CARLSBAD, N.M. – Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP) and its parent company, Amentum, contributed $25,000 this week to help relive food scarcity issues for children in Eddy and Lea counties, Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway announced.
“There’s just so much need right now,” Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway said. “Nuclear Waste Partnership has been helping Carlsbad and its citizens in so many ways, but there’s no better cause than making sure our community’s children are fed. We can’t thank NWP and Amentum enough.”
The award to Packs for Hunger in Carlsbad and the Weekend Hunger Initiative (WHI) in Hobbs will allow the two organizations to purchase additional food supplies for children in their communities.
“Children are the most precious members in our society. They need to be fully supported, not just with educational opportunities, but also with healthy nutrition that allows them to flourish,” said NWP President and Project Manager Sean Dunagan. “We’re happy to partner with our parent corporation (Amentum) and be part of this solution.”
The awards are made as part of NWP’s annual grants program that supports local organizations in the community. Other recipients included the Carlsbad Battered Women’s shelter, Carlsbad Transitional Housing and Homeless Shelter, The Carlsbad Mental Health Group, Eddy County CASA and Eddy County Home Educators.
An additional contribution of $20,000 was made to the United Way’s COVID 19 emergency funds in the two counties. In addition to monetary contributions, NWP has also donated hand sanitizer and homemade masks throughout the community in response to the growing demand during the current crises. In all, the company has provided almost $80,000 in support of emerging community needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Packs for Hunger now feeds over 180 families in Carlsbad while WHI helps approximately 800 students in Hobbs.
“We care about communities near WIPP and want to support those who have been adversely impacted by this pandemic,” said Mark Whitney, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Amentum’ s Nuclear and Environment Business Unit. “Amentum is honored to help the Carlsbad and Hobbs communities.”
“The money is used to help purchase and increase the amount of food supplies we are able to provide to children,” said Carol Worley, who leads the Carlsbad initiative. “Over the past 10 years, this has become a real community program. We couldn’t do it without the support of companies like NWP and Amentum,” she added.
Leslie Pfalzgraf with the Hobbs program said the contribution comes at a much-needed time. “With the current situation (coronavirus pandemic), we haven’t been able to hold our usual fundraisers and this is when we need the extra help,” she said.
The food sent home varies between the two programs but can include canned goods, Ramen noodles, oatmeal, cereal, spaghetti o’s, peanut butter and other items.
NWP is the management and operations contractor at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), located near the communities of Carlsbad and Hobbs.
About Amentum
Amentum is a premier global technical and engineering services partner supporting critical programs of national significance across defense, security, intelligence, energy, and environment. We draw from a century-old heritage of operational excellence, mission focus, and successful execution underpinned by a strong culture of safety and ethics. Headquartered in Germantown, Md., we employ more than 20,000 people in 48 states and 28 foreign countries and territories. Visit us at amentum.com to explore how we deliver excellence for our customers’ most vital missions.
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