Nucor Steel organizes Alabama relief effort
CRAWFORDSVILLE -- When tornadoes hit Alabama in late April, the five Nucor plants in the state were mostly unaffected, except for the loss of power. The communities in which three of them are located -- Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Decatur -- were not as fortunate.
Entire neighborhoods were flattened; nearly 250 people died and as many as one million homes and businesses were left without power.
Since the power was out at the plants, the Alabama employees were dispatched to their own communities to help with the clean-up which is immense. Meanwhile, in Crawfordsville, Nucor teammates wanted to help their Alabama co-workers' communities as well.
Two groups of employees went to Alabama and several more teams are scheduled to leave this week to help with the enormous clean-up efforts. In addition, the local Nucor teammates are organizing a community drive to collect supplies for the thousands of people left homeless or near homeless by the tornado damage.
A semi-trailer will be located in the parking lot of the Crawfordsville Walmart on Thursday and Friday and the Crawfordsville Kroger on Saturday and Sunday. Both stores are located just off U.S. 231 on the south side of town. Times available for donations are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. all four days.
Next week, the trucks will be loaded with items and driven to Alabama where the donated items will be distributed by the Salvation Army.
In addition, the Nucor divisions in northern Indiana; Vulcraft, Nucor Building Systems, and Nucor Fastener are organizing the same type efforts in their communities. The combined efforts will be delivered the week of May 22nd.
Items sought for collection include:
-- Non-perishable foods, such as canned goods like soups, green beans, corn, peas, canned meats, and canned spaghetti.
-- Dried goods such as rice, pasta, macaroni and cheese, boxed stuffing, dried beans, evaporated milk, dry powdered milk and cereal.
-- Snack foods such as chips, cereal bars, cookies or crackers.
-- Drinks, including sports drinks and juice.
-- Paper products, such as plates, cups, paper towels and toilet paper.
-- Personal Items such as personal hygiene items, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, wet wipes, diapers, baby wipes, new underwear, sunscreen, and chapstick.
-- Cleaning supplies, including laundry detergent.
-- Linens such as sheets and towels.
-- Building supplies such as tools, work gloves, Rubbermaid bins for people to put their belongings in), etc