FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2009
Advance Packaging Corporation Builds the Ultimate in Sustainable Packaging
APC partners with Habitat For Humanity for a 2008 LEED-Certified Home
Kentwood, MI — For over 40 years, Advance Packaging (APC) has been providing packaging solutions for customers with diverse products and needs. In February 2008, they carried their business success one giant step forward when the United States Department of Energy honored the organization with the Energy Saver Plant Award for achieving energy savings of 7.5%.
Consequently, it makes perfect sense that when Advance Packaging decided to share their success with the community in which they live and work, they decided to build the ultimate in sustainable packaging: a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified home.
In September 2008 employees from Advance Packaging Corporation teamed up with Habitat for Humanity Kent County and community volunteers for the groundbreaking of the APC sponsored Habitat House at Dawes Ct. Condominiums off 28th Street. Although weekend volunteer shifts are available, Crossley and Hoyt also donated 400 paid hours of work-time as an additional volunteer option that will allow more employees to participate in the project while still balancing their work and family time.
"Our employees feel a strong connection with the communities in which we live and work," said Don Crossley, President of APC. "Partnering with Habitat for Humanity provides us the opportunity to make a difference in the neighborhoods around us—to promote and sponsor activities which allow for all of our employees to contribute to the well-being of the communities in which we live and work. This is a philosophy that our company has always strongly believed in, and the Habitat House is a way to act on our beliefs on a broader scale.”
The completion and dedication took place January 28, where Carol Hoyt handed the keys to the new homebuyer.
About Advance Packaging Corporation
Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Advance Packaging Corporation is a leading packaging provider and one of the largest Michigan packaging suppliers. With ISO- registered and SFI-certified manufacturing facilities in Grand Rapids and Jackson, Michigan, the company designs, manufactures, and prints corrugated packaging—from standard boxes to intricate, custom-designed packaging, displays, and interior components. It also integrates foam, plastic, and other alternative materials for complete corrugated and returnable packaging solutions. The company currently serves customers in the manufacturing, industrial, retail, distribution, furniture, pharmaceuticals, publishing, electronics, and food industries.
About Habitat For Humanity
Habitat for Humanity of Kent County www.habitatkent.org is a non-profit dedicated to eliminating substandard housing throughout Kent and Eastern Ottawa Counties. Founded in 1983, the local affiliate has built over 250 homes in the past 25 years. Beginning in 2007, all HFHKC homes have been built to LEED certification. Habitat homes are not given away – they are purchased by homeowners through 25 year, zero-interest mortgages. Hardworking Habitat homebuyers invest 300-500 hours of sweat equity into building Habitat homes before becoming a homebuyer. Habitat for Humanity of Kent County is ranked 13th out of 1700 affiliates in the last national affiliate ranking by Habitat International and they are the #1 affiliate in Michigan. Habitat of Humanity is the only homebuilding non-profit in Kent & Eastern Ottawa Counties that targets families who make 30% to 50% of the area median income, approximately $18,500 - $31,050 per year, based on income guidelines for a family of four. They are the only Habitat affiliate in the nation building all LEED-certified homes which save homebuyers an average of $2000 per year in utility costs over a non-green home. For the past three years, HFHKC has received a 4 star rating (out of 4) by Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org), an independent, non-profit evaluator of how well non-profits successfully manage the finances of their organization in an efficient and effective manner. In 2007, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County was selected by One Percent for the Planet.org as a participating non-profit environmental group. 1% FTP members distribute donations directly to eligible non-profit environmental groups to further efforts conservation efforts worldwide.
Media Information
Interviews are available with officials of Advance Packaging Corporation.
Please contact Advance Packaging Corporation at 616.949.6610 to arrange an interview or request additional information.
