Day-long relief drive by Chicago media outlets, Hewitt Associates and the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago helps send much-needed support to victims of the Haitian earthquake
CHICAGO-January 22, 2009-A day-long fundraising drive by the Chicago broadcasting and print media community, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago and Hewitt Associates garnered $2,962,391 million in aid for the American Red Cross relief effort in Haiti. Funds from the CHICAGO HELPS HAITI relief drive will help provide shelter services, food and medical care to victims of the devastating earthquake. This number may increase in the coming weeks as mail in donations resulting from the relief drive are received and processed. More than 18,000 calls came in during this drive.
“The outpouring of support by the people of Chicagoland today showed enormous compassion for the people of Haiti,” said Francesca M. Maher, CEO of the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. “We are also grateful for the generous support of Hewitt Associates, our corporate partners and every person who called in or went online to make a donation. The support of the media outlets and the way they came together completely united for this important cause was a very powerful sight to witness.”
The average size of the gift received by individuals was $62.00 and more than $400,000 was raised through online donations made to www.chicagoredcross.org/haiti. This web site can still accept donations. Several large corporate donations were also announced yesterday and are included in the total raised. They include:
Hewitt - $50,000
CDW– $100,000
McCormick Foundation - $500,000
Motorola - $375,000
Wrigley - $125,000
Komatsu - $100,000
Grainger - $50,000
ITW - $100,000
Walgreens - $150,000
Alberto-Culver - $25,000
Grotefeld & Hoffmann, LLP - $10,000
USG - $10,000
More than 1,000 employee volunteers from Hewitt Associates staffed the phone bank to take donations from their Lincolnshire headquarters with support from their other call centers in Orlando, FL, Charlotte, NC and The Woodlands, TX.
“We have a longstanding partnership with the American Red Cross and have great respect for their ability to make an immediate impact when tragedy strikes,” said Russ Fradin, Chairman and CEO of Hewitt Associates. “We feel fortunate to be able to donate our facilities, technology and the time of our employee volunteers to help the people of Haiti.”
“We know that the people of Chicago care deeply, and we are proud to be a part of our home town’s special effort on behalf of our neighbors in Haiti,” said David Hiller, McCormick Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer.
Steve Robinson, WFMT-FM, spearheaded rallying support from the media to participate and was integral in the organization of this effort. Television and radio stations throughout the Chicago area aired a blitz of public service announcements encouraging people to call a special number starting at 5:00 a.m. on January 21st to contribute to the American Red Cross Haitian relief effort. Stations included: WBBM-TV, WCIU-TV, WFLD-TV, WGN-AM, WGN-TV, WLS-TV, WMAQ-TV, WPWR-TV, WSNS-TV, WTTW-TV, CLTV, Me-TV, Comcast SportsNet, PBS andthe Illinois Broadcasters Association. CBS Radio stations, WFMT-FM, The Clear Channel network of stations, WVON, WGN-AM, the Univision stations including WOJO, WPPN,WVIV, WRJO as well as Chicago Radio, WTMX, WDRV, WILV, WGCI-FM, WLIT-FM, WLUP, WKQX, WKKC, NextMedia radio stations and WBEZ. Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago Tribune and The Daily Herald also helped to promote this effort.
The first time the Red Cross partnered with Hewitt Associates and Chicago media for an effort of this size was in 2004 for a one-day telethon to aid victims of the Asian tsunami. That event raised $2.03 million. The most recent was in 2005 when we raised funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The relief effort in Haiti will continue for the long term. Chicagoans can make a donation to the American Red Cross International Response Fund at www.chicagoredcross.org/haiti. $10.00 donations can be made to the American Red Cross efforts in Haiti by texting “Haiti” to 90999.
The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago serves more than 8.6 million people in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties through the support and generous contributions of individuals, corporations, foundations, and the United Way. For more information, call 312-729-6100 or visit www.chicagoredcross.org.
