesses pony up $1.4 million for a good cause. But then, the state of Vermont is in an extraordinary time. Tropical Storm Irene unleashed floodwaters on the state, the likes of which haven’t been seen for 84 years. In the aftermath, the outpouring of support in the form of volunteerism and donations from individuals, businesses and nonprofit groups has also been extraordinary.
On Wednesday, Gov. Peter Shumlin held a press conference at National Life Group to honor donors large and small: grade school students from Edmunds Middle School, who raised $51 in donations from a bake sale, and eight of Vermont’s largest companies for their contributions to programs for storm victims.
Vermont Public Radio raked in $627,000 in a one-day fundraiser for the Disaster Relief Fund; Green Mountain Coffee Roasters donated $250,000; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont gave $150,000; National Life Group contributed $120,000; Subaru of New England made $100,000 available for Irene victims; Northfield Savings Bank donated $100,000; IGG Software contributed $30,000 and Coca-Cola gave $25,000 to a handful of programs for post-Irene relief.
Larry Blanford, CEO of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, said Waterbury, a town of roughly 5,500 that has hosted state government’s largest worker facility and where his company is located, “looked like a war zone” in the aftermath of Irene. His employees have made a commitment to helping their neighbors and fellow workers affected by the flood.
As National Life Group CEO Mehran Assadi explained: “Donating to communities in a time of need is “what good businesses do.”
To assist Irene victims, call 1-800-VERMONT.
