As part of WD-40 Company’s ongoing effort to create homes for deserving individuals and families, WD-40® Brand donated 50 cents to Habitat for Humanity® for every 12 oz. can of WD-40® Smart Straw® sold at participating Lowe’s Home Improvement stores through April.
As a result, WD-40 Brand donated $50,000 to Habitat for Humanity International to assist the organization in its mission to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.
In addition to a monetary donation, the Tribe volunteered at a build in San Diego, and the company donated products for the build.
“Our company values doing the right thing and creating positive lasting memories by developing products that help people get their jobs done right,” said Erin Bala, director of brand management and innovation at WD-40 Company. “Supporting Habitat for Humanity’s vision of ‘a world where everyone has a decent place to live’ allows us to live our values and give back in a meaningful way.”
"We are excited to partner with WD-40 Brand on a national scale," said Colleen Finn Ridenhour, chief development officer of Habitat for Humanity International. “Their support of the San Diego Habitat chapter has enabled critical work to address the affordable housing crisis locally, and now with their national partnership, the impact of their support will be even farther-reaching.”
When purchasing WD-40 Smart Straw at Lowe’s Home Improvement, customers are selecting the product they helped bring to market. Fifteen years ago, WD-40 Brand solved the number one complaint about its cans---losing the little red straw---by creating the WD-40 Smart Straw. The permanent straw flips up for a pin-point stream and flips down for a more full and wider spray.
In addition to its partnership with Habitat for Humanity International, WD-40 Company has provided local support to San Diego Habitat for Humanity by volunteering for home builds. Last year, WD-40 Company associates laced up their work boots and spent a day in the Logan Heights neighborhood, building a Habitat home alongside its future homeowner.
WD-40 CEO Garry Ridge said it all.
“Giving back is part of what we do. So, WD-40 Company is about supporting our Tribe members who come to work every day in the communities in which they live," Ridge said. "So, if we want to make the world a better place, then we, as an organization, need to support our people and help them to give back.”
Habitat for Humanity makes it easy for people to get involved by helping to manage the logistics and providing on-site guidance.
In addition to working with Habitat for Humanity, WD-40 is doing the right things and reaching out to the local community.
“Our No. 1 priority during these challenging times has been the safety and well-being of our tribe," said Erin Bala, director of brand management and innovation. "At WD-40 Company offices all around the world, tribe members were asked to perform their jobs remotely in order to help to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.
"In San Diego, where our corporate headquarters is located, the WD-40 Company Memory Making Fund donated $20,000 to the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund to rapidly deploy flexible resources to community-based organizations at the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak in San Diego County.”
Ed Attanasio