Friday, September 02, 2005
Because my sister asked me too...
My sister is a loyal HP employee and is outraged that I'm besmirching her employer's good name, all because their home page only got a tiny little link about Hurrican Katrina disaster relief up today.
Because she went to the trouble to research it (and therefore I didn't have to go to the trouble) and because she has requested a retraction or at least an update, here is what she found out that HP did for the tsunami in December, and is doing now for Katrina.
PS-HP PR department: I know my sister probably enjoys where she's at, but I think you've got a shining PR star in the making with her!
Hurricane Katrina message to employees
This week a devastating hurricane and flood hit the Gulf Coast of the United States, taking lives, destroying homes and businesses, cutting off water and power supplies, and leaving hundreds of thousands of individuals and families homeless. Most recent reports tell us that it will take weeks, if not months, for the area to begin to recover from this disaster. Our
hearts and thoughts go out to the families and individuals affected by this catastrophic natural disaster.
In response to this crisis, the HP Company Foundation is making a direct cash donation of $1M (U.S.) to the American Red Cross to assist with relief efforts. In addition, the HP Company Foundation will match employees’ financial contributions, dollar for dollar, through September 30, up to a total company match of $1M (U.S.). In order for HP employees to take
advantage of the match, their donations of up to $1,000 per employee must be made to the American Red Cross, World Vision or the Salvation Army through the HP GivingStation. These are organizations that have received widespread visibility in the national media as the major relief agencies providing on-the-ground services in the affected areas.
HP is also investigating making facility space at its Houston site available for disaster relief-related services. Various HP business units are evaluating opportunities to provide technology to the relief effort.
HP employees in the affected region are already engaged in volunteer and collection drives. For HP employees not in the immediate disaster area, we recommend you not initiate these types of activities at this time. Based on responses from relief agencies and reports in the national media, these activities could negatively impact the effectiveness of existing relief supply chains and congest transportation routes being used for critical needs and safety/recovery efforts.
We appreciate your interest in joining the HP Company Foundation in helping the families and individuals affected by this devastating disaster.
Summary of HP Tsunami efforts
More than 16,000 employees, 11 percent of the global HP population — donated a total of more than $1.8 million (US) to the tsunami relief effort through the company global match program. With the Company Foundation match, HP contributions reached more than $3.6 million.
Additional contributions from corporate philanthropy, country programs and product donations brought in nearly $770,000 more, bringing HP’s total cash, product and employee contributions to the tsunami relief effort to a whopping $4.4 million.
Employees around the world deserve a big thank you for contributing to this great effort. Your donations have helped more than 20 organizations provide aid to the stricken.
In addition, HP Philanthropy approved a product grant of $21,000 (US) to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The grant includes printers, scanners, a plotter and iPAQs to support the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
This should make our family's Labor Day BBQ on Monday a bit friendlier :)
Because she went to the trouble to research it (and therefore I didn't have to go to the trouble) and because she has requested a retraction or at least an update, here is what she found out that HP did for the tsunami in December, and is doing now for Katrina.
PS-HP PR department: I know my sister probably enjoys where she's at, but I think you've got a shining PR star in the making with her!
Hurricane Katrina message to employees
This week a devastating hurricane and flood hit the Gulf Coast of the United States, taking lives, destroying homes and businesses, cutting off water and power supplies, and leaving hundreds of thousands of individuals and families homeless. Most recent reports tell us that it will take weeks, if not months, for the area to begin to recover from this disaster. Our
hearts and thoughts go out to the families and individuals affected by this catastrophic natural disaster.
In response to this crisis, the HP Company Foundation is making a direct cash donation of $1M (U.S.) to the American Red Cross to assist with relief efforts. In addition, the HP Company Foundation will match employees’ financial contributions, dollar for dollar, through September 30, up to a total company match of $1M (U.S.). In order for HP employees to take
advantage of the match, their donations of up to $1,000 per employee must be made to the American Red Cross, World Vision or the Salvation Army through the HP GivingStation. These are organizations that have received widespread visibility in the national media as the major relief agencies providing on-the-ground services in the affected areas.
HP is also investigating making facility space at its Houston site available for disaster relief-related services. Various HP business units are evaluating opportunities to provide technology to the relief effort.
HP employees in the affected region are already engaged in volunteer and collection drives. For HP employees not in the immediate disaster area, we recommend you not initiate these types of activities at this time. Based on responses from relief agencies and reports in the national media, these activities could negatively impact the effectiveness of existing relief supply chains and congest transportation routes being used for critical needs and safety/recovery efforts.
We appreciate your interest in joining the HP Company Foundation in helping the families and individuals affected by this devastating disaster.
Summary of HP Tsunami efforts
More than 16,000 employees, 11 percent of the global HP population — donated a total of more than $1.8 million (US) to the tsunami relief effort through the company global match program. With the Company Foundation match, HP contributions reached more than $3.6 million.
Additional contributions from corporate philanthropy, country programs and product donations brought in nearly $770,000 more, bringing HP’s total cash, product and employee contributions to the tsunami relief effort to a whopping $4.4 million.
Employees around the world deserve a big thank you for contributing to this great effort. Your donations have helped more than 20 organizations provide aid to the stricken.
In addition, HP Philanthropy approved a product grant of $21,000 (US) to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The grant includes printers, scanners, a plotter and iPAQs to support the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
This should make our family's Labor Day BBQ on Monday a bit friendlier :)
// posted by ElisaC @ 6:49 PM 
