Upfront: Helping hand in Haiti
By Steve Noe
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, I was filled with great pride at the outpouring of support from our industry. That sense of pride recently returned with our industry rising to the occasion once again in response to the earthquake that devastated Haiti on Jan. 12.
Notably, GE announced its commitment to contribute $2.5 million to support relief and recovery efforts in Haiti, including GE Foundation (GEF) grants of $1 million to the Red Cross and $500,000 to UNICEF, as well as $1 million from GE Corporate to support product donations for the next phase in recovery. The $1.5 million in grants was wired directly to the Red Cross/ UNICEF on Jan. 14 to be immediately used for procurement/deployment needs, and the remaining $1 million allocated for equipment donations is almost fully committed. In addition, GE employees registered $500,000 in matching gifts as of Feb. 2 ($1 million with GEF match), with those numbers expected to grow. The GE Foundation and Corporate Citizenship in Fairfield, Conn., are working directly with the U.S. government and local partners in Haiti to coordinate this phase of GE’s response, but all donations will be earmarked directly to relief efforts in Haiti. GE is also assembling 10 integrated solar-powered water purification units for donation and working out shipment points for anesthesia/ventilators, portable ultrasounds, monitors, and a mobile digital and analog X-ray.
The John Deere Foundation donated $250,000 to the International Red Cross to aid the efforts in Haiti. This donation was in addition to the foundation’s annual contributions of $250,000 each to the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund and the International Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. The John Deere Foundation also agreed to match employee donations of up to $1,000 per employee. As of Jan. 26, employee donations to the John Deere Foundation’s matching program totaled $155,523 with 1,045 contributing.
Caterpillar and its employees, retirees and Cat dealer employees contributed $800,000 to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent relief efforts. The Caterpillar Foundation made an outright contribution of $200,000 to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent relief efforts, and added $300,000 in a dollar-for-dollar match of Caterpillar employees, retirees and Cat dealer employees. Caterpillar and its dealer network continue to respond to relief efforts by mobilizing product, personnel and resources to help assist governmental and non-governmental agencies.
Case New Holland (CNH) provided Case, New Holland and Kobelco construction equipment and companywide monetary donations, including matching employees’ cash donations. “Soged S.A., the Case dealer in Haiti, immediately deployed available excavators, wheel loaders and other equipment to assist in recovery efforts. And EDOM – Empresas Dominicanas C.A., a New Holland/Kobelco dealer in the Dominican Republic, was able to offer delivery of up to 10 machines within 24 hours,” said Jim McCullough, president and CEO, CNH Construction Equipment. “Our Case, New Holland and Kobelco brands will continue to support recovery efforts in the coming weeks.”
JCB donated $150,000 worth of equipment in the form of two 3CX backhoe loaders. “The scale of the devastation is unimaginable, and it’s heart-rending to see the human suffering caused by the disaster,” said JCB Chairman Sir Anthony Bamford. “There is clearly a lack of equipment on the island, and I hope our gift of JCB machines will help in some small way to alleviate that suffering and in the rebuilding in the aftermath of the earthquake.”
Kubota Corporation’s affiliated companies in the United States and Canada donated $50,000 in equipment in-kind for ongoing relief efforts in Haiti. They provided Kubota generators and other electronic and first aid supplies through California-based Operation USA.
The Toro Company donated $10,000 on behalf of its Toro and Exmark brands to the American Red Cross International Response Fund. Additionally, Toro agreed to match all Toro and Exmark employee contributions to the Red Cross through March 1, 2010.
As you may recall reading in April 2009 OPE, Stens donated an ambulance to Mercy & Sharing, an organization dedicated to helping feed, educate, and medically care for children and widows in Haiti. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the ambulance was converted into a one-of-a-kind emergency rescue vehicle that the United Nations used in Haiti’s capitol, Port-au-Prince.
I would like to commend all of these and other companies that contributed — and continue to contribute — to the Haiti earthquake relief efforts.
Keep up the great charitable work!
OPE Editor Steve Noe
snoe@m2media360.com
