9.01.2005 ET

(CSRwire) ATLANTA - In response to the destruction from Hurricane Katrina, The UPS Foundation is donating $1,250,000 toward relief efforts and UPS is taking separate steps to assist its employees and their families in the affected areas.

The $1.25 million donation will include $500,000 in cash and up to $750,000 of in-kind services for the shipment of medical and health-related items. The funds will be divided between The American Red Cross, America's Second Harvest and other relief organizations that assist with long-term rebuilding activities.

"With thousands of employees and several facilities affected in the stricken areas of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, UPS knows first hand of the destruction caused by this hurricane," said Mike Eskew, chairman and CEO. "We are committed to helping individuals in the communities in which we live and work to overcome this immediate crisis and then rebuild their lives."

In addition to the efforts of The UPS Foundation, UPS is establishing a separate relief fund to which the company and other UPS employees will contribute to support fellow UPSers who have lost their homes and belongings. The UPS Employee Hurricane Relief Fund will start with an initial $250,000 contribution from the company, which also will match contributions from other employees.

UPS has more than 2,200 employees in the hurricane impact area and has been working since Katrina struck to contact each one to assess their situation. To date, no injuries have been reported.

Other activities to support its employees in the affected areas include extending medical benefits to those employees who may not be working for the next 30 days; making it easier to obtain medical and pharmaceutical assistance away from home, and opening a specially staffed toll-free phone number for its employees needing assistance.

Donations provided by The UPS Foundation will help meet urgent needs for housing, personal care items, food, water and emergency shelter. Organizations receiving immediate financial aid are:

$250,000 to support ongoing recovery efforts: These funds will be distributed to relief organizations providing long-term rebuilding activities in the affected areas.

UPS will provide its in-kind assistance to efforts being coordinated by official relief agencies. UPS is urging other individuals or organizations seeking in-kind shipping assistance to contact Gifts In Kind International. Once the requests have been consolidated by Gifts In Kind International, UPS will move the goods into the affected areas.

Gifts In Kind International is the third largest charity in the U.S., partnering with businesses and nonprofit organizations to provide an effective conduit for the donation of products, goods and services from the private sector to the charitable sector. Its Web site is giftsinkind.org.

Founded in 1951 and based in Atlanta, Ga., The UPS Foundation identifies specific areas where its support will clearly impact social issues. The UPS Foundation's major initiatives currently include programs that support increased global volunteerism, literacy and hunger relief. In 2004, The UPS Foundation donated more than $39.9 million to charitable organizations worldwide. Visit community.ups.com for more information about UPS's community involvement.

UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS) and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com.

For more information please contact:

Norman Black
404-828-7593

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