Publix Collects Funds For American Red Cross Disaster Relief

Publix Super Markets has established a program to offer its customers and associates a way to directly assist those areas in the Carolinas affected by recent severe weather. Customers may donate any amount by adding it to their grocery totals when checking out at Publix registers. Collected money will be channeled through the American Red Cross for disaster relief. The program will continue for a few weeks, based on customer response. In related efforts, the Bahamas was recently affected by Hurricane Joaquin. The Bahamas Red Cross Society fully activated their Emergency Operations Centre and is coordinating closely with the Government’s National Emergency Operations Centre (NEMO). The American Red Cross is monitoring these efforts, and the Red Cross Pan-American Disaster Relief Unit continues to provide support to the Bahamas Red Cross. “Our customers and associates have trusted Publix to react quickly and help those affected by tragic circumstances,” says Maria Brous, director of media and community relations. “The catastrophic flooding has impacted our immediate operating area, and we are looking to provide assistance to our neighbors and to the communities we serve. In addition, Hurricane Joaquin left behind devastation to the Bahamas, which also hits close to home as we have many associates and their families from the islands. We continue to monitor the situation in the Bahamas with the American Red Cross and wait to hear if an appeal for assistance is requested.” Publix is also coordinating truck load donations of water and shelf-stable food with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division as well as other nonprofit organizations. In a separate donation, Publix Super Markets Charities is donating $100,000 to American Red Cross for relief efforts in the impacted areas.