Tornado, flood victims in Midwest receive relief from Walmart, Home Depot
Some of the country’s biggest retailers have launched relief efforts to aid victims of the devastating tornadoes and flooding in the Midwest.
As many as 53 tornadoes may have struck residents across eight states from Idaho to Colorado on Monday alone, the Associated Press reported. Damage was especially heavy in Ohio, where one elderly resident was killed by an overturned car. Further south, heavy rainfall has caused major flooding in the states of Oklahoma and Arkansas, resulting in evacuations and at least six deaths in recent days.
Home Depot provides funding, materials and volunteers to aid nonprofit partners, which include the American Red Cross, Convoy of Hope and All Hands and Hearts, in their campaigns to help natural disasters victims. The retailer and its partners are preparing response efforts in Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas, and some, such as the Red Cross and Convoy of Hope, have already begun to distribute supplies.
“The Home Depot Foundation is working in partnership with a handful of its national nonprofit partnerships to assess and respond to tornadoes and flooding in the Midwest,” a representative for the home improvement retailer told FOX Business.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | THE HOME DEPOT INC. | 420.00 | +9.62 | +2.35% |
| WMT | WALMART INC. | 90.44 | +2.04 | +2.31% |
| LOW | LOWE'S COMPANIES INC. | 264.68 | -0.54 | -0.20% |
Walmart, which is based in Bentonville, Arkansas, announced earlier this month that it has donated a total of $350,000 in cash and supplies to tornado and flood relief efforts since March. The donations are meant to help those affects in 10 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas.
The company said it is also working with local officials and governments on how best to respond to the disasters.
“The impact of these tornados and historic floods continues to affect our associates, our customers and communities across the Midwest and South,” said Julie Gehrki, vice president of philanthropy at Walmart. “I want to thank our local stores and distribution centers, as well as the non-profits, first responders, local officials and government organizations who have all been working so hard to meet the needs of the affected communities we serve.”
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Lowe’s said it has a team of more than 50 volunteers aiding cleanup efforts in Jefferson City, Missouri this week. The company has also highlighted outreach efforts in recent months on its website, including relief events alongside the Red Cross and the Salvation Army for flood victims in Nebraska.