Kodiak has long been known as a community with deep roots in environmental stewardship; it’s not exactly a secret. The wind turbines that tower over Kodiak are a monument to its eco-friendly sentiments.
To provide assistance to local groups that take the time to clean up the Kodiak community, Matson, a shipping company that serves Kodiak, has launched a new program called “Caring for Alaska.” The program donates up to $2,500 to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits that organize and conduct different types of environmental stewardship activities.
Dylan Faber of Matson says that the program is meant to help communities mobilize around environmentalism.
“So what the caring for Alaska program does is it partners with local community organizations who are qualified nonprofits, solicit proposals from them to do… cleanup projects in the community, things like riverbank rehab and coastal rehab projects, or even small infrastructure improvement projects like trail maintenance, and Matson will support the project and reimburse for pre-approved expenses, as well as provide some of the equipment needed such as trash pickers’ safety vests, their trash bags, things that will make the project takes less of the load off the organization, and allows them to just get out and make a difference in the community by conducting these projects,” Faber said.
According to Faber, another aim of the program is to help nonprofits- which he noted have suffered during the pandemic.
“It allows us to get out and support the nonprofit community who’s had a really rough year with COVID. And it’s been really tough for them trying to fundraise and be able to do their normal functions to raise that money to be able to serve their mission and their essential role in the communities. The other thing that it does is it really brings the community together to get out and make an improvement in the community. It’s really tangible. One moment there was trash on the ground, the next moment this organization comes through does a project. And it’s a lot more beautiful there,” Faber said.
Faber says that the local program was inspired by similar programs in Guam and Hawaii, which he says are successful. This is the first summer of the program; nonprofits are encouraged to apply at matson.com/foundation/caring-for-alaska.