FREEPORT, TEXAS, September 30, 2009 – Employees at BASF’s Freeport site did not shy away from the opportunity to lend a helping hand in donating school supplies to the Brazosport Independent School District (BISD) for the new school year. 

BASF hosted a three-week school supply drive where more than 20 employees coordinated drop-off locations for the supplies and encouraged employees to contribute either cash or school supplies to the program. 

Employees across the Freeport site donated thousands of items, including pens, pencils, crayons, folders, glue, notebook paper and spiral notebooks. BASF topped off the employees’ donations by adding another 2,000 colored pencils to the mix. 

Several of the employees delivered the supplies to the BISD media center where Media Services Coordinator Karla Christman and BISD Superintendent Joe Ripple commented on how the donations will have a positive impact on the students receiving the supplies.

According to Christman, more than 50 percent of the 13,025 students in the district are classified as economically disadvantaged and all 19 BISD campuses have students who need assistance with basic school supplies every year. 

“BISD is grateful for BASF’s generous donations of school supplies,” said Christman. ”We would like to thank all of the BASF employees who gave so graciously from their hearts for our students in BISD.”

Andrea Salinas, a BASF employee who chaired the event, said, “Our local drive was part of a BASF corporate school supply drive. As we watched employees get excited about helping and giving, and hearing Superintendent Ripple remark about the impact we were having, I can tell you it was not only nice to do this donation drive, but it was a very special, fulfilling project.”

BASF’s Freeport site employs more than 600 employees and more than 400 contractors. Chemicals produced at the site are used in a wide range of product applications, including adhesives, paints and coatings, nylon and plastics.

For a press photo, please click here: http://www.basf.us/pressphotos/09-30-09_SchoolSupplyDrive.jpg

Suggested photo caption:  Brazosport Independent School District (BISD) Superintendent Joe Ripple (far left) was on hand to thank BASF volunteers who helped coordinate the school supply drive. They were, from left, Bobbie Jo Stieg, Suzanne Kocurek, Shawnté Jones, Kelly Motter, Karen Obenhaus, Andrea Salinas, Usha Monga and Leslie Thomson.

BASF - The Chemical Company. We don't make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better.®

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 15,000 employees in North America, and had sales of approximately $17.5 billion in 2008. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.com/usa.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals, as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner, BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges, such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF has approximately 97,000 employees and posted sales of more than €62 billion in 2008. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.