Corporations Step Up, Donate Millions To Support Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts

Since Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas on Friday, a tremendous relief effort has been launched in the state. Many rescue workers , law enforcement officials , volunteers , journalists and others have been working tirelessly to help save stranded people, offer shelter to the displaced and keep residents up-to-date on the latest forecasts and breaking news.

Help has also come from elsewhere, with Americans across the nation donating money, blood and provisions to help with the relief effort. Celebrities have pitched in, with the likes of Beyoncé  and Kevin Hart extending a helping hand to those impacted by the disaster. Several corporations have pledged significant sums of money to do the same.

Listed below are some of the companies that have pledged donations of $1 million or more to the Hurricane Harvey relief effort. Several others, including Aetna , Exxon Mobil , Ford , Google , Lowe’s , Starbucks  and United Airlines  have committed to donations of $100,000 or more ; while some firms have provided assistance in the form of emergency drinking water , complimentary flights  and free food . 

Amazon

Amazon and Whole Foods Market have pledged to match up to $1 million in cash donations made via Amazon.com to the American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Relief  fund.

Apple

An Apple spokesperson told CNN Money that the tech giant had made a $2 million contribution to the Red Cross  and would match employee donations at a 2:1 rate.

Apple has also added a donation button on both iTunes and the App Store so consumers can donate directly to American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Relief.

Chevron

The oil and gas giant said on Monday that it would make a $1 million donation  to the American Red Cross to support “immediate relief efforts.”

Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation has also pledged to donate $1 million to the Red Cross, according to CNNMoney. 

Home Depot

Home Depot said it would donate $1 million to several nonprofits including the Red Cross, Salvation Army and Operation Blessing.

Intercontinental Exchange

Intercontinental Exchange pledged a $1 million contribution to the Red Cross. The finance firm also promised to match employee donations . 

JPMorgan

JPMorgan Chase said it would contribute $1 million to the Red Cross and other nonprofit organizations . The company will also match employee donations, it said.

Until September 10, Chase said it would also be automatically waiving or refunding fees, such as late fees for credit cards and auto loans, as well as overdraft fees on deposit accounts, for customers in Houston and other areas severely impacted by the disaster.

PepsiCo

PepsiCo Inc. and the PepsiCo Foundation committed to donating $1 million to the Red Cross .

UPS

UPS has pledged to give “more than $1 million” to support post-hurricane recovery efforts in Texas and Louisiana . The donation, said the delivery company, would come in the form of cash grants to organizations like the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, as well as in-kind transportation support, technical expertise and long-term recovery assistance.

Walmart

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation said they would donate at least $1 million in cash grants, emergency supplies, food, home products and other provisions to nonprofits like the Red Cross and Convoy of Hope.

Wells Fargo 

Wells Fargo has pledged $1 million in donations to the Red Cross and other nonprofit organizations.

The bank said it would also waive or refund fees, including ATM and late fees, for customers in areas affected by the disaster. 

Across the country, customers can use Wells Fargo ATMs to donate directly to the Red Cross relief efforts.

Disaster experts said it would likely take years  for Texas to recover from the estimated tens of billions of dollars  of damage that it will sustain from the devastating storm. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency expects more than 450,000 people to seek federal assistance  in the aftermath of the disaster.

Click here for more information on how you can support relief efforts.