When employees are given $2,000 grants to donate to local organizations, amazing things can happen. That’s the spirit behind Domtar’s $2k Your Way program.
Five years ago, Domtar launched a simple idea: Give employees the opportunity to apply for grants to support causes they care about. The $1K Your Way program was born, and in 2023, the company increased the grant amounts and renamed the program $2K Your Way.
The $2K Your Way program is part of Domtar’s community investment framework, Domtar Connects, which launched in April 2025 and complements owner Jackson Wijaya’s own commitment to philanthropy.
The corporate integration of Domtar, Resolute Forest Products and Paper Excellence expanded the reach of our $2K Your Way program. In 2025, the program was opened to all 14,000 Domtar employees in North America and this year, we received 143 applications. With the endorsement of company leaders, our initial goal of awarding 25 grants was more than quadrupled to 107 grants that will support a wide range of causes, from early childhood education in Quebec to homeless shelters in South Carolina.
“It’s been wonderful to see so many employees embrace the $2K Your Way program,” says Jennifer Johnson, vice president of global communications for Domtar. “Whether it is an employee’s fifth year participating in the program or their first time, the $2K Your Way program enables them to give back to organizations they are passionate about.”
$2K Your Way Program Makes a Difference
We spoke with some of this year’s recipients about the causes they will support with a $2K Your Way grant.
- Jean Bigelow, who is a technical manager, applied for funding for the CPE Aux Trois Pommes daycare center located in Gatineau, Quebec.
“This grant will help further promote the development of children through nature-based learning,” Jean says. “It makes me very proud to work for a company that cares about nonprofit organizations.”
- Tracie Redmond donated her $2K Your Way grant to the Bethel Day Shelter, located in the Pathways Community Center in Rock Hill, SC. She asked the organization, “What can you do with $2,000?” They said they could use the grant to provide more beds for the community’s unhoused population.
“Not only are they grateful, but I am as well for this wonderful program that Domtar provides to their employees,” says Redmond.
- Antoine Kack, manager of media relations and public affairs in Eastern Canada, supported Camp le Manoir through the 2025 $2K Your Way program. Antoine was a camper as a child and later worked at the camp for several years. The camp has influenced Antoine’s development and shaped the person he is today.
“As the camp was developing a new educational project on the environment, I immediately saw the potential for the $2K Your Way program,” says Kack. “I’m pleased that the project was selected, as I know the impact it will have on so many children.”
- Joseph Chestnut, who works as a rewinder, shipper and converter at the Dubois Converting Center in Pennsylvania, says that he is honored to work for a company that fosters responsible practices by ensuring that the world will be healthy and sustainable for future generations.
Joseph chose to donate to the Toby Creek Watershed Association. The organization is combating the growing issue of acidic mine drainage pollution at the creek.
“I worked closely with the Toby Creek Watershed Association for many years while working for an environmental laboratory. Over the years, I used Toby Creek for various recreational activities from fishing to kayaking,” Chestnut shares. “It only seems right to give back after little Toby Creek has done so much for myself and my community.”
Community Connections Grow Through Grants
“Engaging our employees in the communities where we live and work is a vital part of the culture we’re building at Domtar,” says Jan Martin, Director of Public Affairs, who advocated for the original grant increase from $1,000 per project to $2,000 per project in 2023. “The $2K Your Way program is a meaningful and rewarding way to bring that commitment to life.”
Jada Howze, an integrated marketing communications student at Winthrop University, who recently completed a summer internship with Domtar’s Communications team.
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