In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and the earthquake in Mexico, the PepsiCo Foundation quickly mobilized to provide support to communities in need as they begin the long road to recovery. The PepsiCo Foundation has provided a $1 million grant to Feeding America for assistance in Florida and the Southeast U.S. The Foundation is giving the American Red Cross and its partner national societies a $250,000 grant to aid recovery in the Caribbean and a $250,000 donation for relief work in Mexico. The Foundation has also provided $250,000 to source, package and distribute meals in the Miami area through its long-established Food for Good program, a purpose-driven business initiative that uses PepsiCo's expertise in taste, nutrition and distribution to tackle child hunger.
These donations build on a $1 million grant by the PepsiCo Foundation to the American Red Cross immediately after Hurricane Harvey, and a $1.75 million donation to provide 1 million meals in the Houston area through Food for Good over the next four to six weeks. In addition to financial support, the company has donated more than 107,500 cases of Aquafina purified drinking water, Propel water, Gatorade thirst quencher and Tropicana.
"The destruction we have seen from natural disasters in the last few weeks is heartbreaking and corporations like PepsiCo need to do our part to help communities recover and rebuild," said Indra K. Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo. "By coming together with strong partners like Feeding America and the Red Cross, we are providing critical support to the communities we serve in a moment of need."
"We are thankful to the PepsiCo Foundation for its generous support of the Feeding America network in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma," said Diana Aviv, Chief Executive Officer of Feeding America. "There are people struggling with hunger in every single county in the United States. However, when a disaster strikes, this need is compounded. We appreciate the PepsiCo Foundation for helping to support people in need as they recover from these horrible disasters."
"Financial support from the PepsiCo Foundation helps us deliver disaster relief services and provide food, shelter, emotional support and other essential assistance to those affected throughout the region," said Don Herring, American Red Cross Chief Development Officer. "These funds are essential to our ability to assist disaster survivors and support the first responders and volunteers who work tirelessly at the scene of a disaster."
PepsiCo Mexico and its bottler partner Gepp have donated 31 tons of products from its food portfolio and more than 12,000 liters of water to communities affected by the earthquake. Together with its bottler partner Cervecería Nacional Dominicana, the company is providing 300,000 liters of water to the Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, Tortola and St. Maarten.
The PepsiCo Foundation has a long-standing history of working with relief partners to help communities that have suffered as a result of natural disaster. From hurricanes in the United States, to typhoons in the Philippines, and earthquakes in Nepal, Japan and China, PepsiCo, the PepsiCo Foundation partners with various agencies to provide necessary support.
Get the latest insights, trends, and innovations to help position yourself at the forefront of sustainable business leadership—delivered straight to your inbox.
Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Sep 18, 2017 1pm EDT / 10am PDT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST