Osterman gives back on Community Day

Resin distributor Osterman & Co. recently held its third annual Osterman Community Day to commemorate the heroes of 9/11.

"Although this year created challenges, it didn't change the desire or the number of Osterman Heroes that participated," Vice President Allison O'Hanlon said in an email to Plastics News.

"During a tough year with a global pandemic altering everyone's lives both personally and professionally — and its effects on the way we interact with others — there's no better time to help in our communities than right now," she added.

Osterman regional offices in Texas, Connecticut, Illinois, Georgia, and San Jose, Costa Rica, took part in the event.

In Connecticut, staff accountant Penny Thomas and her daughter Emily and custom compliance manager Kelly Wols and her sons Brody and Kayden teamed up to help others. Penny and Kelly and their families campaigned with their community to collect food. They posted signs in their town and did a community Facebook post to raise awareness and ask for donations.

Food was gathered the week of Sept. 7 and delivered to the Bethlehem Food Bank on Sept. 18. Collections included many back-to-school snacks, non-perishable foods, and meal essentials.

In Chicago, an Osterman team got together to support the Feed My Starving Children charity. The Chicago team packed 49 meal boxes which can make 10,584 meals and feeds 29 kids for a year. In Houston, Osterman employees donated their time to the Current Christian Church to support Current Cupboard that feeds over 150 families each month. In Costa Rica, an Osterman team collected around $1,000 and was able to buy 30 monthly food provisions.

On Sept. 23, Osterman held its 16th Annual Osterman Community Foundation Golf Tournament. To date, the OCF has given away more than $1.1 million to people in need. The OCF doesn't take administrative fees, so 100 percent of funds raised go to charity. The event has helped almost 700 families to date.

Cheshire, Conn.-based Osterman distributes more than 1 billion pounds of resin and compounds each year from 19 suppliers and from its own brand of generic prime resins.