ATLANTA, March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For more than 30 years Dow (NYSE: DOW) has been a strategic partner to Habitat for Humanity International. The company will continue their commitment to the organization in 2014 by engaging more than 1,500 employees who are expected to log 10,000 volunteer hours. Dow's 2014 commitment involves 41 Habitat builds in 15 countries, including first-time projects in Puerto Rico and Japan.

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"The heart of our partnership with Habitat has always been our people, and this year we are especially proud of their willingness to devote more than 10,000 hours to providing decent, affordable housing to their neighbors around the world," said Bo Miller, global director for Corporate Citizenship at Dow and President of The Dow Chemical Company Foundation. "Our hope is that their commitment, when coupled with our expanded product contributions and funding support, will make a difference not just in the lives of the families whose homes we help build but in our global communities, as well."

This year Dow will also expand its product donations of STYROFOAM(TM) brand insulation and GREAT STUFF PRO(TM) window and door sealants, and FROTH-PAK(TM) foam insulation to its portfolio for Habitat construction in the United States and Canada. FROTH-PAK is a two-component, quick-cure polyurethane foam to fill cavities, cracks and expansion joints, and joins the Dow product donations to Habitat for the first time this year.

Dow was Habitat's first national corporate partner, and since 1983, has been instrumental in the construction of almost 41,700 Habitat homes in the United States and 26 countries. Dow engages a holistic approach with Habitat, contributing not only funds and energy-saving insulation products, but significant volunteer support. Dow volunteers work on Habitat construction sites, serve as board members for Habitat affiliates worldwide and share their expertise in energy efficiency and conservation to assist Habitat in creating affordable, sustainable housing. This approach aligns with a number of Dow's 2015 Sustainability Goals, including those related to energy efficiency, community success and local protection of human health and the environment.

"We are so grateful to Dow for this incredible partnership spanning more than three decades," said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. "We are honored that Dow associates all over the world work to support our mission. Through their dedication and Dow's commitments, this partnership has touched more than 41,000 families. We are grateful for their continued support in Habitat's mission to build homes, communities and hope."

For 2014, Dow has committed more than $1.44 million in funding and anticipates gift-in-kind contributions of STYROFOAM(TM),( )FROTH-PAK and GREAT STUFF PRO brand insulation products of $5 million. To date, Dow has contributed nearly $62.6 million in cumulative giving to Habitat.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from the intersection of chemical, physical and biological sciences to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's integrated, market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 180 countries and in high growth sectors such as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and agriculture. In 2013, Dow had annual sales of more than $57 billion and employed approximately 53,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 6,000 products are manufactured at 201 sites in 36 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International's vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Anchored by the conviction that housing provides a critical foundation for breaking the cycle of poverty, Habitat has helped more than 4 million people construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes since 1976. Habitat also advocates to improve access to decent and affordable shelter and supports a variety of funding models that enable families with limited resources to make needed improvements on their homes as their time and resources allow. As a nonprofit Christian housing organization, Habitat works in more than 70 countries and welcomes people of all races, religions and nationalities to partner in its mission. To learn more, donate or volunteer visit habitat.org.

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SOURCE Habitat for Humanity International