Welcome to “The Good Stuff,” where we highlight positive news and ways that NAED employees and member companies go above and beyond to give back to their communities! If you have some “Good Stuff” that you would like to share with tED, find out how below.
In this issue of “The Good Stuff,” Southwire celebrated Earth Month with a new companywide volunteer activity, potting succulents for local elementary school students.
In partnership with Neighborhood Forest, one of the largest and fastest-growing tree planting initiatives involving youth in North America, Southwire volunteers across the U.S. and Canada potted and donated more than 1,000 succulent plants to students in their area.
“I want to thank all Southwire team members, especially our Sustainability Champions, for their time, energy and commitment to advancing our Earth Month events,” said Huiet Joseph, Director of Operational Sustainability at Southwire. “Your collective actions bring our sustainability goals to life, helping us build a stronger, more resilient future for our company, our communities and the environment.”
Neighborhood Forest’s Indoor Plant Program engages youth without access to a yard by giving them a little piece of nature to care for and watch grow inside their home. Indoor plants provide many benefits, including purifying the air, improving health and well-being, enhancing concentration and focus and fostering joy. Since the program launched in 2024, Neighborhood Forest has given more than 28,000 free plants to children across North America.
“We are so grateful to Southwire for helping us bring the joy of nature into classrooms and homes during Earth Month,” said Clara Radloff, Head of Engagement and Education at Neighborhood Forest. “Partnerships like this create meaningful local impact, build community connection and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.”
Along with each succulent, students received a bamboo label to decorate and name their plant, a handwritten note from a Southwire volunteer and instructions on how to care for their plant at home.
At participating schools, Southwire volunteers also visited the classroom to teach the students about the benefits of indoor plants and how to take care of them.
Neighborhood Forest’s programs have a dual impact: each succulent that Southwire volunteers potted funded an additional succulent for a student on the waitlist for their upcoming Fall Indoor Plant Program Giveaway.
In addition to the succulent potting projects, Southwire volunteers requested more than 500 trees to plant at home. Neighborhood Forest matched each tree delivered to a Southwire team member with a tree donated to a school, library or youth group, expanding Southwire’s impact on local communities.
To learn more about Southwire’s sustainability initiatives, visit https://southwire.com/sustainability. For the latest Southwire news, visit southwire.com/newsroom.
Find more “Good Stuff” articles here on tEDmag.com.
tED wants to know about your “Good Stuff”. If you work with someone who is helping other people, or a group of co-workers that’s creating better outcomes, we want to know about it.
Please send your “Good Stuff” to Marie at mjakle@naed.org and Nicky at nherron@naed.org. Send details, names, and photos if you have them.
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