Firestone Natural Rubber Company Extends Cargo Donation Program Through 2008
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. and HARBEL, Liberia, West Africa (Dec. 6, 2007) – Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC (Firestone Liberia), today said it is extending its cargo donation program through 2008.
In 2006, Firestone Liberia began providing space on its ships for relief goods and other donated cargo from aid organizations to help rebuild this West African nation. Since that time, nearly 30 aid organizations have signed up to ship donated goods—including medicine, vitamins, food, generators and building materials.
“We are very appreciative that Firestone is helping us ship containers to Liberia,” said Dr. Del Chinchen, President of African Bible College University of Liberia, who is shipping construction supplies and tools to help restore its 22-building campus. “Besides the physical destruction, civil conflict also destroys the social and moral fabric of a country. Firestone is enabling ABC University to contribute toward the social transformation of Liberia.” ABC University hopes to welcome its first class of students in Sept. 2008.
Cargo space is available to qualified charitable organizations with the ocean freight expense covered by Firestone. Under the program, each Firestone ship headed to Liberia will reserve several containers worth of space for relief goods and other donated cargo. Firestone will accept containers of non-perishable foods, medical supplies, new and used clothing, schoolbooks and other supplies and deliver them to Monrovia for the people of Liberia as directed by the donor charity.
“We have been encouraged by the overwhelming interest charitable organizations have expressed in helping the people of Liberia, and we want to give them the chance to do so,” said Dan Adomitis, President of Firestone Natural Rubber Company. “We are committed to working with the government and aid organizations to help rebuild this country’s infrastructure and social services which were destroyed during many years of internal strife.”
Charitable organizations interested in shipping items to Liberia can fill out an application on the company’s Web site, www.FirestoneNaturalRubber.com, and e-mail it to donationcargo@firestonenaturalrubber.com with a scanned copy of the organization’s 501(c)(3) documentation.
Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC:
The Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Firestone Diversified Products (BFDP), traces its origins back to 1926 when The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company first established a natural rubber production facility in Liberia, West Africa. The company operates a 118,000-acre rubber growing and processing facility, employing approximately 6,000 teammates who harvest and process natural rubber and latex. After processing, the natural rubber (dry rubber and liquid latex) is shipped to the United States. The dry rubber is sold to Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT), for the manufacture of tires. The latex is sold to third party North American manufacturers of dipped goods, adhesives and carpet backing. Firestone is a leading supplier of natural latex concentrate in North America.
The Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Firestone Diversified Products (BFDP), traces its origins back to 1926 when The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company first established a natural rubber production facility in Liberia, West Africa. The company operates a 118,000-acre rubber growing and processing facility, employing approximately 6,000 teammates who harvest and process natural rubber and latex. After processing, the natural rubber (dry rubber and liquid latex) is shipped to the United States. The dry rubber is sold to Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT), for the manufacture of tires. The latex is sold to third party North American manufacturers of dipped goods, adhesives and carpet backing. Firestone is a leading supplier of natural latex concentrate in North America.