Our Involvement
General Douglas MacArthur Memorial
General MacArthur firmly believed in the value of history as a means to educate. He understood the importance of learning from one's predecessors and improving on past strategies to achieve success in the future. In honor of his great service to our country, the MacArthur Memorial was established shortly after his passing in 1964. Now standing as a commemoration to all of the brave men and women that served for their country, the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation is seeking to expand the memorial and offer a deeper educational experience.
As a firm supporter of our servicemen and women, MLL has recently granted a combined $50,000 donation to the MacArthur Memorial to support its expansion. The new renovations will provide a multi-purpose visitor entry and orientation hall, a 160-seat flexible multi-media theatre, exhibit galleries, and story wall.
With the new additions, the public will benefit from a more in-depth experience into the life of one of the most decorated military figures in United States history. The renovations will also seek to explain the importance of military service to our country by displaying the incredible feats General MacArthur accomplished.
MLL Partners with Operation Gratitude
For more than 27 years, Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) has been proud to do business with the U.S. military. MLL and its colleagues are not only committed to doing business with the military, but also engaging in unique opportunities to show our appreciation for the many sacrifices made to defend our freedom. We have partnered with several organizations that provide assistance to service members and their families. Recently MLL partnered with Operation Gratitude, an organization that sends care packages to U.S. troops serving overseas. MLL created postcards for attendees to fill out encouraging messages to troops during the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) Symposium in Dallas, Texas. For every card that was filled out, MLL will donate a care package to accompany the heartfelt messages. The care packages include non-perishable items that troops need or items to brighten their spirits as they serve. This is just one of many ways that MLL is contributing to boost our troop's morale and promote Operation Gratitude's cause.
Our partnership with Operation Gratitude continues to flourish and on June 14, 2011 colleagues from both MLL offices came together to assemble 150 Care Packages for troops serving overseas. This unique opportunity allowed colleagues to assemble packages filled with food and hygiene essentials that are frequently used but are not easily available to service members. These packages will be delivered to troops in honor of the 4th of July holiday. Volunteers also filled out postcards filled with encouraging messages to go along with each package. This is just one of many ways that MLL is supporting our troops.
Pakistan Flood Relief Effort
In late July of 2010 Pakistan was struck by one of the worst floods ever recorded. Monsoon rains ravaged the country, causing immense destruction and economic losses of roughly $45 billion. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the disaster the worst he had ever seen. Nearly 2,000 people were killed, 20 million Pakistanis were directly affected; and more than 1.7 million homes were destroyed.
To assist in the relief effort, Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) provided monetary donations to two reputable organizations: the American Red Cross and Americares. The funds donated were allocated directly to the Pakistan flood relief effort and provided victims with food, shelter, and emotional assistance, as well as medicine and other supplies. Historically, for every $100 donated to Americares, the organization generates $3,500 worth of relief. Based on this conversion, MLL’s contributions through Americares provided $210,000 in emergency relief to the flood victims. Maersk and its employees around the world raised an additional $31,000 for flood relief through a program by which the company matched any contributions by individuals. Maersk Line also donated 75 shipping containers and offered free transportation of 250 other containers to store relief goods and to house mobile clinics in the flood zone.
Operation Feeding Freedom
In 2002, OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC, which operates a group of American restaurant chains, launched the Operation Feeding Freedom program in order to provide U.S. servicemen and women on deployment with appetizing meals from the many American restaurant chains OSI operates. On its first trip to Afghanistan, OSI brought food from Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, and Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine.
Since its inception, OSI has expanded the program into an annual event that has served meals to 137,000 troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Djibouti, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and aboard the USS Nimitz in the Persian Gulf.
As a company dedicated to supporting our nation’s troops, MLL has provided $65,000 worth of free transportation services to Operation Feeding Freedom, as well as donated three 20-foot containers filled with food from Outback Steakhouse.
Elizabeth River Project
The Elizabeth River, home to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, is a vital tributary of Chesapeake Bay, touching the industrial core of South Hampton Roads in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. The Elizabeth forms part of the largest natural harbor in the world, and is essential to a regional economy reliant on the transportation of goods. Unfortunately, centuries of heavy industrial use have left the Elizabeth the most polluted river in the Bay region.
As an advocate for marine environmental conservation, MLL has worked for the past few years with the Elizabeth River Project (ERP), a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to restoring and preserving the Elizabeth. ERP educates local citizens and organizes river cleanup projects.
As part of our commitment to environmental preservation, MLL has adopted Paradise Creek, a 40-acre park that is becoming a model for urban river restoration in the heart of Hampton Roads. More than 20 projects on this site are designed to show how nature and industry can co-exist to foster a cleaner waterway.
In January 2009, MLL was awarded Commitment Level status in the ERP’s River Star Program, which is granted to companies that achieve significant results in preventing pollution and enhancing wildlife habitat on the Elizabeth.
To contribute or to learn more about the Elizabeth River Project, please visit ERP’s homepage: www.elizabethriver.org
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Colleagues from the Norfolk and Arlington offices joined thousands of volunteers on June 4 for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's (CBF) annual Clean the Bay Day! Clean the Bay Day began 22 years ago when a group of individuals were tired of seeing waterways filled with litter and debris. MLL has developed a strong relationship with CBF and kicked-off its first volunteer efforts with the organization. With more than 40 clean-up sites, volunteers spent time picking up trash and other items that are harmful to the waterways and shorelines. To date, Clean the Bay Day volunteers have removed more than 5,322,470 pounds of litter from over 4,400 miles of shoreline in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Virginia Arts Programs in the Norfolk Region
Artistic expression is a vital function in any healthy community. The arts allow us to escape from the ordinary and offer us a forum for education and entertainment. Often overlooked, local arts organizations need funding to continue providing art of high quality.
Several such organizations adorn the Norfolk area, including the Virginia Arts Festival, Virginia Symphony, and the Virginia Stage Company. All are essential features of the community, adding a particular vitality that people desire.
As a strong supporter of local artistic organizations, MLL for several years has proudly sponsored and assisted local art programs through financial donation and volunteering. In 2010 alone, MLL donated approximately $40,000 to a combination of local artistic organizations including the Arts Festival, Symphony, Stage Company, and the Virginia Opera. We understand the positive impact the arts have on the community and we constantly seek to nurture artistic programs.
Nauticus Museum
Nauticus is a contemporary museum built in Norfolk in 1994 to educate and inspire visitors with interactive exhibits involving the maritime world.
Nauticus offers unique exhibits that allow visitors to immerse themselves in the different aspects of marine life. Visitors tend to gravitate towards Schooner Virginia, a near replica of the two-masted, gaff-topsail knockabout schooner, the last pure sailing vessel built for the Virginia Pilot Association on the Chesapeake Bay between 1917 and 1926.
Today, the vessel is used for an educational program in the summer time for boys and girls ages 13-17. Accompanied by a professional crew, the trainees help sail, maintain, and navigate the ship. The schooner program requires financial support from local businesses to continue operating, and MLL has contributed by assisting in the restoration of the vessel.
Reading is Fundamental (RIF)
Experts estimate that nearly 40 percent of U.S. 4th graders do not achieve basic levels of reading proficiency. America’s youth are its future, and an undereducated population will only hinder our progress as a nation. Reading to children and providing them with the tools to succeed is a fundamental necessity.
Reading is Fundamental (RIF) is the largest children's literacy non-profit program in the United States. With over 400,000 volunteers, RIF has established meaningful connections with public schools, community centers and homeless shelters across the country. RIF’s volunteers spend time reading with children and delivering free books to children who might not otherwise have them. Owning books helps children develop "ownership of knowledge" and motivates them to continue reading and gathering information. In the 44 years of RIF's existence, the organization has given more than 380 million new books to more than 33 million children.
MLL colleagues recently have begun participating in the RIF program, making a trip to Granby Elementary School in Norfolk to sit and read with students from kindergarten to the third grade and handing out some of the 460 books RIF plans to provide to Granby students in 2011.
Children's Museum of Virginia
The Children's Museum of Virginia (CMVA) opened its doors in 1982 and has consistently shined as one of the most entertaining and informative museums in the Norfolk area. Its exhibits offer insight about a wide range of topics, including magnets, sound and the scientific aspects of water, CMVA is a great museum for children of all ages.
Since its humble beginnings in the basement of a public library, CMVA has moved twice to accommodate a constant increase in visitors, and is currently undergoing renovations that started in 2009 and are expected to be completed in late spring 2011. The museum received generous donations from many local organizations to enhance its library, planetarium, pet area, safety zone, and dental/pediatrics exhibit.
MLL and its sister company APM Terminals see the CMVA as a vital element to the Norfolk community and each have committed to giving $25,000 to the museum. MLL also has donated a Maersk Virginia ship model for the museum’s new port exhibit, which will highlight the importance of port operations to the region. The exhibit will include an interactive tugboat, cranes, shipping containers and an import/export section.
