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Top Suppliers Donate to Hurricane Relief
 Many building industry companies and individuals have responded to the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by generously donating money, products, services and time to help those in need.
This includes members of the National Council of the Housing Industry — the Supplier 100 of NAHB, which have pledged more than $8.5 million in relief so far. This is only a fraction of their contributions, those that have been reported to NAHB to date.
Those companies and their contributions include:
- The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association donated $5,000 to "Rebuilding Together," which is committed to rebuilding 1,000 houses in the area.
- General Motors, along with its foundation and GMAC, has pledged a minimum of $1 million to hurricane relief. Additionally, GM has made up to 200 vehicles at an estimated value of $6 million — including Hummers, SUVs, trucks and vans — available to the American Red Cross and other relief agencies. Other activities are being conducted by On Star and at local plants and GMAC support relief efforts as well.
- California-based Hacker Industries, Inc. established a relief fund that will be donated to the Salvation Army.
- Hanley-Wood announced it will donate $30,000 to Habitat for Humanity International in support of its "Operation Home Delivery" program, which will be shipping containers of framing components and construction materials to rebuilding sites. This donation includes contributions from more than 650 of the publisher's employees and matching corporate dollars up to $10,000.
- In addition to making a donation to Habitat for Humanity, the Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association has created a temporary "Katrina Recovery Job Finder" on its Web site to help displaced workers.
- HGTVPro.com and DIYnetwork.com have provided special programming content, including tips on rebuilding after a storm in order to minimize future damage.
- Tulsa-based Hilti donated $50,000 to its local chapter of the American Red Cross to support essential services for evacuees in their area.
- North American employees of In-Sink-Erator (Emerson Electric) are donating $400,000 to relief efforts working through the St. Louis chapters of the American Red Cross and Salvation Army.
- In early September, Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork joined with local schools and businesses to collect more than a semi-truck full of goods — including bedding, water, food and hygiene items — for hurricane victims. The company worked with a local Alabama distributor and teamed up with Volunteers of America, the Salvation Army and American Red Cross to help distributed the items.
- Loewen and its employees donated about $19,000 to the Canadian Red Cross and the Mennonite Disaster Service through a matching donation program.
- Whirlpool Corporation donated $1 million in cash, products and services to relief efforts, including shipping refrigerators and clothes washers and dryers to relief centers in the Gulf Coast region. The corporation’s foundation is matching employee contributions, and funds are slated for the American Red Cross. The company provided washers and dryers to the Houston Astrodome in early September and has pledged to work with Habitat for Humanity as well.
Other NCHI members who would like to provide information on their contributions to relief efforts can e-mail Barbara McMurray at NCHI, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8243.
NAHB Disaster Relief Effort and Fund
Visit NAHB’s Disaster Relief Efforts on the NAHB Web site for more information on how the federation is helping victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita.
To donate to the Home Building Industry Disaster Relief Fund click here.
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