However, Burns Harbor strives to be a good neighbor in more ways than by providing jobs and paying taxes. It does so by interacting with the local business community and chambers of commerce, area colleges and universities, service groups and charitable organizations. For example, the Division and its employees contribute more than one million dollars a year to local United Way agencies.

This involvement also happens in many other ways. Often it’s in the form of donation of goods, such as scrap to a trade college for welding classes, used laboratory equipment to a high school or surplus office furniture to a service agency. Other times, usually through the Bethlehem Steel Foundation, it’s in the form of financial support. This assistance can come as a major grant to help expand a YMCA, fund a research project at an Indiana university or support United Way agencies. At other times, it can be a few hundred dollars to help sponsor a 10K race for charity.

Unique Education Cooperation Program advances employee, family and community awareness and understanding.
Since 1974, the Burns Harbor Division has been involved in an education cooperation program with local elementary school districts. Designed to introduce the students to the importance of steel in their lives, as well as the economic importance of the industry to northwest Indiana, the program can become part of a school’s science, geography, history, social studies, art and even English instruction. It also brings many parents who are steelworkers into the classrooms. The Burns Harbor plant furnishes a variety of teaching materials for the course, helps train the instructors and conducts a tour of the plant for all students after they have completed the classroom study.

Whether by encouraging employees to get involved or through direct corporate support, Bethlehem and the Burns Harbor Division are committed to being a valuable part of the community.