Numerous corporations are responding to the devastating earthquake in Haiti with disasater relief, including quick-service leaders McDonald's and Yum! Brands. McDonald's Corp. has announced a donation of $500,000, to be matched with donations from Arcos Dorados, the company that operates nearly 1,700 McDonald's restaurants in Latin America. These combined contributions are estimated to total at least $1 million in U.S. dollars.
"McDonald's has a long legacy of being a dependable corporate neighbor in times of need, and helping the people of Haiti during this crisis is absolutely the right thing to do," said Jim Skinner, McDonald's CEO. "While we don't have McDonald's restaurants in Haiti, our contribution reflects our commitment to people all over the world."
The funds will be channeled through the International Federation of the Red Cross to be used for its disaster relief efforts.
Along with McDonald's $500,000 matching donation, the team in Latin America has developed a grassroots program to raise funds. From Jan. 16 until Jan. 22, all McDonald's restaurants operated by Arcos Dorados in 19 countries will donate 50 cents from the sales of individual Big Mac sandwiches and Big Mac Extra Value Meals. Arcos Dorados estimates that these fundraising efforts will generate a minimum of $500,000.
Yum! contributes $500,000
Yum! Brands has announced that it is directing $500,000 from its World Hunger Relief global effort to provide food for earthquake victims in Haiti.
"The situation in Haiti is devastating and our sympathies go out to everyone impacted by the earthquake. Because Yum! is a company with a huge heart, we immediately committed $500,000 from our World Hunger Relief effort to help the people of Haiti," said David Novak, chairman and CEO, Yum! Brands Inc., in a company statement.
"I visited Haiti over a year ago after earthquakes ravaged the country. We were so moved that we immediately pledged the first $1 million raised from our World Hunger Relief campaign that year to go to Haiti," said Novak. The funds helped WFP feed 35,000 school children for six months.
While the company has no restaurants in Haiti, employees around the globe are mobilizing to collect much-needed items and are making cash donations as well. "I'm so proud of the way our global system has rallied to provide support to Haiti in their time of need," Novak said.
Yum! Brands' World Hunger Relief is the world's largest private-sector, hunger-relief effort, spanning 110 countries, 36,000 KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silver's and A&W Restaurants, to raise awareness, volunteerism and funds for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
Since World Hunger Relief launched in 2007, the effort has raised nearly $60 million for WFP and other hunger relief organizations and is helping to provide approximately 250 million meals, saving the lives of millions of people in remote corners of the world. More than 1.4 million of the company's employees, franchisees and their families have volunteered more than 15 million hours to aid hunger relief efforts in communities worldwide.
Customers can make donations to World Hunger Relief by visiting FromHungertoHope.com and company and brand Web sites. Funds raised go to the United Nations WFP and other hunger relief organizations. Yum! Brands Foundation will match all global Yum! employee donations up to a system-wide total of $500,000.
