Latest commitment will fund additional
educational and community efforts in the town of Gloster, Mississippi where Drax
operates
MONROE,
La., April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Renewable
energy company Drax announced today a $250,000 commitment to create the Gloster
Community Fund, a fund earmarked exclusively for initiatives
that will improve quality of life and support grassroots activities
in Gloster, Mississippi, where
Drax operates a wood pellet production facility.
Following community outreach and conversations, senior Drax
leadership visited with Gloster
community members and town leadership in March 2024 to discuss actionable items to meet
the needs of the community. From those meetings, opportunities were
identified where funding from Drax could help, including
educational and recreational outlets for local youth and the
creation of a community advisory panel.
"Our continued investment in Gloster aligns with our core values of
sustainability and community engagement," said Matt White, Drax Executive Vice President of
North America Operations. "This latest investment is a direct
result of working with community members where we operate, and it
represents Drax's ongoing commitment to listening to the concerns
and desires of the people to take steps to respond."
The latest commitments from Drax to Gloster residents include:
- Dedicated $250,000 Gloster
Fund: Will allow Drax to continue making lasting, positive
impacts in the community and will be earmarked specifically for
Gloster projects and initiatives
that are designed to improve quality of life and support grassroots
activities as part of our commitment to being a good neighbor.
- Community Advisory Panel: To help Drax deepen community
engagement and more effectively respond to community needs, we are
creating a community advisory panel in Gloster that will be made up of community
leaders and citizens to help inform Drax's future investments in
the region. This panel will help identify local priority issues and
projects to be supported with the Gloster Community Fund.
- Career & Job Opportunity Assistance: Drax
leadership committed to working with the town to share job openings
and opportunities. In addition to posting to the Gloster webpage, the jobs will be posted on
the Gloster Town Hall community information board. Drax has also
committed to working with Amite County High School and Southwest Mississippi College and Workforce
Center to create easier pathways into Drax employment.
- Donation of Computers: To help support educational and
tutoring efforts organized by local organizations, including the
Gloster Chamber of Commerce, Drax
will donate computers to the Town of
Gloster. The computers will be housed at the Gloster
National Guard Armory where residents can use them for educational
and research purposes.
- Annual Town Hall Meetings: To better communicate and
respond directly to community questions and concerns.
- Bi-annual Focus Groups: To better understand and
address community sentiment.
- New Community Manager: To help coordinate town halls and
focus groups, Drax will welcome a new Community Manager in the
coming weeks. This position will cover community engagement for
Drax operations in the southern U.S., including Gloster.
- Gloster Updates Webpage: Drax is launching a dedicated
Gloster webpage that include
frequently asked questions, detailed information about the plant
and links to the most recent job openings.
"I am delighted to see Drax's continued commitment to our town,"
said Jerry Norwood, Mayor of
Gloster. "It's not just
dollars Drax is donating, but resources and time. Their investment
not only boosts our local economy, but also underscores Drax's
dedication to our community's growth and success."
Prior to the community investments announced today,
Drax donated $130,000 towards
the creation of a walking track in the Gloster area, committed to fund the
installation of air conditioning systems at the National Guard
Armory Building, organized a turkey giveaway event for 200
households in Amite County during
the 2023 holiday season, sponsored STEM-focused programs for
children, and provided financial assistance to local groups
following natural disasters.
To learn more about the Drax Foundation and Drax's efforts in
Mississippi, visit
www.drax.com/ms.
About Drax
Drax Group's purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost
energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be
carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and
storage (BECCS) technology.
Drax's approximately 3,000 employees operate across three
principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity
sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production
and supply to third parties. For more information, visit
www.drax.com.
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SOURCE Drax Group