Hammermill® Paper Raises $327,657 During St. Jude Thanks And Giving® Campaign To Help Find Cures And Save Children

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Hammermill^® Paper, manufactured by International Paper, raised $327,657 during an exciting holiday shopping season as part of the paper manufacturer's participation in the 11th annual St. Jude Thanks and Giving^® campaign. This marks the fourth year of the Hammermill brand's partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital^®, and brings the total amount contributed by Hammermill to St. Jude to more than one million dollars. The Thanks and Giving campaign raises millions of dollars to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital^® and its mission of finding cures and saving children battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Hammermill Paper supported the campaign by producing special reams of paper which featured original artwork on the front, drawn by actual St. Jude patients.  Customers could also learn about the artists by reading the St. Jude stories on the back of the reams.  Extending the partnership even further this year, International Paper sponsored the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend in December with a spirit station at mile marker #8.  More than 100 runners joined the Hammermill Heroes team and raised almost $32,000 for the hospital.  "For the Hammermill Heroes team, partnering with St. Jude is about more than just business. It's a way for the entire International Paper family to come together, have fun and support a great cause," said John Sims, Vice President of Printing Papers.

The St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign is a multi-media effort that unites celebrities, media and corporate partners in asking consumers to donate while they shop and support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude. Hammermill Paper joined more than 60 of America's leading companies and brands to participate in the campaign. What began as a holiday-focused fundraising effort by St. Jude has now grown into an annual tradition that raises funds to help St. Jude provide cutting-edge treatment and pursue visionary research. These funds are critical given that no family ever pays St. Jude for anything.

"As we enter the second decade of our St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign, we could not have asked for a more wonderful performance from our partners," said Marlo Thomas, National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "Hammermill Paper and its customers truly came through for us this year, not only raising vital funds for the hospital, but also showing such care and concern for the children and their Moms and Dads. This makes all the difference in the world, and we are enormously thankful to Hammermill for its unwavering generosity and commitment."

To learn more about Hammermill Paper, please visit www.hammermill.com.

To learn more about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, please visit www.stjude.org.

About Hammermill Paper:
Hammermill is a brand of office papers that has been trusted to deliver superior quality for over 100 years. Hammermill is universally compatible with today's digital office equipment, so the result is superior print quality and smooth performance on every print job.  Plus it's backed by a 99.99% Jam-Free Guarantee^™. The Hammermill portfolio consists of 20 lb. copy paper for everyday documents, versatile multi-purpose and recycled content sheets, as well as heavier, super smooth presentation-quality papers for documents that get you noticed.

About International Paper:
International Paper IP is a global leader in packaging and paper with manufacturing operations in North America, Europe, Latin America, Russia, Asia and North Africa. Its businesses include industrial and consumer packaging along with uncoated papers and pulp. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., the company employs approximately 58,000 people and is strategically located in more than 24 countries serving customers worldwide. International Paper net sales for 2014 were $24 billion. For more information about International Paper, its products and stewardship efforts, visit internationalpaper.com.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. St. Jude has the world's best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs we make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org or following St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.

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SOURCE International Paper