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Disaster in Asia

Companies show charitable range with tsunami efforts

By HELEN HUNTLEY
Published December 31, 2004

Corporations have joined the effort to get help to victims of the tsunami disaster that killed more than 100,000 people in south Asia this week.

Pfizer Inc. said it would give $10-million in cash and $25-million in products, and Amazon.com has raised more than $5.7-million in online donations.

The corporate efforts are part of millions of dollars in U.S. aid flowing to relief agencies around the world to supply food, water, shelter and health care to the region.

Online bookseller Amazon.com began collecting donations for the American Red Cross on its Web site almost immediately, By Thursday afternoon, 91,000 donations had been recorded.

The company did the same thing for the agency after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, collecting more than $6.8-million.

Starbucks Corp. has contributed $100,000 to two international relief organizations - CARE and Oxfam UK. It plans next month to donate $2 for every pound of Sumatra, Sumatra Decaf and Aged Sumatra whole-bean coffee bought in its stores worldwide.

Many companies are making donations of goods and services. Airlines have been flying relief workers for free. Soft-drink companies are shipping thousands of cases of bottled water and pharmaceutical companies are donating drugs and other supplies.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $3-million and Microsoft's company offices in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India are working with relief organizations. Microsoft also is matching charitable donations by its U.S. employees.

Apple Computer put the disaster on its home page on the Internet, proclaiming "our hearts reach out to those hurt by the Indian Ocean tsunamis."

The page offers links to the American Red Cross and other disaster relief agencies, encouraging Web site visitors to donate.

AuctionDrop set up a partnership with CARE to accept donations of electronic equipment and certain other goods to be sold on eBay. Those who have items to donate can bring them to any UPS Store in the United States. AuctionDrop said it will pay shipping costs and donate the proceeds to CARE's disaster relief fund. Information about which items can be accepted is available at www.auctiondrops.com or by calling toll-free 1-866-376-7486.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

[Last modified December 31, 2004, 00:19:15]