NORCROSS, Ga., May 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The destruction caused by April's outbreak of tornadoes has impacted communities across the Southeast, and Georgia-Pacific is helping by providing financial and product donations to recovery activities.

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Georgia-Pacific will contribute $50,000 to The Salvation Army for recovery efforts in the Southeast and is giving an additional $10,000 to the American Red Cross in Alabama.  The company also will match up to a total of $50,000 in contributions made by Georgia-Pacific employees and employees of any other Koch company to The Salvation Army's efforts between now and July 8.

"With approximately half of Georgia-Pacific's employees living and working in Southeastern states struck by tornadoes, many communities near our facilities have been impacted.  We also have a number of employees who have suffered losses of loved ones and property," said Jim Hannan, CEO and president of Georgia-Pacific. "Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by these storms and we hope our efforts will help speed the recovery process."

The company has already donated bath tissue, paper towels and its Dixie® brand of tabletop products to help those in temporary shelters in Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina.  Employees also have been asked to participate in community blood drives to help keep area blood supplies sufficient during this period.

This support for The Salvation Army and Red Cross is the type of critical needs community investments made by Georgia-Pacific and other companies owned by Koch Industries.  Nationally, Koch companies contribute tens of millions of dollars annually through in-kind giving and direct contributions to causes and organizations focusing on economic education and educational programs, arts and culture, health and human services, community and civic causes, and environmental projects.

Major Jim Arrowood, Divisional Commander for the Georgia Division of The Salvation Army is incredibly thankful for Georgia-Pacific's expression of support and says, "It is through corporate and community partnerships like this that enable The Salvation Army to bring victims and survivors through devastating and life-altering events.  We are tremendously thankful to Jim Hannan and his team of caring employees."

Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) personnel continue to meet material, emotional and spiritual needs across the southern United States. Currently, EDS crews are at work in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky.  After days of intense service, several locations are scaling back response efforts while some locations hit particularly hard by the storms are still in need of daily feeding and spiritual care.

About The Salvation Army:

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 129 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmygeorgia.org.

About Georgia-Pacific:

Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of building products, tissue, packaging, paper, cellulose and related chemicals. The company employs 40,000 people at 300 locations in North America, South America and Europe. Georgia-Pacific is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, LLC, a privately-owned company headquartered in Wichita, Kan.  Koch companies and its subsidiaries employ more than 70,000 people worldwide.  The familiar consumer tissue brands of Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP include Quilted Northern®, Angel Soft®, Brawny®, enMotion®, Sparkle®, Mardi Gras® and Vanity Fair®.  Dixie Consumer Products LLC, a Georgia-Pacific company, manufactures the Dixie® brand of tabletop products.  Georgia-Pacific has long been among the nation's leading manufacturers and suppliers of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers, with brands such as Plytanium® plywood, DryPly® water repellent plywood, Ply-Bead® panels and Wood I Beam™ joists offered by Georgia-Pacific Wood Products LLC and DensArmor Plus® interior panels, DensGlass® Sheathing and ToughRock® drywall offered by Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC.  For more information, visit www.gp.com, www.facebook.com/georgiapacific or www.twitter.com/georgiapacific.

SOURCE Georgia-Pacific; The Salvation Army