PARAMUS, NJ -- In the face of a pandemic that has created unprecedented suffering across the United States and Canada, SUEZ, which operates in North America as SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions and SUEZ North America, is earmarking a donation of $1.75 million that will be directed to food pantries, health care facilities, United Way, and similar COVID-19 emergency response organizations.
“We are redirecting our philanthropic focus during this crisis from major environmental initiatives to helping those charitable organizations serving on the front lines who require immediate, substantial, and sustained assistance,” said Nadine Leslie, Chief Executive Officer of SUEZ North America. “This virus has had a huge impact on our society and we cannot be idle as an organization when so many people, many of whom have dedicated their lives to helping others, now need our help.”
SUEZ plans to contribute to several organizations that can have an immediate impact on communities throughout North America.
- United Way – SUEZ will donate $650,000 to United Way. A majority of those funds will help support COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts and will help prevent homelessness for families struggling during the health crisis. Additional funding will be dedicated to providing goods and services to those in need and provide crisis intervention training for first responders with a special focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Feeding America® – SUEZ will donate $500,000 to the U.S. hunger-relief organization, Feeding America. Funds will provide emergency support to help member food banks respond to significant increases in need amid disruptions to the food supply chain and the requirement to pivot to no-contact food distributions. Support will be prioritized to help food-insecure families in communities where SUEZ operates throughout America.
- Local public health organizations – SUEZ will donate $600,000 to help address local COVID-19 health needs, as well as non-profit community health organizations in both the U.S. and Canada. Grant funding will be provided to finance innovative COVID-19 research, help address urgent COVID-19 related health needs at the community level, and reduce health disparities for patients in need, particularly in underserved communities.
- Surgical and N95 respirator masks – SUEZ will donate 10,000 protective masks from its operations to local hospital systems in communities the company serves.
“We feel it is necessary to do our part to help people in the many communities in which we live and work,” said Yuvbir Singh, CEO for SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions. “We certainly recognize the many brave people who are tirelessly and selflessly performing heroic measures each day to fight this pandemic, and we hope that our actions can provide some relief during this unprecedented crisis.”
“We will never turn away from our mission of helping sustain our planet,” continued Mr. Singh. “However, we are facing an extraordinary situation and we need to do all we can to ensure that those organizations on the front lines have the financial support they require to help others in need.”
SUEZ provides water and waste management solutions that enable cities and industries to optimize resource management and strengthen environmental and economic performances. In North America, SUEZ provides drinking water and wastewater treatment, as well as waste collection services, to communities across the United States and Canada. SUEZ’ global Water Technologies & Solutions business unit, which has significant operations in North America, has a comprehensive set of chemical, equipment and digital enabled solutions to help industries solve their toughest water, wastewater and process challenges.
