Gregory Stromberg

I am a 64 year old grandfather and social entrepreneur that has worked in the can industry for over 40 years. In 2008 I started a 501c3 nonprofit called cannedwater4kids.

It all began In October 2007 when I attended the “The Canmaker Summit” titled “Metal: The Packaging Format for the Future” where Alan Sayers, owner and publisher of the “Canmaker” magazine, invited Neil Cormack Robson, a consultant to the United Nations on packaging to speak. Mr. Robson spoke on “Metal Packaging: A Solution to Food Waste and World hunger”. In the course of his speech he challenged all of the CEOs, Senior VPs and their supply chain companies, by asking them what they were doing with rigid metal packaging to help serve developing countries. He went on to explain in length what happens to food and water without the proper packaging. Most of it spoils or gets contaminated, killing the most vulnerable, the old, the sick and especially the young children. It was obvious that this would be a difficult challenge for the industry, especially within developing countries because of political unrest, as well as the lack of infrastructure (roads, energy, power and water) and lack of skilled, educated labor which makes producing cans an almost impossible feat.

I was deeply moved by Neil’s presentation. His message touched my heart. It seemed unfair that we, in America, have so much and that those in small and developing countries have so little. I thought of my own kids and grandchildren, and how lucky they were. I thought about all of life's basic needs that we take for granted. I have always felt that the children of the world are our future and if those small and developing countries have little or none of the basics, it directly affects the health and success of the children. And ultimately the future of our world.