Here's an encouraging story courtesy of Waste Management's blog, Greenopolis. Alberta Elementary School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was one of the many victims of this particularly active tornado season. Before the storm, the school had been an active participant in the Dream Machine Recyle Rally, a competition co-sponsored by Waste Management, PepsiCo and Keep America Beautiful that encourages schools to collect recyclable bottles and cans. Proceeds from the collected materials benefit disabled veterans, while the winning school will receive a "green makeover."

When the tornado blew through, almost everything at Alberta Elementary was lost, inlcuding the laptop and scanner it had been using to track its recyclables. So they wrote to the sponsors explaining how important the recycling had become to the parents and students, even with so much else to worry about.

To see how the companies responded, check out the full story.

How is your firm reaching out to communities affected by disaster?