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 Business News | November 2007 
Wal-Mart Makes Donation to Flood Relief in Mexican State
 Jon Gambrell - Associated Press
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Little Rock - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. donated $600,000 Thursday toward flood relief efforts in southern Mexico, as the world's largest retailer struggles to find 430 of its employees there.
Wal-Mart officials said their Mexican subsidiary will try to leverage a matching grant from the United Nations Development program, meaning $1.2 million could go to those in the Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco.
Wal-Mart's donation, double the amount of U.S. aid promised by President Bush, comes as Mexico deals with what insurers call the costliest disaster to strike the nation since a hurricane devastated Cancun and Cozumel in 2005.
The Bentonville-based company wants to make "what contribution we can to start a new phase of help to the families now that the emergency is over," said Antonio Ocaranza, a spokesman for Wal-Mart de Mexico, the retailer's subsidiary in the country. "But the emergency of getting back to normalcy is now more relevant."
Wal-Mart de Mexico has 22 locations in Tabasco, including smaller groceries, restaurants and a clothing store. Since the flooding began, Ocaranza said the large parking lots of Sam's Clubs and Wal-Mart Supercenters hosted Mexican army and navy forces responding to the disaster. Ocaranza said Wal-Mart stores also handed out 7,000 disaster-relief kits through an agreement with the U.N. and Mexican Red Cross.
Perishable foods at affected stores also went to feeding those escaping the floods, as did clothing, Ocaranza said. Mexicans also donated about 756 tons of goods at local Wal-Mart stores.
Ocaranza said about 3,500 employees are in the region, with 430 of those still missing. About 880 employees said their homes were damaged or destroyed. Many in the region remain in shelters.
Heavy rains in the southern Mexico state flooded rivers in the low-lying region against the Gulf of Mexico. At least 22 people died in the flooding or resulting mudslides, as half a million people saw their homes damaged.
Bush has offered $300,000 in emergency assistance to Mexico. The Mexican consulate in Little Rock, like others across the nation, has opened a bank account to help raise money for disaster relief. Consul Andres Chao said the account had received several thousand dollars in donations since opening.
World Vision, a Christian charity, will manage Wal-Mart's donation. The organization plans to put the money toward economic loans and development opportunities.
Wal-Mart de Mexico has dealt with hurricanes in the past, Ocaranza said, but the creeping disaster of the massive flood made a response even more difficult.
"Because of the amount of time we have had to face this emergency, it may be one of the most important ones," Ocaranza said. "We are in this process that has taken more time to get back to a normal life."
Those wishing to make a donation to Tabasco flood relief in Arkansas can do so at any Twin City Bank location. They can ask for the "Ayuda Tabasco 2007" account.
On the Net:
Mexican Consulate in Little Rock: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/littlerock
Wal-Mart Stores Inc: http://www.walmartfacts.com/
Wal-Mart de Mexico: http://www.walmartmexico.com.mx/ |
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