The Walt Disney Company and its owned ABC television station in Houston, KTRK, will commit $1 million to the American Red Cross for its Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, the company announced Tuesday.
Additionally, the Disney|ABC Television Group (DATG) will host a “Day of Giving” to benefit those impacted by the hurricane, a Category 4 storm. “Good Morning America” and local ABC affiliates will start the program in the morning, with ABC, Freeform, Radio Disney and DATG social media platforms having a call-to-action to donate to the Red Cross during the rest of the day.
“Our hearts go out to everyone in the devastating path of this historic storm,” said Robert A. Iger, chairman and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company. “It’s hard to fully appreciate the impact, in part because it isn’t over yet. But we know thousands of people have lost everything and now face the daunting challenge of putting their lives and communities back together, and we’re using our unique resources and reach to help those in need.”
Eligible Disney employee donations to the American Red Cross and other qualified organizations involved in the relief will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Disney Employee Matching Gifts: A Program of The Walt Disney Company Foundation.
Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4, made landfall on Friday. So far, nine people are dead, although some outlets, including Fox News, have reported 14 dead, with an unknown number of people injured and left homeless. Over the weekend, multiple people from the Houston area took to the internet to post photos of their flooded homes, hoping to draw the attention of rescue crews or other help.
The Washington Post reports that an estimated 30,000 people will be forced from their homes due to flooding.