Office Depot Pledges $1M To Katrina Relief

Monday, August 29, 2005

Even before Hurricane Katrina made landfall with what promised to be devastating impact, U.S. companies were readying relief efforts.

Office products retailer Office Depot pledged to contribute $1 million to the American Red Cross.

"We have many associates and facilities in harms way tonight, and we also have thousands of our customers who will suffer greatly as a result of this storm," said Steve Odland, Office Depot's chairman and chief executive officer. "We want to make a substantial pledge of assistance in advance of the devastation that we recognize is coming."

Anheuser-Busch, the beverage giant that makes Budweiser Beer, sent 300,000 cans of drinking water toward the affected area. "Safe drinking water is a critical need following many hurricanes," said Mike Harding, vice president of operations for Anheuser-Busch, "and Anheuser-Busch is proud to have donated more than 46 million cans of water to victims of natural disasters in the last five years."

Office Depot's Odland called on other companies to pledge their own relief efforts: "We want to encourage other companies that have significant business assets in this area - as well as those that do not - to join us in a massive relief effort for our fellow citizens who will be suffering in the days and weeks ahead."