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Food banks around the world are experiencing dramatic increases in demand for food assistance driven by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. International Paper is responding with one of its essential products — corrugated boxes. The company has committed to donating two million corrugated boxes to hunger relief organizations around the world.

Since the pandemic began, the company has donated 21,500 boxes to the Northshore Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

“The need to help fight hunger in our region during this pandemic is significant and all of us at the Bogalusa Mill are proud to be associating with this effort,” said Kalisa Hyman, mill communications manager.

This product donation will benefit hunger relief organizations through a collaboration with Feeding America, among other relief agencies in communities where IP employees live and work.

“Our employees are passionate about supporting critical community needs, and we recognize that our boxes are essential for distributing food to people hit hardest by the pandemic,” said Mark Sutton, chairman and CEO, International Paper. “Our employees and our boxes are helping improve the ability of food banks to serve communities around the world.”

Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, estimates that an additional 17.1 million Americans could face hunger in the next six months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

International Paper has launched a social media campaign — #HelpFillTheBoxes — to encourage those who are able to donate to food banks in their communities, and the mill is hosting an employee food drive for the Bogalusa Help Center.

Learn how you can help at feedingamerica.org.