Archived Content

Business Steps Up for Tornado Relief

May 22, 2013

A round-up of what Business Roundtable member companies are doing to help in the wake of the Oklahoma tornado. The activities listed below are surely just a part of the charitable contributions, in-kind donations, and thousands of hours of volunteer work that companies and their employees are undertaking.

From Chesapeake Energy, "Chesapeake Energy Corporation Makes $1 Million Cash Donation to Aid Tornado Relief Efforts in Moore, Oklahoma":

OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 20, 2013-- Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK) today announced it will make a cash donation of $1 million to the American Red Cross to be used in the rescue and recovery efforts to aid the victims of the devastating tornadoes that hit Moore, Oklahoma earlier today. Chesapeake is also organizing hundreds of employee volunteers to help tornado victims.

Archie W. Dunham, Chairman of the Board, said, “Our hearts go out to the victims of these terrible storms, and Chesapeake and our employees are doing all we can to aid in the disaster recovery efforts in our hometown community. We are providing all possible assistance using Chesapeake equipment, machinery and resources and many of our people are already mobilized under the Operation Blue banner and assisting in the rescue efforts. We urge other local businesses and citizens to pitch in to help during our community’s hour of need.”

Associated Press, "Walmart pledges $1M for Moore tornado recovery":

MOORE, Okla. (AP) — Walmart says it is pledging $1 million for the recovery from the tornado that devastated Moore.

The Bentonville, Ark.-based company said Tuesday that it will make donations of cash and materials equal to $1 million. Walmart is also sending truckloads of food, water and other basic items to serve as immediate aid...

The company is sending workers from Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Texas to the affected areas so members of Oklahoma crews can be with their families.

Houston Business Journal, "Houston energy companies send money, aid to Oklahoma":

Various energy companies — many based in Houston or with a large presence in Texas — are sending money and volunteers to aid disaster relief efforts following a massive tornado that destroyed buildings and killed dozens in Oklahoma on May 20.

Houston’s ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) and Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) both said Tuesday they will donate $1 million each to the American Red Cross. Both companies will also match employees’ contributions.

"Our company's roots run deep in Oklahoma, and our thoughts and heartfelt prayers go out to the people affected by this disaster,” Greg Garland, chairman and CEO of Phillips 66, said in a statement. “We are extremely thankful that all of our employees in Oklahoma and their immediate families are safe. We thank the first responders and medical personnel that came to the rescue of so many."

Target, "Target Donates $250,000 for Tornado Relief in Moore, Okla.":

MINNEAPOLIS -- Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) announced today it will donate $250,000 in monetary support and merchandise to assist with tornado relief efforts in Moore, Okla. The donation includes $150,000 in cash and in-kind donations to the American Red Cross, $30,000 in a cash donation to the Salvation Army and $20,000 in product donations for other community needs such as water and other rescue and recovery supplies. Target will also donate $50,000 to Plaza Tower and Briarwood Elementary Schools to aid in recovery efforts.

“Target is saddened by the devastation in Moore, Oklahoma and committed to being a resource for this community,” said Gregg Steinhafel, Chairman, President and CEO, Target. “By volunteering our time and donating product and funds, we hope to help the residents of Moore recover from this disaster.”

Target is supporting local police and emergency responders, whose command center is currently located in the Moore Target store parking lot at 720 SW 19th St.

General Motors, "GM Foundation and Chevrolet Donate to ‘Help 4 Oklahoma’":

DETROIT – The General Motors Foundation is pledging $50,000, and Chevrolet is donating a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado full-size pickup to Forgotten Harvest to assist with the organization’s “Help 4 Oklahoma” campaign to get supplies to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and help those impacted by this week’s devastating tornadoes.

“The GM Foundation’s $50,000 donation to Forgotten Harvest for ‘Help 4 Oklahoma’ is just the first step in our support for those impacted by the tornadoes,” said Selim Bingol, GM’s global vice president of Communications and Public Policy and the chairman of the GM Foundation. “Our employees want to help and will volunteer locally at Forgotten Harvest, and we will engage our plants and other facilities across the U.S. to collect food to help this effort.”

GM previously pledged $500,000 to help the victims of the Texas tornadoes."

In addition to the post-disaster contributions, corporations make annual contributions to the American Red Cross that helps the organization operate effectively throughout the year.

CORPORATIONS HELP The Red Cross is able to respond quickly when emergencies like this happen with the help of corporations who are members of the organization’s Annual Disaster Giving (ADGP) and Disaster Responder programs. Program members pledge donations on an ongoing basis to allow the Red Cross to pre-position supplies and be ready to take immediate action when disasters occur.

Current ADGP members are:

3M; Altria Group; Aon; AT&T; Bank of America; BNY Mellon; Briggs & Stratton Corporation; Caterpillar Inc.; CHS Foundation; Cisco Foundation; Citi Foundation; The Clorox Company; Community Safety Foundation funded by AAA Northern California, Nevada and Utah Insurance Exchange; ConAgra Foods Foundation; Costco Wholesale Corporation; Darden Restaurants, Inc.; Dell Inc.; Discover; Disney; Dr Pepper Snapple Group; Edison International; FedEx Corporation; GE Foundation; Hewlett-Packard Company Foundation; The Home Depot Foundation; Humble Bundle; jcpenney; John Deere Foundation; Johnson Controls; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; Kraft Foods Group; Lowe's Companies, Inc.; Medtronic; Meijer; Merck Co. Foundation; Mondelēz International; National Grid; Nationwide Insurance Foundation; Northrop Grumman; Optum; PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation; Southwest Airlines; Sprint; State Farm; State Street; Target; Texas Instruments; The TJX Companies, Inc.; UnitedHealthcare; University of Phoenix; UPS; US Airways; Walmart; WellPoint Foundation; Wells Fargo.

Disaster Responder members include:

American Express; AstraZeneca; AXA Foundation; Delta Air Lines; Farmers Insurance; Ford Motor Company; General Motors Foundation; H&R Block; Ingersoll Rand; Morgan Stanley; New Balance Foundation; Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation; PuroClean; Ryder Charitable Foundation; Starbucks Coffee Company and Starbucks Foundation; Sunoco; Tyson Foods, Inc.; U.S. Bank; Western Union Foundation.

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