CT Company Raises Over $2,500 for First Responders, Military Heroes

Summer is typically a time when businesses slow down or go on furlough. Not so with Connecticut crating manufacturer Packaging And Crating Technologies, LLC (PACT), which created a grassroots fundraising opportunity for the Tunnel to Towers (T2T) Foundation that ran from May 1st through the 4th of July based on sales of its popular produce line currently used by the military and moving industry. On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, the Watertown-based company presented a $2,530 check to the national charity that directly benefits American military veterans and first responders, especially those involved with the 9/11 NYC tragedy, at its company headquarters.

“It is always the ideal time to honor the sacrifice of American servicemen and women and first responders who have given us the gift of freedom,” said Rodger Mort, chief operating officer at PACT. “We have strong ties to the military both personally and professionally and are always happy to help such humble heroes in any way possible.”

The T2T Foundation provides mortgage-free homes for America’s catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, Gold Star and fallen first responder families. According to the Defense Casualty Analysis System, there were 844 total military deaths in 2022.

Tunnels to Towers Foundation was founded to recognize the valiant life of NYC firefighter Stephen Gerard Siller. Siller was assigned to Brooklyn’s Squad 1 and had just finished his shift when he got word over his scanner of a plane hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center. He drove his truck to the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, b ut it had already been closed for security purposes. Determined to carry out his duty, he strapped 60 lbs. of gear to his back, and raced on foot through the tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he gave up his life while saving others. Stephen had everything to live for; a great wife, five wonderful children, a devoted extended family, and friends.

To date, the Foundation has provided over 600 mortgage-free homes for families, including specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Over 500,000 participants have supported the organization’s 80+ national walk, run and climb fundraisers.

“We are extremely grateful for the generous effort that PACT has made to our national non-profit organization for the second year in a row,” said Cahill Zoeller, director of development for national programs at Tunnel To Towers Foundation. “In an incredibly real way, each dollar donated helps take a huge financial burden off our many beneficiary families.”

For more information about PACT and its line of products for the military, please visit: www.pactww.com.

ABOUT PACT, LLC

PACT, LLC is a global leader in manufacturing sustainable packaging products for the commercial, industrial and military industries. With more than 25 years of experience, the family business was founded by three green packaging professionals and continues to embrace a green future by designing cost-effective, patented, crating solutions like LiftVans and PleatWrap, as well as custom packaging for the aerospace, medical, electronics, tooling, machinery, furniture, fine art and automotive sectors. The company’s newest innovation is PACT Thermo Shield, a sustainable paper-based packaging material that suppresses and controls lithium-ion battery fires by mitigating thermal runaway.

About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation

Born from the tragedy of 9/11, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation carries out its mission to “do good,” by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Tunnel to Towers is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America to Never Forget September 11, 2001. Visit T2T.org to learn more and follow Tunnel to Towers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.