The Pensacola, Fla., USA, International Paper (IP), Memphis, Tenn., containerboard and fluff pulp mill, located in the Pensacola suburb of Cantonment, opened in 1941 as the Florida Pulp and Paper Company. Over the years, the plant has been acquired by the St. Regis Paper Co., Champion International, and most recently in 2000 by International Paper.

 

 

The grants were awarded by the Memphis-based IP Foundation, which focuses on environmental education, literacy, employee involvement, and critical community needs.

"We are privileged to be able to assist our local community organizations in their efforts to make a difference in the lives of the residents and children of Northwest Florida," said IP Communications Manager Janice Holmes. "Their efforts serve to strengthen our community."

Local community organizations and their projects that were awarded grants for 2016 are:

• Autism Pensacola — "Kids for Camp Summer Learning Lab"
• Ballet Pensacola — "Discover Dance"
• Council on Aging of Northwest Florida — "Big Green, Little Green Hydroponics!"
• Creative Learning Academy — "Enhancing Libraries"
• Ernest Ward Middle School — "Eagles Read" and "Fruit Trees 101"
• Escambia County Extension 4-H — "4H Natural Resources and Environmental Education Program"
• Escambia County Public Schools Foundation for Excellence — "Literacy and Environmental Classroom Grants"
• Every Child a Reader in Escambia — "Project Ready 2016"
• Greater First Baptist Church — "Community Literacy Mentoring and Tutoring Program"
• Jim Allen Elementary School — "Let’s Get EGGS cited about Reading!"
• J.M. Tate High School — "Reservations for Preservation"
• National Flight Academy — "STEM Saturday Program"
• Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center — "STEM Sea Turtle Education Models"
• Partnership for Community Programs — "Bay Day 2016" and "Stormwater Estuary Education Program
• Pensacola Mess Hall — "MicroEye Microscope Station"
• Pensacola Opera — "From Words to Music"
• Pensacola Promise Chain Reaction — "Chain Reaction Service Learning"
• Quintette Community Park Association — "Senior Citizen and Youth Programs"
• The Global Corner — "China and Activity Book for Children"
• UWF Foundation — "UWF Community Garden," "Emerald Coast BEST Robotics Hub," "Summer Institute for the National Writing Project," and "Summer Camps for Environmental Literacy."