Throughout the year, individuals and teams across Pratt Industries devote their time & energy to giving back to their local communities. As the end of the year approaches, we want to highlight the efforts and good works of a few of these hometown heroes donating their time and resources through volunteer activities, gift donations, mentorships and more.
Putting Safety First During the Work Day and Beyond
One of Pratt’s guiding principles is to put safety first. Bryon Rowan, Sr., a truck driver for Pratt Logistics in Wapakoneta, OH is helping to make sure safety is a community wide priority. As a member of the Shelby County Ohio Amateur Radio Emergency Services of Ohio and an Assistant Skywarn Coordinator, Rowan generously gives his time to provide first-hand weather spotting observations for the National Weather Service during severe weather events. His activities help to ensure that people within his community and surrounding areas are aware of any dangerous weather situations in a timely manner. Rowan also volunteers in non-emergency situations, such as local parades and events, to help ensure crowd safety and awareness and is a volunteer sound technician for his church. Rowan shared that being an amateur radio operator is rewarding because it allows him to serve his community while doing something he loves.
Creating an Environment where Children Can Learn, Grow and Thrive
Pratt strives to create an environment where our people are empowered to learn, grow and thrive and several employees take an active role to help children within their community have the same opportunity. Joseph Hoofnagle, shipping manager for Pratt Corrugating in Springfield, OH shares his love of baseball and the importance of teamwork as a volunteer little league coach. While Hoofnagle admits that keeping a group of young children focused on learning can be challenging, he says it is worth it when he sees them start to understand, enjoy the game and grow as individuals as well as a team.
Danny Taylor, a truck driver for Pratt Logistics in Shreveport, LA recently created an after-school program called Targeting Young Men (TYM). The program gives local children a safe environment in which to learn, connect and grow, helping them to turn challenging situations into new opportunities and teaching them how to set positive goals for the future.
Robert Yaw, a truck driver with Pratt Converting in Albert Lea, MN helps to bring holiday cheer, and good behavior, to his community all year long by playing Santa Claus at local events and parties. Yaw even shows up as Santa during unexpected times of the year, such as the annual Boat Parade in July, to remind children that Santa is watching and to spread a little holiday magic even in the off season. And sometimes, Mrs. Claus, Yaw’s wife, joins in the fun, too.
Seeing a Need and Taking Action
Pratt’s entrepreneurial culture empowers our employees to pursue continuous improvement and to take action for the betterment of our organization, people and customers. James Grasse, a truck driver for Pratt Logistics in Rockwall, TX extends this principle to take action in his community when he sees a need. From contributing to local food banks and senior centers to providing air conditioning units and portable generators for families, Grasse continuously finds ways to give to his community and those who need a little extra help throughout the year.
From mentorships to food and toy drives to ensuring safety and fun for their families, friends and neighbors, Pratt employees across the nation are actively involved in the communities in which they live and work. The above stories, as well as the photos in the gallery below, are just a snapshot of the many ways that our employees give back to their local communities.
Pratt Conyers, GA
This holiday season, several divisions based out of Pratt’s Conyers, GA campus worked together to collect toys for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Employees from Pratt’s Corrugating, Pratt Specialty Sheets, Retail Specialty, Clean Energy and Paper Mill divisions donated new, unopened toys for children spending the holidays in the hospital.
Pratt Corrugating – Springfield, OH
This year, the Pratt Springfield Corrugating team continued the annual tradition of supporting their local Second Harvest Food Bank by packing 150 boxes of food for area senior citizens. The boxes are filled with 40 pounds of nutritious food and distributed to seniors throughout several local counties by Second Harvest Food Bank who works to alleviate hunger in the Ohio Tri-county area.
Pratt Retail Specialty – Carlisle, PA
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, Pratt Retail Specialty in Carlisle, PA hosted a number of events to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Many of the employees also participated in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk of South Central PA held in Harrisburg, PA.
Pratt Paper Mill and Corrugating – Wapakoneta, OH
Our paper mill and corrugator in Wapakoneta, OH recently donated to Keep Ohio Beautiful to establish a new pocket park in downtown Wapakoneta Legacy Parkplatz. Pratt Industry employees partnered with Keep Ohio Beautiful and other community volunteers to plant 108 trees and shrubs surrounding the park’s monuments and parking lot.
Pratt Retail Specialty – Wapakoneta, OH
Pratt Retail Specialty in Wapakoneta, OH took part in the town’s annual Halloween parade distributing nearly 170 pounds of candy – donated by Pratt employees – to residents along the parade route. The Pratt employees dressed up as characters from Disney’s Toy Story, and the float was designed as a hometown nod to the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum and made of moving boxes manufactured by the Wapakoneta Retail Specialty facility.
Pratt Corporate – Atlanta, GA
Pratt employees, including Executive Global Chairman Anthony Pratt, recently volunteered with teams from HelloFresh, and Second Helpings Atlanta to pack 1,000 meals for people in need as a part of the Meals with Meaning Atlanta program. The program, which began in August 2021, has donated more than 500,000 meals to families facing food insecurity in Atlanta.