GREENVILLE, Maine - The Plum Creek Foundation recently awarded a $2,500 grant to Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital to help fund the Greenville School Backpack Program.

The program provides kindergarten through fifth grade students in the Greenville School District with a backpack full of food to take home at the end of each week. According to Executive Vice President Dennis Welsh, the program addresses the need for healthy meals beyond the school's subsidized lunch program.

"With 53 percent of students eligible for subsidized lunch, there is a very real concern for the health and well-being of our community's youth," said Welsh.  "Thanks to the help of the Plum Creek Foundation, we can continue to care for our students beyond the classroom."

The backpack program began in January 2013 as a community-wide effort with donations from the Ladies Auxiliary of the Greenville Fire Department, American Legion post 94, United Way of Eastern Maine and other local organizations. In the spring of 2013, the program distributed 17 backpacks at the end of each week. With additional funding, the program plans to increase its reach to 35 students.

The mission of the Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital is to provide patients with a continuum of high quality healthcare services. This focus includes a commitment to: building healthier communities, fulfilling changing healthcare needs; creating collaborative partnerships and effectively balancing financial and social responsibilities. For more information, please visit www.cadean.org.

The mission of the Plum Creek Foundation is to provide philanthropic contributions to support and improve the general welfare of life in the communities that Plum Creek serves. The Foundation board meets quarterly to review applications submitted from organizations in the company's operating communities. Visit the Community Involvement page on Plum Creek's website at www.plumcreek.com to download an application.

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Plum Creek is among the largest and most geographically diverse private landowners in the nation with approximately 6.8 million acres of timberlands in forest ecosystems across the northern and southeastern United States.  We also operate wood products mills in the Northwest. As the company celebrates its 25th anniversary as a publicly traded corporation, we continue to manage our working forests and lands using sustainable practices to benefit Plum Creek's many stakeholders. Our talented employees work together to create shareholder value, serve as stewards of the environment, make wood products for everyday use, and build strong communities. Please visit www.plumcreek.com for the latest information about Plum Creek.

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