Corporate Partner Spotlight: DuPont

July 10, 2023

While some companies boast decades of corporate community commitment, DuPont proudly claims more than two centuries. Global Programs Manager for Community Impact Jan Waldauer says DuPont “has philanthropy in its DNA,” something that was not lost following a 2019 well publicized merger/spin from which emerged the “new DuPont.” Since 2019, the corporation has generously donated more than $300,000 in grant funding to the Food Bank of Delaware. Perhaps more importantly, DuPont continues to support employee passion for the Food Bank of Delaware.  Waldauer says DuPont employees love volunteering – hundreds of hours — at the food bank year ‘round!  “Recently we’ve had big groups at mobile pantry events,” she added.

Corporate helping hands:

DuPont’s assistance extends beyond grant donations. The company  plays a critical role in helping to develop students who participate in our L.O.G.I.C. (Logistics Operations General Warehousing and Inventory Control) program. From career discussions to providing tours of their facilities, DuPont employees showcase real-world experience to inspire our students. The Food Bank’s Workforce Training Program Director Sheliah Smith explains: “The support we receive from DuPont has a tremendous impact on our workforce training programs because it provides our students with valuable opportunities to work with professionals in the field and a chance for future employment.”

In addition, DuPont continues to support:

• Traditional and skills-based volunteering.
• Food donations through company-wide food drives
• Offers of used furniture
• Offers of free meeting space at DuPont facilities

 BOARD SERVICE

DuPont’s roots in community involvement run very deep. As the company has transformed itself over the years, it’s commitment to the Delaware community it calls home is steadfast and focuses on community impact in the areas of basics to thrive, education and leveraging its innovations for good. Currently three DuPont employees, Nicole DiMondi, Tucker Norton and Sarah DiLuzio (joined as of July 1), serve on our Board of Directors, sharing their skills and expertise to also support our mission.

Interestingly, prior to their board appointments all three volunteered their time with the Food Bank and describe their work – both as volunteers and board members — as fulfilling and meaningful.

NICOLE DIMONDI

DiMondi currently serves as Environmental, Health & Safety Manager in DuPont’s Facilities Services & Real Estate department, and is a native Delawarean who has worked at DuPont for more than 30 years. “I love my job as it ultimately involves making a difference by working to ensure the protection of the environment as well as the safety and health of our employees, our contractors, our customers, and the people in the communities where we operate,” she said.

She’s also passionate about the Food Bank of Delaware. Her connection started as a volunteer “about 6 years ago when my daughter was looking for volunteer opportunities for school service hours. Our experiences in volunteering were so fulfilling to be able to make a difference for others as a family and that continued to resonate with me through the years,” she said.

She joined our board of directors in the summer of 2021, and now chairs a newly formed board committee, Workforce and Community Development.

“I believe that the knowledge, skills, and abilities that I use to do my job effectively at DuPont also enable me to be a positive contributor to board service.  Creative thinking, effective planning, leading teams/committees, ability to effectively communicate with others and practice in continuously improving processes are some examples,” DiMondi explained.

She also brings high-level experience in designing and implementing effective training and development programs, useful in working with the food bank’s culinary school and L.O.G.I.C. (Logistics, Operations, General Warehousing and Inventory Control) training programs.

In addition, DiMondi’s facilities management experience benefits the Food Bank’s  operations out of an 80,000-square-foot facility in Newark and the current construction of our new 67,000-square-foot facility in Milford.

TUCKER NORTON

Tucker Norton modestly describes himself as a business leader with global responsibilities; he is the general manager of the Cyrel ® and Artistri ® businesses which target the printing and packaging markets. Throughout his 25-year career, he’s lived not only in Wilmington, but also St. Louis, MO., Richmond, VA., and Shanghai, China.

Norton has served on the Food Bank’s board for just over a year, sharing not only general management skills, but also operational experience. “This comes in very handy especially during the construction of the new facility at Milford, where we get a chance to design the workflow from scratch, ranging from warehousing to the culinary center.  I enjoy working with others with diverse experiences as we seek to support the many good things that the Food Bank does across the state,” he said.

He, too, grew up in Delaware, and his personal commitment links to his professional one. “I’ve been contributing to the Food Bank for well over a decade, including volunteering at the original facility before the Lake Drive facility was built. Food security is such a key part to daily living, and it’s something many of us take for granted. It’s truly difficult to succeed in other areas of life not knowing where your next meal will come from,” Norton said.

“My favorite part of volunteering at the Food Bank is the camaraderie of bringing DuPont employees to participate in the mobile food pantries in New Castle County. The scale of the impact is tremendous — we serve hundreds of families on a given morning.  And while we load boxes of food into people’s cars, we get a chance to talk with the people receiving this assistance. Together, we’ve supported a dozen or so mobile pantries, and the number of DuPont volunteers at these events continues to increase! “

Thank you, DuPont, your commitment to the Food Bank of Delaware!