By Sidney A. Wolf
October 3, 2005

Three weeks after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast much of the media attention has been focused on private industry’s generosity in New Orleans. However, it is important that we don’t overlook other activities in neighboring Mississippi.

The Katrina hurricane hit DuPont particularly hard at several Mississippi plants which support hundreds of employees in the Gulf Coast region. Led by CEO Charles A. Holiday, Jr. DuPont began its active response by donating one million dollars to hurricane relief efforts. Of the $1 million, over $500,000 was given to the Red Cross ($375,000 earmarked for Mississippi), $200,000 to Salvation Army and $300,000 in other donations pledged to local organizations, of which $200,000 will be spent in Mississippi.

In addition to its $1 million dollar corporate cash contribution, Holiday has established a relief and recovery fund so that employees, retirees and others can to donate to impacted communities near DuPont plant sites. DuPont will contribute an amount equal to the total contributions to the DuPont Hurricane Katrina Fund, up to $1 million. Contributions to the DuPont Hurricane Katrina Fund will be given to organizations in DuPont’s Mississippi plant communities, based on recommendations from local site leaders. Currently, employees raised over $125,000 in cash donations, which means with a company match, DuPont has contributed an additional $250,000 to its relief efforts and the amount grows daily.

After the storm settled many people were missing and without shelter. In DeLisle (MS) DuPont operates a plant that employs over 500 people. The confusion brought on by the storm prompted DuPont to create a search and rescue team to locate their missing employees. DuPont put absolute priority on the safety and well-being of its employees and neighbors directly after the storm. Efforts undertaken to locate their missing employees employed such tactics as media advertisements, a 1-800 number hotline, and ultimately door-to-door searches. Remarkably, all 500-plus employees were located.

The aftermath of the storm left over twenty percent of the DeLisle employees homeless and in need of shelter. DuPont assembled a team who designed and constructed a DuPont Employee Community nearby the plant. The community was designed to hold as many as 75 employees and their families. The first residents of this make-shift community moved in September 22. All employees from the DeLisle plant will continue to be able to work full-time during the transition period and ensure that their families have a source of income.

Employees from DeLisle have also taken it upon themselves to canvass the more than a dozen shelters and distribution points surrounding the plant each day to check on people and assess their needs; whether it be perishable foods, cleaning supplies, or clothing. DuPont focused aid on particularly hard-hit communities such as those near their DeLisle and Pascagoula plants. They are also prepared to make donations such as Tyvek™ and Kevlar™ personal protection products, Virkon™ S disinfectant, RelyOn™ disinfectant wipes and Solae™ energy bars and soy beverages.