In the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, leading U.S. companies have pledged support for UNICEF's emergency response. This timely and critical support has enabled UNICEF to provide clean water and sanitation, therapeutic foods, medical supplies and temporary shelter for the children of Haiti.

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is grateful to its long-standing partners and new corporate supporters, who have responded within the first week following the earthquake through a wide range of support including philanthropic grants, in-kind donations and fundraising from customers and employees:

• Major League Baseball made a $1 million contribution to aid the children and families affected by the earthquake. In addition, MLB is dedicating its full family of media assets, both domestically and globally, to support this important cause. This includes MLB Network airing public service announcements encouraging fans to make donations and MLB.com prominently displaying links to the UNICEF website to direct fans to make donations online. In a league-wide display of support, all 30 Clubs are participating in relief efforts through additional activities and contributions.


• The National Basketball Association and National Basketball Players Association together contributed $1 million to support UNICEF's efforts to provide emergency assistance. Dozens of NBA players are individually donating their time and money to the relief efforts, including Philadelphia 76ers center and Haiti native Samuel Dalembert, who personally donated more than $125,000 to UNICEF and joined Lakers forward Pau Gasol to tape NBA Cares/UNICEF public service announcements encouraging fans to contribute to the relief efforts. NBA teams are also partnering with UNICEF to raise awareness and funds leading to in-arena donations.


• Jefferies & Co. is donating all net commissions earned from global trading operations on January 15th, as well as volunteered salaries from the firm's 2,500+ employee partners globally. The company will also make a corporate donation, for a total donation of $1 million.


• Amgen has committed to a donation of $500,000 for UNICEF's relief efforts.


• The GE Foundation has made a $500,000 contribution, and is also matching employee donations supporting UNICEF.


• UPS and the UPS Foundation have contributed $150,000 in funding and over $100,000 in in-kind shipping and freight, leveraging the company's global network to ensure life-saving supplies get to Haiti as quickly as possible.


• American Airlines is dedicating funds collected through UNICEF's Change for Good program on American Airlines during the month of January to support UNICEF's relief efforts in Haiti. Volunteer flight attendants on select international flights are making on-board announcements encouraging passengers to support the program.


• The Safeway Foundation is making a contribution of $100,000, and in addition, Safeway is conducting a company-wide initiative where stores throughout the U.S. and Canada are collecting donations for Haiti Disaster Relief through a checkstand program. Safeway's corporate offices and other non-store facilities are also conducting employee fundraisers.


• Companies including The Baupost Group, LLC; BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company); Covington & Burling LLP; Dell; Hess Corporation; JPMorgan Chase; Merck & Co., Inc.; the National Hockey League; Pfizer Inc; and UBS have each pledged donations of $100,000 or more.


• Dozens of other companies are encouraging employee giving by providing matching contributions.

In addition, several media companies and service providers conducted activities, waived transaction fees, and/or donated assets to generate fundraising and help build awareness for the relief effort:

• American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa are waiving interchange fees for donations made via their cards.


• Coinstar, Inc. is absorbing the costs associated with processing the first $500,000 donated to support UNICEF's relief efforts in Haiti in more than 15,000 Coinstar Centers across the country.


• Google Inc. placed a link on the Google.com homepage that provided ways to support the disaster relief in Haiti, including a prominent call to donate to UNICEF through Google Checkout.


• Yahoo! is mobilizing millions of people around the world to make donations via its network of sites including the Yahoo.com homepage. Additionally, the Yahoo! Employee Foundation has committed $50,000 to UNICEF's relief efforts in Haiti.


• Companies including RET MSN.com, Media - Turner Broadcasting, Inc., The CauseWay Agency, and Starcom MediaVest Group donated media or marketing assets.

The generous contributions have played a critical role in UNICEF's lifesaving efforts. Operating in Haiti since 1949, UNICEF is committed to serving the immediate needs of women and children. UNICEF has deployed critical supplies to Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas to assist with recovery efforts, including clean water and sanitation, therapeutic foods, medical supplies and temporary shelter. In the coming days and weeks, UNICEF will continue to deliver hygiene kits, essential medicines, water purification tablets, portable toilets, soap, cooking utensils, blankets, School-in-a Box kits, emergency nutrition services, immunization services, telecommunication systems, and more to aid in the relief efforts.

To donate to the ongoing emergency relief efforts in Haiti, please visit: www.unicefusa.org/haitiquake or call 1-800-4UNICEF.

About UNICEF

UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in over 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States.

UNICEF is at the forefront of efforts to reduce child mortality worldwide. There has been substantial progress -- the annual number of under-five deaths dropped from 13 million in 1990 to 8.8 million in 2008. But still, 24,000 children die each day from preventable causes. Our mission is to do whatever it takes to make that number zero by giving children the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

For more information, please contact:
Lauren Monahan, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, (212) 880-9136, lmonahan@unicefusa.org

U.S. Fund for UNICEF

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