Niagara Cares Teams Up With Sammie’s Buddy Bench
On September 17, 2024, In Industry News by Greg Thompson
DIAMOND BAR, CA - Niagara Cares, the charitable division of Niagara Bottling, LLC, the family-run beverage company that has hydrated America since 1963, is joining with Sammie’s Buddy Bench Project to distribute 57 Buddy Benches to communities throughout the U.S., driving local recycling and encouraging community connections.
Together with EarthX, and POLYWOOD, the Indiana brand that pioneered outdoor furniture made from recycled plastic, Niagara Cares will provide Buddy Benches made from recycled HDPE #2 plastic to communities near Niagara Bottling facilities in return for recycling 1,000 pieces of plastic.
Sammie Vance, activist, author, and student, started Sammie’s Buddy Bench Project seven years ago. Born out of the human need for connection, Sammie, age 8 at the time, learned of Buddy Benches - which encourage students to sit on the bench if they’re feeling lonely and signal other children to come and play. Since then, Sammie’s Buddy Bench Project has distributed over 500 Buddy Benches to communities across the country.
“When we learned about the kindness and community involvement that Sammie’s Buddy Bench Project promotes, we knew we had to get involved,” said Ann Canela, director of corporate giving at Niagara Bottling. “Creating healthy, vibrant community spaces and bringing people together is in our DNA as a company. By connecting people through both a recycling drive and the Buddy Benches themselves, this project will help us create positive impacts for local residents and the environment now and for generations to come. Nationwide, we’re working with our local plant teams to identify schools, parks, and other community organizations that could benefit from this impactful initiative.”
To place a Buddy Bench in their community, Niagara team members and local residents will launch a drive to collect 1,000 pieces of HDPE #2 plastic, promoting the importance of recycling. Once collected, the plastic is dropped off at a local recycling center, and the participating group will send a photo of the plastic drop-off to POLYWOOD. In return, the local group receives a Buddy Bench that will help create a more sustainable environment that is both inclusive and fosters community connection.
“I am really excited to team up with like-minded people who care about spreading kindness, recycling and making an impact in the world! I can’t wait to see more Buddy Benches around the country because of this! We are better together,” said Sammie Vance, age 15 and founder of Sammie’s Buddy Bench Project. “You don’t have to be an adult to make a difference. You can be a kid too.”
EarthX, the environmental non-profit founded in 2010, will act as the fiscal agent for the Niagara Cares grant to supply the Buddy Benches. Founded in 1990, POLYWOOD is the first furniture company to make wood out of HDPE #2 plastic, and will act as the manufacturing partner for the initiative. This zero-waste mindset and USA-made furniture brand aligns with sustainability initiatives of Niagara.
“POLYWOOD is honored to partner with Niagara Cares and EarthX to bring Sammie’s Buddy Benches to even more schools and playgrounds across the United States,” said Doug Rassi, POLYWOOD founder and CEO. “Sammie’s commitment to the community, to recycling, and to helping kids feel less lonely is truly an inspiration to all of us at POLYWOOD.”
Once the Buddy Benches are placed, local Niagara team member volunteers will present the benches, allowing the team members to further connect with the surrounding neighborhood.
