The Employee Relief Fund (ERF) is intended to provide basic necessities and temporary relief to meet the necessities of life of persons who are needy as a direct result of a disaster.

The Fund's primary focus is to support International Paper employees who are impacted by disaster and this is achieved through a grant process limited to full-time employees of International Paper.

In addition to employee grants, the ERF also serves as a mechanism for employees to pool their resources and respond to world-wide disasters that may or may not impact employees. Examples of this have been 9/11, the Southeast Asian Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the China Earthquake where the company has activated the Fund to allow employees to make contributions and the company to match those contributions at varying levels. The fund then seeks out the best partner to distribute funds to have the greatest impact for those in need. Past partners have included:

Employees of International Paper have always reached out to help members of the IP family and others in times of need. This was demonstrated when in the late 1990's floods overtook Franklin, Virginia and Tarboro, North Carolina and tornadoes struck communities throughout the Southeast. Employees across the company wanted to help, but unsure of where to start. The Fund was formally established in September 2001, to help our colleagues help others during difficult times.

The ERF is a public charity so employee contributions are tax deductible and assistance grants are tax-free to recipients in the United States. The company also matches employee contributions, making the most of employee generosity.

In every country, communities and lives can be turned upside down suddenly or with little warning. Your gift helps provide basic necessities to a fellow employee or an IP community after a disaster.