Businesses doing good for Japan

For someone who hates reading and watching the news for all of the negative things that happen daily it was hard to stay away from the recent disaster in Japan. The image of a town being there one minute and the next minute a wave passes the barrier wall with ease and the entire town is gone will never escape my memory. What do you do? Everything is gone. How do you start over? 

Thankfully many outside of Japan have been affected by the tragedy and are taking steps to help in many ways. I’m always interested to see how large companies, and even small can help; Larger companies such as:

Kraft Foods have donated $200,000 to the Red Cross and have promised to donate future and help in the long term as well. 

Coca-Cola has promised to donate 600 million yen worth of products and cash to help victims. 

AT&T has also joined in with an interesting offer to their customers: Text messages to Japan from the United States and Puerto Rico will be free as well as any International long distance usage. 

GE has pledged $5 million in cash, services and equipment as well as matching any employee donations. In 5 days employees donated more than $100,000, all of which has been doubled by the company.

Ericsson has also offered to send satellite phones and solar powered towers to try and help with the major lack of communication ability. 

Restaurants from Barrie, Ontario to New York are stepping up to the plate and altering their menus to include items with the proceeds going to the relief efforts in Japan, holding special events or simply having donation boxes out for individuals to donate.