How are companies responding to this year's already devastating hurricane season? The compound disaster of Hurricane Helene followed by Hurricane Milton will require a major response in the form of cash donations, volunteer efforts, and other corporate resources. To help CSR teams determine the best course of action, BCCCC is tapping our vast member community, gathering insights from companies across the U.S. We hope one or more of the following examples may prove helpful to anyone preparing to address hurricane relief and recovery. A running list of NPOs to which many are donating is included at the end of this post, followed by several disaster relief resources.

Cash Contributions | In-Kind Donations | Unrestricting Grants | Matching Programs | Customer Donation | Support for Affected Team Members | Employee Volunteers Helping to Rebuild

If your company is working on a disaster relief or recovery response related to Hurricanes Milton and/or Helene, please take a moment to share it here. Our goal is to highlight different ways of giving, supporting affected team members, and otherwise showing up for key stakeholders, including community partners and customers. We will update this post as more examples are submitted and curated from third-party sources.

USAA

USAA and its members have now donated nearly $3 million to assist in the recovery from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. USAA made an initial donation of $1 million after Hurricane Helene and has since committed an additional $500,000 to military aid societies to directly support military families impacted by both storms. Through a giving opportunity, USAA members have donated nearly $1.4 million that will go to support efforts led by the American Red Cross, Team Rubicon and World Central Kitchen.

"We’ve seen the true power of the USAA family in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton," said Wayne Peacock, president and CEO at USAA. "We’re grateful to our teammates who are standing tall for members, both with boots on the ground and through phone and digital, and to all our members who are helping to support families in need."

TARGET

Following the devasting impact of Hurricane Helene, Target donated $3 million to aid in response and recovery efforts. This is in addition to Target's proactive $1.5 million donation, earlier this year, to domestic relief partners such as The American Red Cross, Team Rubicon, and Feeding America, to help those organizations respond instantly with food, financial aid, medicine, and essential supplies to communities in crisis. Per the Company News page:

"We also gave Target GiftCards to first responders and local nonprofits so they could purchase supplies on the spot. Meanwhile, our supply chain and store teams positioned thousands of pallets of relief supplies, from water and food to flashlights, before and after the storm hit."

After Helene, the company also tapped a resource it first piloted in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian: its Team Member Resource Centers. These relief stations provide essential supplies and services as well as basic comforts to affected team members and their families. For Hurricane Helene, Target activated five care sites in Asheville and Arden, North Carolina; Augusta and Valdosta, Georgia; and Lake City, Florida. About 1,000 team members and their families so far have visited Target's Team Member Resource Centers. Continue reading about Target's relief and response efforts.

FEDEX

FedEx has offered charitable donations and in-kind shipping to support organizations like Team Rubicon, Water Mission, Heart to Heart International, ASPCA, World Central Kitchen, the American Red Cross, the Humane Society of the United States, the Salvation Army, and Internation Medical Corps. Through these organizations, FedEx has delivered countless shipments/pallets of food, water, hygiene kits (many of which FedEx employee volunteers packaged and prepared earlier this year), medications, generators, and other critical aid to areas throughout Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky. The company offered FedEx trucks as mobile canteens for delivering meals. 

FedEx also provides "a large donation of cash and in-kind shipping annually" to the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP), so that organization can respond immediately to disasters like Milton and Helene.

For a full summary of the FedEx response, continue reading here.

LOWE'S

Lowe’s has hosted more than thirty bucket brigades in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Inside the buckets community members receive cleaning supplies and bottles of water. Thousands of buckets have been handed out to communities in North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.  

In addition to these supplies, Lowe’s has also pledged $2 million to help those in need. Meanwhile, Lowe's customers across the country can support hurricane relief efforts through the American Red Cross by rounding up their transaction to the nearest whole dollar at checkout in Lowe’s stores through November 3, 2024.

COMCAST NBCUNIVERSAL

Comcast NBCUniversal announced a donation of $500,000 in cash and $500,000 in advertising time for public service announcements in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

"To ensure our impacted team members have access to emergency support funds, Comcast is also providing support of $200,000 to the Comcast NBCUniversal Employee Disaster Assistance Fund, which provides financial help to employees impacted by natural disasters or other life-altering events."

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY

As part of The Walt Disney Company’s disaster relief work and support of communities in need, they invested $3 million that will be used to assist Cast Members, the local community, and nonprofits that are helping in recovery efforts. This includes support for employee disaster relief through investments in the Disney Employee Relief Fund, contributions to Feeding America and the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, and support to local nonprofits such as the World Central Kitchen and Second Harvest.

Since Hurricane Helene hit, Disney has been using its ABC and ESPN media platforms to raise awareness of the American Red Cross efforts, helping to raise needed funds, so they can provide shelter, meals, relief supplies and more to those in need.

PEPSICO & THE PEPSICO FOUNDATION

PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation are supporting relief efforts by committing more than $500,000 to the Salvation Army, World Central Kitchen, and Team Rubicon. For a breakdown of how those funds are being used, here's a closer look at PepsiCo's hurricane relief efforts.

A portion of the funding will also go toward PEPhelp, a PepsiCo Foundation program that provides financial assistance to employees who have experienced a partial or total loss of their primary residence during a FEMA-declared Major Disaster/Emergency or another qualified incident.

The company is "amplifying" its employee donation matching program and working alongside its bottling partner Pepsi Bottling Ventures to donate truckloads of water to the relief effort. Its PepsiCo Foods North America team is leading a drive to gather essential supplies like non-perishable food, toiletries, clothes and blankets. PepsiCo is also a Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program partner:

"The PepsiCo Foundation has a longstanding history of community relief efforts and is a member of the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, granting at least $500,000 annually to help the Red Cross pre-position supplies, secure shelters, maintain vehicles, and train volunteers to ensure they are prepared to quickly respond to future disasters."

WELLS FARGO

Wells Fargo has pledged more than $1 million to address urgent community needs, including shelter, supplies, and ongoing support for residents affected by the storm. This funding will be allocated to the American Red Cross and multiple, local nonprofits. The company describes these organizations as "crucial in strengthening their capacity to assist those impacted or displaced by the hurricane." Wells Fargo's We Care Fund provides financial grants to employees facing unforeseen expenses due to disaster or financial hardships.

“With the widespread destruction brought by Hurricane Helene, we need to come together to help communities recover,” said Darlene Goins, president of the Wells Fargo Foundation. "The donation aims to replenish resources for relief organizations already mobilized on the ground, serving families, individuals, and small businesses during this emotional time. Wells Fargo plans to continue monitoring the hardest-hit areas to identify opportunities for long-term support."

In addition to the $1 million donation, Wells Fargo contributes annually to Team Rubicon’s Ready Reserve Fund, enabling its volunteers to respond quickly to disaster-affected communities. Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization actively involved in Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, focusing on route clearance, debris removal, roof tarping, mucking out flooded homes, and other critical support tasks. Continue reading about the Wells Fargo hurricane response.

UPS

The UPS Foundation allocated $1 million—$500,000 to the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Project and $500,000 to SPB—to support disaster relief efforts in communities, including those impacted by Hurricane Helene.

In advance of the storm, UPS delivered emergency supplies including over a dozen truckloads of water, food, tools, and solar panels for distribution. Following the storm, UPS provided recovery support through the use of its facilities for storage and charitable donations for families in need and to provide medical supplies. The UPS Foundation is also facilitating employee giving and matching donations to fund post-storm recovery and rebuilding.

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA (RBC)

Royal Bank of Canada (or RBC, a Canadian company) announced it is donating $400,000 to support the millions of Americans grappling with the damages caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This donation includes contributions from RBC, the RBC Foundation USA and City National Bank. The American Red Cross will receive $300,000 and the International Medical Corps $100,000 for their Hurricane Helene and Milton disaster relief efforts. RBC has also initiated an internal donation campaign enabling its employees to support the relief efforts.

“Our hearts go out to those impacted by these devastating storms,” said Tom Sagissor, president of RBC Wealth Management-U.S. “As a company with a long history of supporting the communities where we live and work, we are committed to doing our part to help those affected recover from the aftermath of these natural disasters.”

FORD

Even before Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern U.S., Ford had been partnering with Team Rubicon since 2016. Last year was the first time Team Rubicon took volunteer Ford employees and started training them on disaster work such as cutting up wood, removing debris, clearing out damaged homes and more. Once trained, those volunteers could be deployed to any disaster areas where they're needed.

“We have a whole team here at Ford who is mobilizing any way to help," Mary Culler, president of Ford Philanthropy, told the Detroit Free Press.

DELTA AIR LINES

Delta Air Lines will make an additional contribution of $500,000 to the American Red Cross. This contribution is in addition to its $1 million grant to the American Red Cross, as an Annual Disaster Giving Program partner, from The Delta Air Lines Foundation.

"Serving people, whether they are our customers or our neighbors in the communities where we live, work and serve, is part of Delta's DNA," said Tad Hutcheson, Managing Director – Community Engagement. "The destruction across the southeast from Hurricane Helene is massive, and we want to do more to help those in need. The most effective way we can help is by investing in organizations involved in disaster relief year-round." 

REMITLY

Remitly has reached out to its employees in affected regions to confirm safety and offer support. In addition, given the extensive severity of the impact, the company has made a donation to the American Red Cross. This is in addition to the donation to the American Red Cross made last year by the Remitly Foundation.

"We also shared resources with our teams more broadly (over Slack) - connecting them to resource guides provided by the American Red Cross for safety, shelter, and more - and shared with them about our mental health benefits for further support," company leaders shared in a statement to BCCCC. "We are deeply saddened by the devastating impact of these events, and our hearts go out to everyone affected by the widespread damage that continues to occur."

TAMPA ELECTRIC (EMERA INC)

Tampa Electric (parent company, Emera Inc.) is donating $250,000 to aid the community:

• $100,000 to Metropolitan Ministries, which is supplying food, water, shelter and other emergency supplies.
• $100,000 to United Way Suncoast, which is organizing volunteer efforts and partnering with organizations for long-term recovery initiatives.
• $50,000 to Feeding Tampa Bay, whose Disaster Readiness team is working directly with local emergency management operations to provide food, water and hygiene items during Hurricane Helene recovery.

“We understand that the needs of the community extend far beyond restoring power,” said Archie Collins, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. “Hurricane Helene caused more severe flooding than any storm in Tampa Electric’s history, and we are committed to supporting our customers during this difficult period of recovery and rebuilding.”

COCA COLA UNITED

Per its Instagram account, Coca Cola United (a privately held Coca Cola bottler based in Birmingham, AL) has donated 23,000 cases of water to 41 counties in Georgia and will contribute $50,000 to the American Red Cross.

MCDONALD'S

McDonald's is supporting hurricane relief efforts through direct giving ($1 million to the American Red Cross and Team Rubicon), in-kind donations (e.g. the deployment of the McRig truck to serve free, hot meals to victims and first responders), and an employee relief fund activated in the Southeast across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to provide grants to impacted restaurant employees.

WALMART & SAM'S CLUB

Walmart, Sam’s Club, and the Walmart Foundation are increasing their commitment to $16 million, up from $10 million, to support Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene relief efforts across impacted communities in Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Additionally, this group launched a nationwide campaign, inviting customers and members to donate to American Red Cross at checkout in its stores, clubs, and on Walmart.com.  As of 10/10/24, more than $7.7 million has been raised. The campaign has been extended until October 20. 

"At the moment, Walmart and Sam's Club are working with nonprofit organizations to offer critical resources in our parking lots in affected areas, including charging stations, food and hot meals, water distributions, showers, and laundry services as it is safe to do so," shared Dr. Marvin Carr, Director, Corporate Giving. "We are also collaborating with shelters to provide essential supplies to the thousands of Floridians who evacuated. This support builds on our ongoing efforts to aid communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, where Walmart and Sam’s Club have provided water, food, and products to local organizations, along with free resources in our parking lots."

BOJANGLES

The Charlotte, N.C.-based Bojangles Foundation presented the American Red Cross with a $25,000 donation, with funds directed toward on-the-ground aid. Additionally, Bojangles filled two tractor truckloads with bottled water, which were being delivered to access points in affected areas. From October 7 through 31, 10% of net sales of the Bo-Berry Biscuit at participating restaurants will also be donated to the American Red Cross.

"Many of our families, friends, employees and customers have been impacted by Hurricane Helene, and our hearts go out to everyone struggling to recover from this disaster,” Ken Reynolds, Director of Corporate and Community Affairs for Bojangles, said in a statement. “We’re inspired by the incredible spirit of neighbors coming together to support one another during this challenging time, and we are honored to do our part in assisting the communities impacted by the storm.”

DENNY'S

Denny's reportedly sent a 60-foot "Mobile Relief Diner," staffed by volunteers, to Asheville, North Carolina. The crew served free, hot breakfasts to anyone affected by the storm from the parking lot of a local Lowe's store.

“Spread the news to all your family, friends and neighbors,” the company posted on Facebook. “We are ALL in this together so stay safe."

DUKE ENERGY

The President of the Duke Energy Foundation, Amy Kathryn Strecker, recently shared:

"Flexibility is key as nonprofits adapt to what comes now and what comes next after #Helene. We have connected with our grantee partners in the disaster-declared counties of the Carolinas to share that any funds they have remaining from Duke Energy Corporation Foundation may now be used as unrestricted grants. This pivot creates more than $1M of flexibility for our SC and NC nonprofits. Duke Energy knows the importance of rapid response and care for community in times of crisis, and we are grateful for the service of our nonprofit partners."

REI

REI is offering support to impacted employees and their communities by supporting various local organizations (noted below). It is also making its Asheville, NC store available to customers who need to charge their phones, pick up food or gear.

KROGER

Kroger is helping customers who wish to support relief efforts by rounding up their purchase to the nearest dollar or making a donation at checkout stations at Harris Teeter locations and all Kroger stores across the Atlanta and Nashville divisions. These donations, as well as a matching grant from the Kroger Co. Foundation, will benefit the American Red Cross, which is also supported annually by the foundation to help fund disaster relief efforts such as recovery for Hurricane Helene. Customers can donate in-store at registers through the end of October.

Kroger is also distributing truckloads of drinkable water and ice to communities in need. The retailer intends to increase relief efforts over the coming days and weeks as community needs continue to evolve.

Kroger is a longtime supporter of the United Service Organizations (USO) and sponsor of the USO | Kroger Mobile Canteens that are deployed to impacted areas to support the National Guard who is helping with disaster relief efforts and military service members personally impacted by the hurricane. The units provide food, drinks and a place to rest and recharge for service members answering this urgent call to serve. Kroger will also support the USO with gift cards. 

NEW YORK YANKEES FOUNDATION

The New York Yankees Foundation announced a $1 million donation to the American Red Cross. In addition to the $1 million donation, the New York Yankees Tampa Foundation has also donated $250,000 to the American Red Cross targeting relief efforts in Florida.

PUBLIX

Publix Super Markets Charities donated $1 million to the American Red Cross, United Way, and the Florida Fund. Publix customers and associates have also donated more than $1 million to support disaster relief efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Helene. Publix is also donating tractor-trailer loads of water and other supplies to help areas affected by the storm.

HONDA

Honda is donating $500,000 in disaster relief funds to the American Red Cross to support those impacted by Hurricane Helene. The donation will enable the American Red Cross to respond to and help people recover from this disaster across the affected region, which is home to Honda manufacturing operations and its associates. North Carolina-based Honda Aircraft is providing HondaJet to transport humanitarian relief aid to the hard-hit areas of the region.

In addition to the corporate disaster recovery donation, Honda and Acura Financial Services are offering payment extensions and lease deferrals to customers impacted by the natural disaster.

Honda is also offering its associates an opportunity to join the hurricane relief effort through its matching fund and volunteer programs. Honda will match eligible donations on a dollar-for-dollar basis, up to a maximum of $1,000. Additionally, the company will provide up to $200 in grants to eligible organizations when associates volunteer. Continue reading here.

COBANK

CoBank committed $250,000 to support disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

"We are proud to announce that we’ve partnered with AgFirst Farm Credit Bank Farm Credit Bank of Texas and Farmer Mac, to provide a joint $315,000 contribution to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts in the communities impacted by Hurricane Helene," the company shared via LinkedIn.

In addition to the American Red Cross contribution, CoBank is contributing $25,000 to the Disaster Recovery Fund through a joint effort with Cooperative Development Fund and NRECA, $25,000 to the Farm Credit System Employee Relief Fund through a joint effort with the Farm Credit Council, and $25,000 to the National Rural Water Association (NRWA). CoBank has also set aside an additional $75,000 to be designated once long-term needs become clearer.

TOYOTA

Toyota contributes annually to the American Red Cross and SBP, and these funds are utilized to support recovery efforts when disasters strike around the nation. To further assist affected communities, Toyota is matching contributions for donations made by U.S.-based employees to support The American Red Cross, SBP, and other eligible nonprofits. The company is also offering payment relief options to affected customers. 

AT&T

AT&T is contributing $300,000 to assist communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. The company is also supporting its employees affected by the disaster and is matching 100% of employee relief contributions to select organizations

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, AT&T and the non-profit Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC) deployed a Mobile Connectivity Center (MCC) in Asheville, NC, to further support those affected. The MCC served as a connectivity resource for those who lost power and needed internet access. It provided facilities to charge devices and offered the use of 16 computers.

Following Milton, the company is waiving overage charges to provide unlimited talk, text and data for AT&T Postpaid & Prepaid customers with billing addresses in zip codes across affected areas from October 9, 2024 through November 7, 2024.

VERIZON

Verizon distributed $325,000 in grants to local organizations in communities hit hardest by Hurricane Helene. These are included in the NPO list below.

List of NPOs Where Companies Are Donating for Hurricane Milton and Helene Recovery

All Faiths Food Bank (Sarasota, FL)

American Humane

BeLoved Asheville

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Caring for Others, Inc.

Center for Disaster Philanthropy

Central Carolina Community Foundation

Community Foundation Tampa Bay

East Tennessee Foundation

Feeding America

Feeding the Carolinas

Feeding Tampa Bay

Florida Disaster Fund

Golden Harvest Food Bank (Augusta, Georgia)

Greater Valdosta United Way

International Medical Corps

MANNA Foodbank

MedShare

Metropolitan Ministries

National Rural Water Association

North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund

The Salvation Army

Save the Children, US

SBP

Second Harvest Metrolina

Team Rubicon

United Service Organizations (USO)

United Way of East TN Highlands

United Way of North Carolina - UW Helps NC Fund

United Way of Southeast Georgia

United Way of South Central Georgia

United Way Suncoast

Virginia Disaster Relief Fund

Volunteer Florida

World Central Kitchen

Resources for Planning and Executing Corporate Disaster Relief or Resilience Programs

MEMBER MEETUP NOTES | Takeaways from a Conversation on Strategies for Disaster Relief

During these difficult times, we have temporarily un-gated these members-only meeting notes, so all companies (BCCCC members and non-members alike) can benefit from the latest thinking on disaster relief strategy. Browse the takeaways on practical approaches for setting up disaster relief funds, engaging with stakeholders, leveraging employee donation matching programs, mobilizing resources, fostering community partnerships, and enhancing organizational preparedness.

WEBINAR | Fostering Community Resilience

We have temporarily un-gated this members-only webinar recap, so all companies (BCCCC members and non-members alike) can learn about helping their communities prepare for disasters and mitigating the most disastrous impacts. Watch to learn how to add community resiliency to disaster relief programming to strengthen corporate and community response to crises.

ARTICLE | Community Resilience, Disaster Relief & Resilience 

This article explores community resilience through the lens of disaster resilience. What does this facet of resilience look like? Where did the concept originate? Why is it so important right now? And what can companies be doing to build community/disaster resilience in a world of ever-evolving threats?

ISSUE BRIEF | Disaster preparedness, relief, and recovery

We have temporarily un-gated this issue brief (mini whitepaper) on helping communities rebound from a traumatic event or natural disaster. The brief outlines multilevel and cross-sector efforts, with a focus on the immediate needs to be met—such as trauma support, and, in the case of extreme weather events, food, water, and shelter—as well as long-term needs to support development. In order to quickly and efficiently deploy corporate resources, corporate citizenship professionals must partner internally and externally to make the best possible use of all available resources, from corporate giving and volunteering to security, logistics, and supply chain management.