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February 12, 2007
Working together to make a difference! The Alcoa Foundation was very active in Baie-Comeau in 2006
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Baie-Comeau, February 12, 2007 – The Alcoa Foundation paid out a total of US$186,000 in the region in 2006. Five organizations received major grants, sharing a total of US$115,000. These sums were used to bring to fruition a number of worthwhile projets that each constitute a priority for the regional community.
Here are the five donee organizations and their projects:
— The École Boisvert was granted the amount of US$15,000 for the creation of its herbertism and nature trail intended not only for the students of the school, but also for the whole population.
— The Cégep de Baie-Comeau also received the amount of US$15,000 for the implementation of its scientific DNA workshops.
— The Villa des retraités received US$15,000 for the installation of a security system at the entrances of the future centre for average- or low-income retirees.
— The Vallée des Roseaux will institute a service quality assessment and enhancement process in order to provide excellent palliative services to the community. The sum of US$30,000 was granted to the institution to this end.
— The Service d’actions entrepreneuriales Manicouagan received US$40,000 for a project centered on the development of instructional material on the design and manufacture of aluminum structures. The material will be provided to students in civil engineering technology at the Cégep de Baie-Comeau. This will be a first in Québec.
Year after year, the Alcoa Foundation allows to support organizations for specific projects that meet the priority needs of the community. In fact, providing active and concrete support to life in its community constitutes one of Alcoa’s fundamental values. Last year, for the first time, the selection of the projects was entrusted to a committee. Dominic Martin, coordinator at the Forum jeunesse Côte-Nord and member of the advisory committee of the Baie-Comeau smelter, participated in the selection process.
For Pierre Morin, Executive Director of the Alcoa smelter in Baie-Comeau, the Alcoa Foundation’s activities allow to reinforce the base of the local, social and educational life of the communities where Alcoa has its facilities. “The Alcoa Foundation allows us to be even more present and to better contribute to the enhancement of our quality of life. The same can be said of the commitment of our people towards the community, a commitment I wish to emphasize today.”
Other contributions
Amounts were also distributed in the area in 2006 thanks to the Alcoa Foundation. Thus, five ACTION projects, spearheaded by volunteer groups, received a total of US$15,000. In addition, more than 130 employees qualified for the Bravo! program which supports individual volunteer work. Thus, over 50 organizations received US$33,750 following the volunteer services of our employees. To this must be added other grants awarded during the year 2006 and totalizing US$23,000, namely a grant awarded to the Répit Daniel-Potvin. In total, the Alcoa Foundation distributed US$186,750 in our region last year.
Mr. Morin also underlined the great work accomplished by the people within the donee organizations. For the team at the Alcoa smelter in Baie-Comeau, community involvement goes well beyond financial support. Indeed, beyond the grants, there are several causes, and beyond these causes, there must be a multitude of committed and generous people. That is why, year after year, the Alcoa Foundation underlines the involvement of the employees working at the smelter in the region, who devote their time to volunteer service.
Created in 1952, the Alcoa Foundation actively invests in improving the quality of life in countries where Alcoa is present. In 2005, the Foundation distributed over US$37.9 million in grants throughout the world. The Foundation provides grants that meet local and global needs in four areas of excellence, such as conservation and sustainability, education and workplace skills development, business and community partnerships, as well as safe and healthy children and families. The Alcoa Foundation manages Alcoa’s ACTION and BRAVO! programs which support the efforts of employees by providing grants to the organizations they serve as volunteers. For further information on the Alcoa Foundation, visit the Community section of the website www.alcoa.com.
1 The BRAVO! program recognizes the work of employees who devote at least 50 hours per year to a non-profit organization. It does so by granting to this organization US$250 per participating employee.
2 The ACTION program recognizes the work of employees who join efforts to accomplish projects directly in their community. Non-profit organizations not only benefit from the work of the volunteers, they also receive a financial contribution of US$1,500 and US$3,000 from Alcoa.
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