BottleDrop to support wildfire relief efforts, match up to $50,000 in donations
CLACKAMAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), operator of the BottleDrop network, announced this week that it is activating its Emergency Fund to aid with wildfire relief in Oregon and is inviting Oregonians to support the effort through container donations. OBRC’s Emergency Fund will match up to $50,000 in donations made via BottleDrop through Sept. 30.
This year an estimated 1.4 million acres have burned across Oregon, more than any other year on record. OBRC has been facilitating container redemptions with boots-on-the-ground wildland firefighting camps to support their hard work. Through those interactions, OBRC has learned about the experiences of firefighters on the frontlines. This understanding, combined with the devastation caused by wildfires, motivated the organization to act.
“At OBRC, we are both in awe of the tireless resolution of the brave first responders who are risking their lives to protect their fellow Oregonians, and deeply saddened by the devastation to our beautiful state caused by the all-too-common wildfires,” said Devon Morales, vice president of external affairs. “BottleDrop customers are incredibly generous, and we are proud to work together to leverage the power of bottles and cans to support organizations that are making a big difference for communities impacted by the wildfires.”
Between now and Sept. 30, BottleDrop is encouraging its more than 1-million-member strong Green Bag account network to make online donations from their BottleDrop account to bolster wildfire relief efforts in Oregon. Customers can direct their donations to the Emergency Fund by logging into their account and by visiting bottledrop.com/wildfire. OBRC will match up to $50,000 of total donations made through BottleDrop to the OBRC Emergency Fund.
Oregonians can also donate their OR-10 cent redeemable cans and bottles directly to this effort, and have their funds matched, by taking them to one of the 27 full-service BottleDrop Redemption Centers and letting staff know they would like to donate to support wildfire relief efforts.
Donations made to the OBRC Emergency Fund will be directed to the following nonprofit organizations that are providing wildfire relief in Oregon:
- Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, Wildfire Fund, assisting Oregon ranchers affected by wildfires.
- Oregon Farm Bureau, Wildfire Relief Fund, providing critical relief to farms and ranches affected by wildfires.
- Oregon State University Foundation, Post-Fire Recovery Fund, supporting agriculture and livestock producers.
- Wildland Firefighter Foundation, Oregon Chapter, supporting those on the frontlines of the wildfires by helping injured firefighters and families of those killed in the line of duty.
About the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative
The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative is the industry steward of Oregon’s nationally recognized
beverage container redemption system and the operator of the BottleDrop network. On behalf of the beverage industry, OBRC helps Oregonians conveniently redeem and recycle more than 2 billion containers every year, dramatically reducing litter in Oregon’s special places and boosting the state’s recycling outcomes. To learn more, visit BottleDrop.com or OBRC.com.
About the OBRC Emergency Fund
Launched in 2020, this fund is used to help support communities and neighbors during times of urgent need. The OBRC Emergency Fund was first used shortly after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, when many individuals and families were experiencing food insecurity. Collectively, BottleDrop customers donated 2 million beverage containers with a refund value of $200,000 for Oregon Food Bank. Since then, the fund has been engaged to raise money for other important causes, such as supporting wildfire relief efforts, funding warming and cooling shelters during extreme weather, and supporting humanitarian relief services being provided to Ukrainians through the Portland-based nonprofit Mercy Corps.
