Food Industry Responds to Hurricane Harvey With Donations, Manpower

As Hurricane Harvey continues to batter Houston and the surrounding eastern Texas region, local retailers are mounting massive relief efforts to help residents affected by the most deadly and devastating hurricane to strike the United States in over a decade.

With the storm expected to hover over parts of Texas and Louisiana for several more days following unprecedented rains that swamped America's fourth largest city, San Antonio-based H-E-B mobilized its Emergency Response Team and dispatched its Disaster Response Units (DRUs) and mobile kitchens. H-E-B’s two 45-foot-long H-E-B Mobile Kitchen food preparation facilities are each designed to serve up to 2,500 meals per hour.

H-E-B on the Scene

H-E-B’s convoy of more than 15 vehicles, which includes the DRUs, two H-E-B Mobile Kitchens, water and fuel tankers and H-E-B trailers, delivered relief supplies and services to the communities in the affected hurricane area. Hundreds of H-E-B employees volunteered to accompany the convoy and assist affected residents. The fleet is distributing needed supplies including food, water ice, dry goods and medicine.

H-E-B's DRUs were fully equipped with an H-E-B Pharmacy and mobile Business Services unit, which allowed displaced residents to fill prescriptions, cash checks, pay bills and have access to an ATM as the storm raged.

In addition to quick disaster-relief response, H-E-B will donate $100,000 toward Hurricane Harvey relief efforts and began accepting customer donations for the families and communities affected by the storm. H-E-B, Central Market and Joe V's Smart Shop stores across Texas launched a statewide tear pad campaign, giving customers an opportunity to support victims through donations of $1, $3, or $5, which can be added to their total grocery bill. All donations accepted will benefit the American Red Cross for Texas Flood and Hurricane Relief, The Salvation Army and Feeding Texas.

"H-E-B has received numerous requests from customers about how they can help support victims and communities affected by Hurricane Harvey," said H-E-B spokeswoman Winell Herron, who noted that the retailer’s tear pad campaign “offers a convenient and efficient way for our customers to make a difference in the lives of thousands of families in need."

Wal-Mart Steps Up

Meanwhile, Wal-Mart Stores and the Walmart Foundation have committed to providing cash and product donations of at least $1 million to organizations leading Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Texas and Louisiana. As a part of this commitment, Walmart is working closely with organizations like the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Convoy of Hope while coordinating efforts with elected officials and government entities to help meet the need of those affected.

“We are concerned for the people in the path of this potentially devastating storm,” says Kathleen McLaughlin, chief sustainability officer at Walmart and president of the Walmart Foundation. “We are actively supporting local response efforts and will continue to be there for our customers, friends, family, fellow associates and neighbors in the Gulf Coast.”

Walmart is supporting organizations in addressing immediate needs in the community and will continue to monitor in the coming days to provide additional assistance by donating emergency supplies, such as food, water, and home and personal products.

Amazon and Whole Foods will match up to $1 million in cash donations made to the American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Relief via Amazon.

Texans to the Rescue

In addition, all of Houston-based Fiesta Mart’s 15 area stores closed prior to the storm’s arrival on Saturday. On Sunday, the chain reopened some of its stores until 3 p.m., reported The Houston Chronicle, which also reported that all Kroger stores in the city remained closed on Sunday, with the possibility of some reopening today if conditions allow.

With Texas serving as home to more than 10,000 of its employees, PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation is also making significant cash and product donations to support relief and recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, including a $1 million grant to the American Red Cross to provide vital resources to hurricane victims across Texas and other impacted communities.

PepsiCo's business units are positioned to provide critical supplies, such as Aquafina purified drinking water, to impacted communities.

"PepsiCo's focus is on helping those in need during this difficult time," said Indra K. Nooyi, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo. "I'm proud that our people and our partners are coming together to provide critical support to help those in Harvey's path sustain themselves during the storm and rebuild in its aftermath."

St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Inbev reports that its Cartersville, Ga., brewery has switched from producing beer to canning water and is sending more than 500,000 cans of emergency drinking water to the Baton Rouge, La., Red Cross facility, where it was scheduled to end its 500 mile journey this morning.

“Throughout the year we periodically pause beer production at our Cartersville brewery to produce emergency canned drinking water so we are ready to help out communities across the country in times of crisis,” says Sarah Shilling, brewmaster at the Cartersville plant. “Putting our production and logistics strengths to work by providing safe, clean drinking water is the best way we can help in these situations.