ATLANTA, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced a more than $1 million commitment through The UPS Foundation in support of recovery efforts following the devastating flooding, infrastructure damage and utility outages caused by Hurricane Florence. Through a combination of cash grants, in-kind transportation movements and technical expertise, the company and The UPS Foundation will provide both urgent relief, as well as support for long-term needs ranging from rebuilding to personal and financial recovery assistance.
“We’re seeing immediate needs in these communities across a wide range of humanitarian areas in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer. “UPS is collaborating with FEMA and its non-profit relief partners on multiple fronts to ensure help reaches those who need it urgently. Over the long-term, additional assistance will be required to help transform affected communities into resilient neighborhoods.”
When a disaster strikes, The UPS Foundation moves quickly to mobilize its relief network in support of first responders and provides immediate in-kind relief to assist with response and recovery efforts on multiple fronts. The UPS Foundation is working with the American Red Cross, the CDC Foundation, FEMA, Good360, NVOAD, Operation Hope, SBP (Saint Bernard Project) , The Salvation Army, ToolBank Disaster Services, United Way and other humanitarian aid partners to provide immediate support and assess longer-term needs, committing additional funding and in-kind assistance for recovery needs that will be specified during the post-crisis recovery phase.
Additionally, the company has deployed skilled volunteers with humanitarian logistics expertise to the American Red Cross and FEMA, to help transportation of needed supplies and to coordinate support with multiple partner agencies providing relief.
UPS and The UPS Foundation have a history of leveraging the company’s logistics expertise and moving quickly to assist in delivering humanitarian aid and relief efforts globally after natural disasters. In fact, currently UPS is transporting relief supplies to impacted areas in the Philippines and Hong Kong hit this past Saturday by Typhoon Mangkhut, otherwise known as Super Typhoon Ompong in the Philippines, in collaboration with the Philippines Disaster Resilience Foundation. Trucks have been deployed to transport more than 1,700 sacks of rice, 4,800 relief packs, 2,000 family food packs, 500 hygiene kits, 500 sleeping kits and 500 family kits.
Last year, The UPS Foundation responded to 26 major world disasters and invested more than $21 million in funding, in-kind, and technical support for community safety initiatives that included enhancing preparedness, urgent disaster response, recovery and public health strengthening. Building the resiliency that communities need to better withstand and recover from future disasters is an ongoing and strategically important aspect of UPS’s Humanitarian Relief & Resilience Program. Also last year, The UPS Foundation provided in-kind support of humanitarian aid and relief across 53 countries – almost $6 million worth of in-kind services – including loaned experts and relief shipments leveraging UPS’s owned and contracted global network in the air, on the ground, over railroads and on the ocean.
About The UPS Foundation
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. Founded in 1951, The UPS Foundation leads its global citizenship programs and is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national, and global communities. In 2017, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $118 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/Foundation and @UPS Foundation on Twitter. To get UPS news direct, follow @UPS_News on Twitter.