The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is supporting emergency relief effort in southeastern Texas following Hurricane Harvey, the first major hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. in over a decade. The Category 4 storm hit southeastern Texas on August 25, destroying homes, knocking out power and forcing thousands of residents to flee. The storm has stalled over the Houston-metro area, causing devastating floods, cutting off all transportation and overwhelming rescuers with the number of calls for help.

The Foundation is donating $50,000 to two long-time partners in disaster relief efforts, Americares and the American Red Cross. The funds will provide desperately needed basic supplies and medical care for survivors.

“The emergency responders are doing everything possible to rescue and assist the people of Texas who are impacted by Hurricane Harvey, but much more still needs to be done,” says John Damonti, president, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. “The Foundation is working quickly to provide financial support to our partners to help get much needed supplies and medical care to the impacted communities to help alleviate the suffering.”

Even as the storm had been blamed for several deaths, the full toll of the hurricane remains unclear. Officials warned that the danger was far from over, saying that the flooding in Texas is unlikely to recede quickly, potentially forcing more than 30,000 people from their homes and causing billions of dollars in damages. 

The Foundation and its disaster relief partners will continue to diligently monitor the situation to provide support as needed.