Retailers Nationwide Let Customers Know “Your Help Counts” For Red Cross Disaster Relief

American Red Cross
Wednesday, 8 October 2003

Donation program enables stores and customers to support disaster victims

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Isabel, more than 13,000 retail stores nationwide are showing their support of American Red Cross disaster relief efforts and making it easy for their customers to get involved as well. Through the "Your Help Counts" customer donation program, shoppers at participating retailers can make donations at cash registers to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

"In times of disasters, people want to help. It's wonderful that these retailers have stepped up to make it so easy for citizens to help their neighbors " said Terry Sicilia, Executive Vice President of Programs and Delivery, American Red Cross. "By allowing people to make donations in stores, retailers demonstrate their commitment to the community and leadership among community business people."

Shoppers can utilize the convenience of the customer donation program to make a contribution to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund at the following retail locations:

• Bojangles' will collect customer donations in 122 of its restaurants in North and South Carolina.
• Nine thousand grocery stores nationwide are accepting donations through Coinstar coin-counting machines located near most store entrances.

  Coinstar machines make it easy for grocery shoppers to convert their spare change into donations to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by selecting the donation option and code 7000 for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

• Food Lion is collecting customer donations with a canister campaign in its 1,200 stores, in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states through Oct. 24.

  As a "Your Help Counts" Member and long-time Red Cross partner, Food Lion was on high-alert as Hurricane Isabel approached and then quickly mobilized materials to its stores. Food Lion also responded immediately on the ground, donating truckloads of food, water, ice, canned soup and diapers; Food Lion employees personally distributed these critically-needed items and have also planned a "dress casual day" on Oct. 17 to support relief efforts.

• Lowe's Companies, Inc. is collecting customer donations, which the company has committed to match up to $50,000.

  Lowe's was among the first companies to show its support of Red Cross disaster relief efforts. Less than a week after the storm hit, "Your Help Counts" was in place in all stores nation-wide. Additionally, Lowe's donated $69,200 on September 21 during a NASCAR race as part of their "Racing for Relief" campaign.

• Between October 1st and 15th, Ronald McDonald House Charities and McDonald's are conducting a customer donation program at their 700 participating restaurant locations throughout Virginia and the Baltimore area.

  Additionally, Ronald McDonald House Charities donated $10,000 to the relief operations.

• RBC Centura bank branches have also agreed to collect customer donations in 250 of its branches in North and South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Virginia.
• Winn-Dixie has agreed to collect customer donations at their 1,070 stores in 12 states in the Southeast, from October 1 to October 10, with a $25,000 kick-off gift.

  Additionally, two days after Hurricane Isabel struck the North Carolina and Virginia coasts, Winn-Dixie was on the ground with 16 truckloads of water and 14 truckloads of ice distributing the much-needed items free to residents in the devastated communities.

More than two weeks after Hurricane Isabel unleashed her fury on the central Atlantic states, the massive disaster relief effort by the American Red Cross has also taken a heavy toll on the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, the conduit through which the American public share their compassion for the disaster victims by providing the financial resources necessary for the relief effort. Initial Red Cross costs to respond to human needs caused by the extensive damage are estimated at $14 - $16 million.

For more information, or to contact American Red Cross, see their website at: www.redcross.org