Skip navigation

Retailers Use Social Media for Haiti Aid

As the list of food retailers making donations and raising funds to help earthquake-ravaged Haiti expanded Thursday, many turned to their social media connections with customers to get the word out.

As the list of food retailers making donations and raising funds to help earthquake-ravaged Haiti expanded Thursday, many turned to their social media connections with customers to get the word out.

As reported Wednesday, Publix Super Markets, Lakeland, Fla., and Wal-Mart Stores, Bentonville, Ark., were among the first food retailing companies to make donations and launch fundraising efforts, but those ranks grew significantly on Thursday. Minneapolis-based Target Corp. was one of the largest contributors, with a $500,000 donation and a partnership with local non-profits to prepare more than 1 million meals to send to earthquake survivors.

Several retailers used their Twitter and Facebook messaging capabilities to help get the word out about the need for emergency aid, including Whole Foods Market, Wegmans Food Markets, Dorothy Lane Market, Save Mart, and Marc’s Stores. In a tweet message Thursday afternoon, for example, Dorothy Lane said it would match a percentage of all donations to OxFam that it received from customers, and posted a link to website to facilitate giving.

Read More of Today's Headlines