Marathon Petroleum: Mandan refinery employees focus on feeding those in need

Employees from Marathon Petroleum’s Mandan refinery are partnering with local organizations to bridge the hunger gap for students and community members in need of assistance.

“At the Mandan refinery, we’re always looking for different ways we can give back to the community where we live and work. Recently, we’ve enjoyed partnering with Meals on Wheels and United Way to be able to directly give back to those in need, and we are excited to continue these partnerships,” said MPC Human Resources Business Partner Julie Stoll.

With support from the company, seven employees volunteered with Meals on Wheels during the month of May, delivering 880 weekday meals to eight community members who have limited access to food.

Employees also volunteered for the United Way Backpack Program, delivering 1,081 backpacks across 29 schools in the Mandan/Bismarck area. Backpacks contained non-perishable food to help sustain students who would otherwise go hungry over the weekend. The Missouri Slope Areawide United Way recruits and coordinates local businesses that sponsor and pack bags containing a weekend’s-worth of food, then deliver the backpacks to schools, where counselors discreetly provide them to students in-need.

MPC Senior Processor Michal McFall feels a strong personal motivation and finds joy in joining her colleagues in whole-heartedly giving back – particularly with these organizations.

I was so grateful when the community reached out to support me when I was going through a difficult time as a newly single parent returning to college to get my degree,” McFall shared. “I know the backpack program helps so many single parents and families who just need a little extra to make it through, and I love Meals on Wheels, because my elderly parents were recipients of the program when they were unable to cook for themselves.”

“We are so grateful for the continued partnership and support of Marathon Petroleum and their employees,” said Lori Ledahl of the Missouri Slope Areawide United Way, “We enjoy working with such a great group of people.”