Retail community contributes to extensive relief effort - department and discount stores charitable contributions due to World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

DSN Retailing Today, Oct 1, 2001 by Katherine Hutchinson

NEW YORK -- In the aftermath of terror, retailers of all types rushed to aid the relief efforts in New York and Washington, D.C., with million-dollar donations and truckloads of provisions, while others converted their Manhattan stores into makeshift supply depots and rest areas for rescue workers. Meanwhile, employees at some corporate headquarters rolled up their sleeves to give blood, and stores sold scores of American flags and related merchandise to benefit the efforts.

Unsurprisingly, at press time, the world's largest retailer appeared to be the largest financial contributor. A little more than one week after the attack, Wal-Mart Stores had raised a total of $10 million through corporate donations, efforts by its Wal-Mart Foundation and store fund-raisers, according to spokeswoman Sharon Weber. The $2 million corporate donation allocated $1 million to the American Red Cross and another $1 million for other relief agencies such as the Salvation Army. In addition, Wal-Mart raised $4.7 million from employee and customer contributions and other fund-raisers, which the company's foundation matched up to $3.3 million, or $1,000 per location.

Wal-Mart also donated merchandise to the Salvation Army's "Operation Compassion Under Fire," including bedding, furniture and other supplies from its newly opened store in Union, N.J.

Both Wal-Mart and Sears, Roebuck & Co. conducted blood drives at their headquarters. Sears announced a company donation of $1 million in addition to providing generators for the Red Cross. Point-of-sale donations from customers tallied approximately another $1 million at press time, a spokeswoman said. However, Sears had to postpone its planned in-store blood drives due to overwhelming nationwide response for blood donors. Wal-Mart and The Home Depot will proceed with store blood drives at the discretion of local management, Weber said.

Kmart said it would present the Red Cross with a corporate gift once it concludes its associate giving drive at headquarters. The company's BlueLight.com had raised about $185,000 through the on-line sale of flag-related merchandise, according to spokesman Dave Karraker.

Many retailers also helped out in more tangible and immediate ways. For example, The Home Depot said it delivered truckloads of pressure-treated lumber to the site of the Pentagon attack, and donated power tools, flashlights, masks, metal cutters, hardhats and generators to the crews in New York.

Retailers close to the New York disaster scene became a needed source of supplies. Kmart's Astor Place store doled out clothing and other items and set up its K Cafe as a rest stop for relief workers. Old Navy provided fresh clothes to rescuers. The Gap, which gave a total of $1.5 million in cash and clothing, said its Gap Foundation would also match customer contributions.

Even PetsMart and Petco pitched in, offering supplies for police canine units and aiding local animal welfare organizations coping with newly homeless pets.

A Best Buy spokeswoman said the retailer's point-of-sale customer giving program raised more than $800,000 for the Red Cross in one week, in addition to the $1 million the company had committed. Lowe's pledged at least $1 million to the agency through its customer donation program. Target and JCPenney each donated $100,000, with JCPenney adding cash and in-kind contributions of $700,000 for general relief efforts. Albertson's, which operates the Jewel-Osco and Say-on chains, said it would match each dollar collected at its locations up to $50,000.

Not all donations went directly to the Red Cross. The Home Depot pledged $1 million in cash and about $3 million in supplies for the United Way's Sept. 11 fund, in addition to store collections. The fund supports the Salvation Army and Firefighters Association as well as the Red Cross. Blockbuster Entertainment raised $1 million for the fund through corporate, employee and in-store donations. Others contributing included The Gap Foundation, which gave $500,000 as well as proceeds from flag T-shirt sales at Old Navy, and RadioShack, whose ceo is chairman of the United Way, which made its 5,200 stores collection sites for the fund.

The Good Guys, a CE chain, pledged 5% of the sales revenue it generated from Sept. 15 to 30 to the "New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fund."