United States doubles aid to Santa Catarina. U.S. Embassy marshals private sector aid through Mais Unidos
Autor: Vasco de Jesus | Publicado: 2008-12-02T11:13:00-08:00


Brasília - December 1, 2008 -- Due to the magnitude of the effects of severe flooding in Santa Catarina state, United States Ambassador to Brazil Clifford M. Sobel today announced a doubling of U.S. disaster assistance.  The new declaration provides a total of US$100,000 (approximately R$236,000) for emergency supplies and support for the state.  
• Ambassador Sobel expressed the sympathy of the American people, and added, “The recent flooding has caused much suffering, but I know the strength and spirit of the people of Santa Catarina will overcome this disaster.”
• In addition, the U.S. Embassy is coordinating relief efforts with private sector companies in Brazil through Mais Unidos, a public-private partnership program that promotes corporate and social responsibility.  Mais Unidos partners participating in the relief effort include Accenture, Bungue, Cargill, Cummins, Fedex, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, IBM, Microsoft, Monsanto, Pfizer, Proctor &amp; Gamble, Rigesa, Vonpar/Coca-Cola, and Wal-Mart, among others.  
• Continued heavy rains have caused serious flooding, affecting one-fourth of the state’s population.  Eight cites within the state are isolated and more than 80,000 citizens have been displaced.  
• The United States is coordinating its assistance with the nongovernmental organization Catholic Relief Services and its partners, Caritas Brazil and Caritas Santa Catarina, to purchase emergency supplies such as hygiene kits and basic housing repair materials for the most vulnerable families in the hardest-hit municipalities. 
• For additional information on contributions made via Mais Unidos, please visit: http://www.embaixada-americana.org.br/csr-index.php
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U.S. Companies Offer Assistance to Santa Catarina Flood Victims

Brasília, December 1, 2008 – In an initiative promoted by the United States Embassy in Brazil through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) in Washington, American companies that are active in the country and members of the corporate social responsibility +Unidos Group have been coordinating various assistance actions for the victims of the damage brought on by the rains in the state of Santa Catarina.
The help offered by the corporations includes donations of food, water, medicines, and articles of hygiene, in addition to logistical support for delivery of the donations and carrying out collection campaigns among employees.
See the list below of the companies and their respective efforts to relieve the impact of the flooding in southern Brazil:
•  3M do Brasil – Collection of materials, foodstuffs and clothes from among the employees, in addition to supplying packing tape for closing donation boxes. 
• Alcoa Foundation – Has sent US$ 50,000 as a contribution to the account of the Santa Catarina State Federation of Industries (FIESC) to aid families affected by the floods.  
• Bungue – Based in Santa Catarina, the company is offering assistance to the affected employees and communities of the region.  
• Cargill – Has made space available for storing donations, financial donations, and donations of products such as water, prepared food and cleaning products.  
• Caterpillar – Transportation of tons of foodstuffs such as milk, cookies, and chocolate powder mix.  
• Cummins – Has mobilized employees in a campaign for direct donations to Civil Defense through the National Service for Industrial Apprenticeship (SENAI).  
• Dell – Has carried out an internal campaign for donating foodstuffs, articles of hygiene and clothes.  
• El Paso – Collection and transportation of drinking water for Civil Defense.  
• Eli Lilly – Donation of a little more than 12,000 vials of insulin (NPH and R type) for the Santa Catarina State Secretariat of Health.   
• FedEx – Logistical assistance for sending cargo from 4 to 25 tons with donations from other companies to the Civil Defense of Santa Catarina.  
• Ford – Has carried out a campaign among the employees to collect clothes, blankets and other non-perishable items.  
• General Motors (GM) – Humanitarian activities for collecting donations from employees and communities where the company has factories. Transportation of donations for Santa Catarina by means of suppliers’ trucks.  
• IBM – An internal campaign from among the employees for donations to the Solidarity Fund.  
• Kraft – Has sent clothes, shoes, household appliances and products by means of a food bank, in addition to carrying out an internal donation campaign involving company employees.  
• Merck Sharp &amp; Dohme – Donation of anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, in addition to the collection of essential goods from among the employees.  
• Microsoft – Has made donations through means of nongovernmental partnerships with Wal-Mart and USAID/Brazil.  
• Monsanto – Collection of clothes, blankets, and other non-perishable items.  
• Pfizer – Has passed on medicine to the region’s hospitals.  
• Procter &amp; Gamble – Donations of articles of hygiene and cleaning materials.  
• Rigesa – Supplies of cardboard boxes for packing and sending donations.  
• Unilever – Donations of foodstuffs, hygiene and cleaning products.  
• Vonpar – Donations of spring water, rescue of employees isolated by the floods, and an internal campaign.  
• Wal-Mart – Direct donation to Civil Defense of 3,000 food baskets, bleach, and drinking water. An internal campaign to offer assistance to employees affected by the floods, in addition to a campaign in all their stores for donation collections, was carried out.