The Home Depot Foundation helps Joplin to recover from recent tornado

The ability of a large company’s corporate social responsibility program to be flexible enough to provide assistance with disasters is so often urgent to those where need is suddenly and unexpectedly at its greatest. Time and time again businesses both large and small will extend themselves to providing resources, financial assistance or volunteers to help communities rebuild after devastation has taken place from a natural disaster. In reality one would be able to find such examples on a near weekly basis such is the level of support from companies who operate an existing relief plan within their annual budgets. Part of the definition of social responsibility is the contribution toward the overall well-being of the community so I’m always impressed when companies put their best foot forward in times of need. The act of giving is of course done in real time but the logistics behind planning a financial reserve to assist with such circumstances is a component of the annual planning that goes on behind a CSR business plan.

In all likelihood you probably saw the news about the devastating tornado that caused such a high loss of life and chaotic structural damage when it tore through Joplin, Missouri last month. Over 150 people lost their lives that afternoon and weeks later the cleanup operations remain in full swing. The Home Depot Foundation have announced a $100,000 donation to help with the process by giving these funds to Convoy of Hope, one of the many nonprofits helping with relief operations and trying to get the city somewhere nearer to normality after the destruction.

The donation will help to provide numerous tools, equipment and suitable clothing such as work gloves to help volunteers who are helping block after block and neighbourhood after neighbourhood cleanup from the damage caused by the tornado.  Jeff Nene, a spokesman for Convoy of Hope expressed:

“We are grateful for the generosity of The Home Depot Foundation. The donation will allow us to continue to provide support and supplies as our friends and neighbors in Joplin move forward with their lives.”

Scenes from Joplin after the tornado

The donation to Convoy of Hope is just one part of The Home Depot Foundation’s commitment to help with relief efforts in the devastated area. The foundation has pledged a total of $1 million to aid the town of more than 50,000 people in the immediate aftermath of the disaster but also in the long-term rebuilding efforts that Joplin will require. Convoy of Hope are headquartered in nearby Springfield Missouri the nonprofit organization specialises in providing disaster relief and supply lines to those impacted by such events both in the US and around the world. The organisation was founded in 1994 and has trained logistics teams and a fleet of vehicles to help provide food, water and emergency supplies at such times.

The example in Joplin is one of many when businesses react so promptly to help communities in distress. You can learn more about The Home Depot Foundation by visiting this link and you can visit Convoy of Hope here.

For the latest CSR and nonprofit fundraising news please follow us on Twitter!