Prior to the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, Wal-Mart announced a US$1 million donation to the Red Cross Society of China for disaster relief in areas that have been affected by the worst snowstorms in China.
"Helping communities is a core component of Wal-Mart's commitment to social responsibility in China," said Wal-Mart China President and CEO Ed Chan in a press release. "The harsh winter has brought hardship and severe disruptions to many communities. We hope this assistance will help the people who have been affected by the storms so they can have a more enjoyable Chinese New Year."
Since late January unusually low temperatures, snow and freezing rain have wrecked havoc in most provinces in southern China. Rail, road and air transport have been brought to a standstill and hundreds of thousands of people have been stranded as they have tried to travel to their homes for the Chinese New Year holidays. In addition, electricity, heat and water supplies have been disrupted, causing significant hardship for millions of people.
Working with local communities and authorities, Wal-Mart stores in the affected areas are responding by handing out food and drinking water to stranded passengers and families in need. The donation to China's Red Cross will be used to provide daily necessities for the victims.
Guo Changjiang, vice president of Red Cross Society of China said, "Speaking for the disaster areas, I thank Wal-Mart for this support. It is a great example of the traditional Chinese virtue of 'when someone is in need, all others come to help'. I hope more companies and people will follow Wal-Mart's lead and contribute to our relief efforts."
