Apple raised more than $3M Hurricane Harvey relief, US Coast Guard using iPads in search e...

Posted:
in General Discussion edited August 2017
Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed Hurricane Harvey in a letter to employees on Wednesday, detailing the company's efforts to help those impacted by the storm, including its own workers, as well as ongoing projects to offer aid and assistance in the region.




In the memo, a copy of which was obtained by BuzzFeed News, Cook notes Apple helped raise more than $3 million in aid for the American Red Cross donations. That figure includes more than $1 million in employee and iTunes donations -- which opened on Sunday -- and a $2 million pledge Apple made over the weekend.

On the ground, Apple dispatched its global crisis management team to help Texas based employees impacted by ongoing flooding, Cook said. Apple currently employs more than 8,700 in Texas, most of whom work at the state's 18 Apple stores and a large headquarters in Austin. According to Apple's website, stores in the Houston region are currently closed due to the storm, but Cook says the company is working to get "as many as possible" open by tomorrow.

Coincidentally, Cook was in Austin the day before Harvey made landfall to promote an expansion of Apple's "App Development with Swift" college curriculum.

"I was in Austin the day before Harvey came ashore, and the team was already bracing for the storm and the long recovery. Today that work continues," Cook said. "At our Austin campuses, we are kicking off a donation drive in partnership with the Central Texas Food Bank and Caff Macs to collect food, diapers and personal hygiene items -- all things that are critical in the aftermath of a storm of this magnitude."

In addition to corporate relief efforts, Apple's hardware is being utilized by the U.S. government to coordinate search and rescue operations. Specifically, nearly 24 USCG helicopters taking part in the action are equipped with iPads, Cook said.

The email in full:
Team,

As you know, Hurricane Harvey is having a devastating impact on Texas and Louisiana. Our thoughts are with our employees in the storm zone and the millions of people whose lives have been disrupted by rain, wind and floods. I want to update you on some of the things Apple has been doing to help, and ways that you can get involved.

On the ground, Apple's global crisis management team is working to support our employees directly affected by the flooding in Texas. The team is in close contact with Apple employees in the Houston area, and they're actively doing everything they can to assist, including moving some employees and their families to safety. Apple employees in the Houston area have generously been helping people displaced by the flooding by opening their homes to team members and their families, and in some cases, assisting in rescue operations. We're also proud that the US Coast Guard is using Apple products in those efforts, with nearly two dozen USCG helicopters specially equipped with iPads to help coordinate search and rescue teams.

As Harvey was making landfall, we put in motion critical donation programs. Apple is making it easy for customers to donate directly to the American Red Cross through the App Store, iTunes and apple.com, and we're matching employee donations two-for-one. Thanks to your generosity and that of our users, Apple has helped raise more than $1 million in just the past few days. That's in addition to the $2 million Apple pledged to the Red Cross over the weekend.

Though our stores in the Houston area are still closed today, we're working hard to get as many as possible open tomorrow to serve people who have been impacted by the storm. Our teams are eager to help with problems large and small, and they know there are lots of people in that area who need it.

I was in Austin the day before Harvey came ashore, and the team was already bracing for the storm and the long recovery. Today that work continues. At our Austin campuses, we are kicking off a donation drive in partnership with the Central Texas Food Bank and Caff Macs to collect food, diapers and personal hygiene items -- all things that are critical in the aftermath of a storm of this magnitude.

Because Texas is home to more than 8,700 of our coworkers, the storm's impact is felt by all of us. There's still much to do, and Apple is committed to help.

Tim

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    I trust JJ Watt more then I would the Red Cross with money actually going to help victims. 
  • Reply 2 of 13
    I suppose it's a good thing Apple is doing although I'm sure there are people who will say Apple could do a lot more (saying something like Apple isn't paying enough taxes). Whatever money is collected for that Harvey disaster, it won't be nearly enough. So much in Texas seems to be ruined that I can't really comprehend it. I'm a senior citizen and I wouldn't be able to cope being moved around from center to center to escape the flooding. Having nothing to return to after one's house has been destroyed and all possessions are gone is just unimaginable. They're raising millions of dollars but the damage will be in the many tens of billions of dollars. I doubt many people have flood insurance in that region.
  • Reply 3 of 13
    Watt (yes the NFL player) raised $8.5 milllion.

    Just saying...
  • Reply 4 of 13
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    I suppose it's a good thing Apple is doing although I'm sure there are people who will say Apple could do a lot more (saying something like Apple isn't paying enough taxes). Whatever money is collected for that Harvey disaster, it won't be nearly enough. So much in Texas seems to be ruined that I can't really comprehend it. I'm a senior citizen and I wouldn't be able to cope being moved around from center to center to escape the flooding. Having nothing to return to after one's house has been destroyed and all possessions are gone is just unimaginable. They're raising millions of dollars but the damage will be in the many tens of billions of dollars. I doubt many people have flood insurance in that region.
    It's too bad nobody knew this could happen or tried to plan for this. Nobody knew.
  • Reply 5 of 13
    The situation in Bangladesh is far worse but no-one is interested 'cos they're not WASPs
    gatorguy
  • Reply 6 of 13
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    jaure said:
    The situation in Bangladesh is far worse but no-one is interested 'cos they're not WASPs
    1) WASP is pejorative that is used by bigots and racists so it really doesn't help any point you're trying to make.

    2) Humans are almost always more concerned about an event that is proximal over one that is distant. There's also a common concern among humans for rare occurrences over ones that happen frequently.

    3) I know about the hurricane devastation in Houston because I live in the US, know people in Texas, and it's everywhere in my news and social media feeds, but not because of any designation of being White, Anglo-Saxon, or Protestant, which is a classification I don't even fit into as a whole.

    4) I haven't heard about Bangladesh until your comment, but I'll look it up after this post (and then I'll post about it here as an example of how you may have gone about letting people know without implied prejudice).
    edited August 2017 patchythepirateStrangeDays
  • Reply 7 of 13
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    While the Houston devastation is upsetting, the death toll has been remarkably low for such a catastrophic event. India, Bangladesh, and Nepal haven't been so lucky. They've already lost 1,200 people to recent flooding which has displaced 41 million residents. To put that into perspective, that's about the entire populations of Florida and Texas losing their homes.




    patchythepirate
  • Reply 8 of 13
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Has anyone heard mention of AIG, Wells Fargo and other companies that own skyscrapers in downtown Houston opening their buildings for those in need of shelter?  It is always where folks head in science fiction movies!  They more than likely have full power self generation, plenty of water, heli-pads for evacuation and supplies, thousands and thousands of square feet of dry, safe floor space above the 2nd floor ...  maybe they have, I've just not heard. 


    edited August 2017
  • Reply 9 of 13
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Soli said:
    I suppose it's a good thing Apple is doing although I'm sure there are people who will say Apple could do a lot more (saying something like Apple isn't paying enough taxes). Whatever money is collected for that Harvey disaster, it won't be nearly enough. So much in Texas seems to be ruined that I can't really comprehend it. I'm a senior citizen and I wouldn't be able to cope being moved around from center to center to escape the flooding. Having nothing to return to after one's house has been destroyed and all possessions are gone is just unimaginable. They're raising millions of dollars but the damage will be in the many tens of billions of dollars. I doubt many people have flood insurance in that region.
    It's too bad nobody knew this could happen or tried to plan for this. Nobody knew.
    I don't think anyone planned for this. In hindsight, building houses next to flood control reservoirs wasn't a very smart idea. The water has nowhere to go other than right into neighborhoods. 
  • Reply 10 of 13
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Soli said:
    I suppose it's a good thing Apple is doing although I'm sure there are people who will say Apple could do a lot more (saying something like Apple isn't paying enough taxes). Whatever money is collected for that Harvey disaster, it won't be nearly enough. So much in Texas seems to be ruined that I can't really comprehend it. I'm a senior citizen and I wouldn't be able to cope being moved around from center to center to escape the flooding. Having nothing to return to after one's house has been destroyed and all possessions are gone is just unimaginable. They're raising millions of dollars but the damage will be in the many tens of billions of dollars. I doubt many people have flood insurance in that region.
    It's too bad nobody knew this could happen or tried to plan for this. Nobody knew.
    I don't think anyone planned for this. In hindsight, building houses next to flood control reservoirs wasn't a very smart idea. The water has nowhere to go other than right into neighborhoods. 
    That's my point.
  • Reply 11 of 13
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    sog35 said:
    Watt (yes the NFL player) raised $8.5 milllion.

    Just saying...
    How much is his money?


    But I agree.  Apple should donate much more.  

    As an Apple shareholder I would like Apple to donate $100 million to flood relief.
    JJ Watt put in $100k. His original goal was to raise like $500k, but so many people have donated now his goal is $10 million. He should reach that goal today. That money is already being used to buy supplies, which some will be delivered to the Houston area this weekend. 
  • Reply 12 of 13
    Watt (yes the NFL player) raised $8.5 milllion.

    Just saying...
    Good. At least, it is some kind of compensation to the society that provides them with money for wasted time in return.
    StrangeDays
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