More Than $43 Million Raised by Consumer Programs for Red Cross Tsunami Relief

		Safeway Inc. was one of the first retailers that implemented a successful customer donation program for the American Red Cross in response to the tsunami disaster. Teena Massingill, public affairs manager for Safeway USA, and Karl Schroeder, president of Northern California Division for Safeway Inc., present a check for more than $1.2 million to Marty Evans, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. (PRNewsFoto) WASHINGTON, DC USA

Breakthrough Seen Online With Amazon.com and Yahoo! Raising More Than $23 Million WASHINGTON, March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The tsunami that devastated millions of people living on the coasts of southern Asia and eastern Africa caused a philanthropic outpouring from people around the world who gave generously to help the survivors of the tragic disaster. It also brought to light a new trend in charitable giving, with Red Cross experiencing record breaking donations through online partners and retailers that raised more than $23 million. Leading the way on this new trend, Amazon.com collected more than $15.7 million from their generous customers through their Web site. Nearly 200,000 Amazon.com customers seized this opportunity to quickly and easily help those in need. Other companies such as Yahoo! also utilized their Web site to collect donations for Red Cross tsunami relief. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050317/DCTH050 ) Brick and mortar companies that implemented in-store customer donation programs were also met with great enthusiasm and success. Various Red Cross corporate partners across the retail and banking industries served as official Red Cross donation sites, including grocery, drug, and convenience stores, regional and national banks, entertainment retailers and specialty stores. (For a full list of these partners, see below.) These companies provided a safe and convenient way for the American people to support the humanitarian work of the Red Cross and raised more than $20 million for Red Cross tsunami relief. Costco Wholesale, for example, contributed $1 million and launched a nationwide customer donation program that raised an additional $4.5 million. Best Buy Co., Inc. also implemented a customer donation program in all of its stores nationwide and raised more than $1 million; the Company matched the generosity of its customers with an additional million dollar gift. The success is heartwarming, yet not surprising to researchers -- market studies show that 77% of Americans want to help those affected in times of disaster, and a remarkable 41% of Red Cross donors' overall preferred method of donating is at a local business. American Red Cross disaster relief experts, whose efforts are helping thousands, are on the ground in Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia to assist with rehabilitating water and sanitation systems, conduct family linking and reunification, coordinate relief supply distributions and provide psychosocial training for local disaster relief workers, family counselors and school teachers. The American Red Cross has provided supplies for many who lost their homes during the disasters. More than 17,576 tents have been distributed to shelter 87,880 people. The American Red Cross has provided 100,000 hygiene kits and 60,000 mosquito nets to protect the survivors from diseases. In the coming years, the American Red Cross will continue their relief efforts in the affected countries, using the more than $420 million dollars donated by generous Americans. Companies that implemented the "Your Help Counts" customer donation program for American Red Cross tsunami relief follow. Banks Banco Popular de Puerto Rico Bank of America Charitable Foundation Comerica Incorporated Huntington Bank The PNC Financial Services Group People's Bank RBC Centura Wachovia Washington Mutual, Inc. Webster Financial Corporation Convenience Retailers 7-Eleven, Inc. GetGo from Giant Eagle Irving Oil The Kroger Co. (Kwik Shop, Loaf 'N Jug/Mini Mart, Quik Stop, Tom Thumb Food Stores, Turkey Hill Minit Markets) Discount Retailers Kmart Corporation The TJX Companies, Inc. (T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, A.J. Wright,Bob's Stores) Entertainment Retailers or Services Hard Rock International Virgin Megastore Other Coinstar, Inc. Network for Good Grocery Retailers Albertson's, Inc. Food Lion, LLC Giant Eagle, Inc. Giant Food LLC Harris Teeter, Inc. Kash n' Karry/Sweetbay Supermarket The Kroger Co. (Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith's, Fry's, Fry's Marketplace, Dillons, QFC, City Market) Meijer, Inc. Pathmark Stores, Inc. The Penn Traffic Company Safeway Inc. (Carrs, Dominick's, Genuardi's, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Pavillions, Vons) Stop & Shop Supermarket Company Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. Whole Foods Market, Inc. (Northeast Region) Online Retailers Amazon.com, Inc. Apple Yahoo! Inc. Pharmacy Rite Aid Corporation Specialty Retailers or Services Bass Pro Shops Best Buy Co., Inc. CompUSA Inc. Hair Cuttery MoneyGram International, Inc. OfficeMax Incorporated Travelex Currency Services, Inc. Wholesale Retailer Costco Wholesale About the American Red Cross The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors -- across the street, across the country, and across the world -- in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new -- the nearly one million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through almost 900 locally supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world. Some four million people give blood -- the gift of life -- through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. And the Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty stay connected. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of 181 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. Marsha J. Evans is the President and CEO of the American Red Cross.