PALMYRA, MO, March 10, 2010 – BASF employees and the company demonstrated their support to the community by donating more than $46,000 to the United Way of the Mark Twain Area during the charitable organization’s 2009-2010 fundraising campaign.

The funds will support 36 local United Way member agencies, including the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Head Start, the Hope House Homeless Shelter, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc., and area Nutrition Centers.

According to Mike McFarlane, Manager of BASF’s site, the donation to the United Way is only one of the ways the company and its employees support community organizations and causes. “BASF employees give both their time and financial support to charitable initiatives, such as the annual United Way campaign, because they want to do all they can to help make our community better,” McFarlane said. “With this donation to the United Way, we’re making a positive impact on people’s lives and helping find community solutions to problems that affect us all.”

"Our friends at BASF epitomize the United Way mission - increasing the capacity for people to care for one another - by stepping forward and giving their time as volunteers and their support to the annual campaign,” said Lou Lemen, Executive Director of the United Way of the Mark Twain Area. “They know that strong communities come from everyone working together for the common good of all."

The United Way of the Mark Twain Area provides funding for human service programs in Marion, Ralls, Monroe, Lewis and Shelby counties. With more than 250 workers, BASF's site is one of the area's largest employers. This site manufactures a wide range of crop protection products to help farmers meet the growing need for a safe, abundant, and affordable supply of food for today and tomorrow.

For a press photo, please click here: http://www.basf.us/pressphotos/03-10-10_UWdonation.jpg

Suggested Caption:
BASF recently presented United Way of the Mark Twain Area more than $46,000 to support human service programs in Marion, Ralls, Monroe, Lewis and Shelby counties. Attending the check presentation are, from left: Lou Lemen, Executive Director, United Way; Joe Willett, Brittany Richert, Steve Karickhoff, John Perrin (all BASF), Diane Addison, United Way Campaign Chairman 2009-2010 and Mike McFarlane, Manager of BASF’s Hannibal Site. 

BASF - The Chemical Company.

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $13 billion in 2009. 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 and oil and gas. As a reliable partner, BASF creates chemistry to help 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 posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.