Disaster relief for Haiti following the catastrophic earthquake last week is happening in large part because of restaurants and food companies around the world. Here are just a few of the examples hitting the editor’s desk at The Food Channel, along with places you can donate. Food is a huge need and foodies everywhere are stepping up.
Photo courtesy of Convoy of Hope: Taking great strides to ensure that food is distributed in a way that keeps workers and earthquake victims safe the Convoy of Hope team distributed food on Saturday afternoon. ‘We’re sending them through in groups of 10,’ says Nick Wiersma, director of volunteer services for Convoy of Hope. ‘They’ll enter one gate on the property and exit another.’ Each person who comes through the gate receives two packs of Feed My Starving Children fortified rice and soy protein meal package, which contains six meals per packet.
Click here for more on the Convoy of Hope’s relief efforts in Haiti, including a video interview with Convoy’s Jeff Nene.
Among the companies pledging help:
* Tyson Foods is matching employee donations up to $100,000 for Haiti relief efforts. The contributions will go to the Salvation Army, which has personnel on-site and is preparing one million ready-to-eat meals to send to Haiti. Tyson also is exploring ways to provide in-kind relief to accountable organizations providing assistance in Haiti. For information on the Tyson Foods hunger relief efforts, click here.
* Hormel Foods is matching employee donations up to $25,000 for relief efforts, with all contributions going to the American Red Cross. Donate to the Red Cross, here.
* ConAgra Foods Foundation, a long-time Red Cross supporter, said it will give an additional $100,000 to the International Red Cross Relief Fund for aid to Haiti. Donate to the Red Cross, here.
* Cargill is making an initial corporate donation of $50,000 to long-time Cargill partners CARE and the World Food Programme. In Minneapolis, Cargill volunteers at the company’s headquarters will be packaging 20,000 meals on Jan. 18 for the nonprofit Kids Against Hunger, which will be sent directly to people in Haiti; Cargill volunteers will be packaging an additional 30,000 meals over the next month.
* McDonald’s Corp. and its franchisee Arcos Dorados each will contribute $500,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross to be used for its disaster relief efforts. Arcos Dorados, which operates nearly 1,700 McDonald’s restaurants in Latin America, said it expects to generate an additional $500,000 in funds by donating 50 cents for each Big Mac sandwich sold from Jan. 16-22.
* Yum Brands Inc., owner of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, said it is directing $500,000 to Haiti from its World Hunger Relief program launched in 2007. Yum Brands Foundation also will match Yum employee donations up to $500,000. Funds raised will go to the United Nations World Food Programme and other relief programs. Yum employees also are reportedly collecting needed items and making cash donations.
* The Walmart Foundation pledged $500,000 to Red Cross emergency relief efforts in Haiti and is sending pre-packaged food kits worth $100,000 to Haiti at the request of the Red Cross.
* Publix Super Markets Charities said it is donating $100,000 to the Red Cross for relief efforts in Haiti.
* Burger King Corp.’s HAVE IT YOUR WAY Foundation has donated $50,000 to the American Red Cross. “The situation in Haiti is devastating and our hearts and prayers go out to all those who have been affected by this tragedy,” said Anne Chwat, president, HAVE IT YOUR WAY Foundation. “Although we don’t operate BURGER KING restaurants in Haiti, BKC’s global headquarters is based in Miami, which is home to one of the largest Haitian communities outside of the island. The people of Haiti are suffering and many of our employees, franchisees, guests and their families have also been significantly impacted. As such, we are committed to supporting the relief efforts in the country.” In addition, the company is collecting essential supplies from employees and distributing them in coordination with the University of Miami’s medical teams. BKC employees are also rallying to volunteer with local community organizations and assist with relief efforts.
* WHOLE FOODS MARKET® announced that its 289 stores in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom have set up an easy way for shoppers to make donations to help the people of Haiti who have been devastated by the recent earthquake. Shoppers can give any amount at the checkouts to directly support several different relief organizations. In addition, the company has created a special ‘Haitian Fund’ to support Whole Foods Market Team Members who have been affected by the earthquake. ‘We have many Team Members from Haiti, and together we are supporting them by taking these steps,’ said Walter Robb, co-president and chief operating officer at Whole Foods Market. ‘We’re also setting up donation boxes in Team Member areas in stores, facilities and offices.’
The Red Cross now estimates as many as 50,000 people have died and 3 million are injured or homeless following Tuesday’s 7.0-magnitude quake.
Relief organizations set up to accept online donations for emergency aid to Haiti include:
* The United Nations’ World Food Programme
Contributors to this article include Meatingplace.com and Convoy of Hope.
