Food companies nationwide are donating to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Some are making cash contributions to the American Red Cross, others have created ways to make it easy for their customers to contribute to disaster relief efforts.
The General Mills Foundation in Minneapolis, Minn. is donating a total of $250,000. Half of the money will go to the American Red Cross and the other half will go to Feeding America.”We are eager to support the critical work being done by our dedicated partners, the American Red Cross and Feeding America, as they bring relief to those affected by this terrible storm,” Ellen Goldberg Luger, General Mills Foundation executive director said in a statement.
Food Lion, which operates more than 1,100 supermarkets in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, has created a program that allows customers to donate to the American Red Cross at the check out register or online. Food Lion customers can make in-store doantions at any Food Lion location through Nov. 9, or online by visiting www.foodlion.com or through the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Western Union, one of the company’s vendor partners, has agreed to match up to $100,000 in customer contributions. Ralph’s and Food 4 Less grocery stores have established similar programs.
The Kellogg Company of Battle Creek, Mich., has made a $500,000 contribution. The donation includes a $250,000 to the American Red Cross and $250,000 in food to Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief charity. The Red Cross and Feeding America will be providing critical aid over the coming weeks and we want the organizations, and those affected most, to know they can count on Kellogg for help,” Kris Charles, vice president, global communications and philanthropy, said in a statement.
Nestle Waters North America has donated more than half a million bottles of water to its emergency relief partners, AmeriCares and the American Red Cross to help communities affected by Hurricane Sandy in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Vermont. In preparation for the storm, Nestle Waters ramped up production at six bottling facilities in Maine, Pennsylvania and northern Florida. These facilities help ensure that high-quality bottled water is available as a vital backup when municipal water supplies are affected.
“Bottled water is a critical second source of drinking water, and never is that more clear than when access to public water is disrupted,” said Heidi Paul, vice president corporate affairs for Nestle Waters North America. “Our partnership with American Red Cross and AmeriCares helps emergency relief workers quickly get bottled water where it needs to go. We will continue to support their relief efforts until our friends and neighbors are back on their feet.”
Hormel Foods Corporation of Austin, Minn. has donated four semi-trailer loads of food including microwave meals and fully cooked, large cuts of white meat chicken.
