Dow Partners with United Way and Turns Points Into Printers for Delaware Valley Non-Profits

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The idea is simple, but unusual: donate reward points from company purchases to the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Gifts-in-Kind program. The result is more than 100 printers and scanners for 15 area non-profits.

“This wonderful gift will boost efficiency in our office and assist teachers in our classrooms”

The donation came from The Dow Chemical Company, which turned more than a half million Hewlett Packard reward points into valuable donations of new HP office equipment and supplies to United Way and other Philadelphia area non-profits participating in the United Way Gifts-In-Kind program.

“We have a wonderful history with Rohm and Haas, now The Dow Chemical Company, in the Delaware Valley,” said Camara Jordan, manager for United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Gifts-In-Kind Program. “Among the variety of in-kind donations we’ve received, this was one of the most creative and is the first time a company has donated points from this type of purchase.”

Receiving four new HP Color LaserJet printers is Children’s Village, a long-time and nationally-accredited child care center located on the edge of the city’s Chinatown. It serves more than 300 children between age 13 months and 9 years of age with day care, early childhood education and education enrichment.

“This wonderful gift will boost efficiency in our office and assist teachers in our classrooms,” says Susan Frankel, Development Director for Children’s Village. “Dow’s offices are located just two blocks from us and they’ve been a great neighbor,” she notes. “Over the past two years, we’ve received a Dow grant, volunteer help for our annual fundraiser and a visit from a Dow scientist who spoke with our classes about “Chemistry In Sports.”

The organizations receiving the office equipment include: BEBASHI, Boat People SOS, Children’s Village Child Care Center, Christ Lutheran Church, Dignity Housing, Federation Early Learning Services, The Frator Heru Institute, Impact Services Corporation, Maternity Care Coalition, Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Multi-Cultural Academy Charter School, Precious Gems Supportive Services, Inc., Programs Employing People, Senior Community Services and the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

The more than 640,000 HP PurchasEdge Reward points were earned by Dow’s Rohm and Haas subsidiary through purchases of office equipment and supplies for over five years.

“We’re thrilled to be able to turn our HP reward points into purchases benefiting the non-profit community,” says Barbara Del Duke, Dow Public Affairs. “United Way was a great partner; they screened and qualified recipient organizations, and identified exactly what they needed.”

HP’s PurchasEdge allows participants to earn reward points based on the dollars they spend on qualifying HP printing supplies, such as HP LaserJet and inkjet cartridges. The points can be redeemed for more than 300 of the latest HP products, including HP printers, faxes, scanners, ink cartridges and other equipment and supplies.

About Dow

Dow combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

About United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people’s lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measure the results. United Way is advancing the common good in southeastern Pennsylvania by focusing on education for children, income for families and health for seniors. For more information about United Way, please visit: www.LIVEUNITEDsepa.org.

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