Industry companies contribute to charities, nonprofits

Even during the summer doldrums, material handling and logistics companies continue to donate their time, money, and services to nonprofit organizations. Here are just a few recent examples:

• FedEx Truckload Brokerage, FedEx Custom Critical, and FedEx Trade Networks donated land, sea, and air transportation to deliver two remote-controlled underwater search vehicles and associated equipment for the TIGHAR (The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery) Earhart Project expedition. TIGHAR's research vessel departed Hawaii on July 2—the 75th anniversary of Amelia Earhart's disappearance—to search for signs of her plane.
• Service at home and abroad is a core mission for Millwood Inc., a producer of unit-load and packaging systems, materials, and services. The company provides monetary and volunteer support for several faith-based organizations, including missionary and ministry groups and a homeless shelter. Millwood also sponsors summer camps for children and teens in several states.
• For the sixth consecutive year, DHL Global Forwarding assisted Iowa MOST (Miles of Smiles Team) by shipping medical and office supplies for a medical mission to Guatemala. Iowa MOST provides free surgical repair for cleft lip and palate, among other maxillofacial procedures, to individuals living in the western highlands of Guatemala.
• The Raymond Corp. recently recognized high school seniors who completed its two-year Youth Apprenticeship Program. Held in conjunction with Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services and the Greene School District in New York, the program teaches students about manufacturing, quality improvement, and material handling.
• For the third year, C.H. Robinson Worldwide was the title sponsor of the Bike MS: C.H. Robinson Worldwide MS 150 Ride. Participants rode from Duluth, Minn., to the Twin Cities to raise money for the National MS Society. The ride, which took place in June, raised more than $3 million; to date, more than 550 employees, families, and friends have ridden with the company's bike team.
• Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D., has received the marine conservation organization Blue Frontier Campaign's 2012 Peter Benchley Ocean Award for "Excellence in Solutions." Knatz, a former marine biologist and environmental engineer, has led efforts to clean up the air and water around the port and is a leader in the "Greening Ports" movement.
• The Union Pacific Foundation is granting some $210,000 to 23 Wyoming nonprofit organizations involved in the arts, social service, youth development, and health care. The foundation, which is funded from the operating profits of Union Pacific Corp., distributes funds to organizations in communities served by Union Pacific in 22 states.