Marathon Petroleum Corp. (MPC) helped make possible the distribution of essential clothing items to benefit hundreds of North Dakota children and adults in need.

MPC partnered with Operation Warm and NATIVE Community Development, Inc. to provide more than 500 coats and 500 pairs of shoes at the Bismarck Metro Community Resource Fair.

“Meeting basic needs of underserved residents is one of the many ways MPC works to strengthen the communities where we operate,” said Cam Thoroughman, human resources manager at MPC’s Mandan refinery outside Bismarck, N.D. “Supporting this event allows us to see an immediate impact from our assistance, so we know we are making a difference.”

Thoroughman was among seven refinery employees who volunteered at the fair in March. NATIVE, Inc. hosted the event as part of its work to serve Native Americans and all people who struggle with housing stability and behavioral health needs across North Dakota. Representatives of several other social service and resource providers in Bismarck also took part in the fair.

Operation Warm supplied the coats and shoes. The national nonprofit organization manufactures these items for the purpose of distributing them through programs that connect underserved children to community resources.

This event was the second resource fair in Bismarck that MPC co-sponsored in just the past several months. The previous event, hosted by NATIVE, Inc. at the end of November, also involved the distribution of more than 500 coats and 500 pairs of shoes and was supported by MPC employee volunteers.