How To Help Hurricane Victims? Walmart Pledges $30M; Other Multinationals Pitch In

American Inc. has taken steps to help those affected by the two hurricanes — Harvey and Irma — that hit the country within a space of a fortnight.

Retail giant Walmart is leading the way, pledging an additional $10 million to the $20 million it has already allocated for relief to those affected by severe weather conditions in the U.S. in 2017.

“We know our associates and customers make the difference. And once again, when needed the most, they are stepping up to help in a major way,” President of the Walmart Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc, Kathleen McLaughlin, said, Business Wire reported. “This is about neighbors helping neighbors and we will continue to be there for the communities we serve as they recover.”

Walmart launched a new customer campaign, wherein the the company will match customer donations two-to-one, in cash and kind of up to $10 million.

The money and the products will support American Red Cross disaster-response efforts by providing shelter, food, comfort and emergency assistance to those affected by the hurricanes.

The company has urged its customers to donate at registers for hurricane relief at Walmart stores as well as Sam’s Clubs. They can also login to their online portals — Walmart.com and Samsclub.com — to show their generosity. Customers also have the option of texting the word “SUPPORT” to 90999 to donate $10 via wireless carrier.

Walmart isn't the only big business with a big heart out there. An array of companies have stepped forward with financial contributions to assist in America’s efforts to pick up the pieces after the devastation caused by the storms in Texas and Florida.

Apple has pledged an additional $5 million to “Hand In Hand” campaign, an ongoing fundraiser that will distribute collected funds between several organizations helping in relief efforts after Harvey and Irma.

The drive has been collecting funds since Harvey flooded Houston, and includes a celebrity-studded telethon on Sept. 12 that will air on all the major networks – ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and HBO, CNN reported.

Apple had previously donated $5 million to the Red Cross ($3 million contributed by the company and $2 million by its employees), which is working tirelessly to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

The company will also make it easier for their customers to start donating money for the cause through their various apps. "Starting this weekend, anyone with an iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC running iTunes can donate directly through the App Store and iTunes," the company said in a statement.

The founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, Michael Dell — also a Houston native — has given $5 million to the campaign. Verizon, which will be running a call center for the drive, has also pledged $2.5 million to “Hand in Hand.”

"The corporate response thus far [has] been strong," Marc DeCourcey, senior vice president of the Chamber of Commerce Foundation, told CNNMoney.

The response is a continuing one ever since Harvey hit Texas, and a clutch of companies came forward to do their bit for relief efforts.

American Express donated $150,000 to the Red Cross. An additional $100,000 was given in employee donations to the organization.

AT&T contributed $350,000 to various charitable organizations, including $100,000 to the Greater Houston Community Fund, $100,000 to the Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Fund and $50,000 to the Coastal Bend Community Foundation in South Texas.

The Boeing Charitable Trust and The Coca-Cola Foundation committed $1 million each to the Red Cross for Harvey relief efforts.

Facebook donated $1 million to organizations on providing support. The social media giant announced Aug. 31 that more than $10 million had been raised through donations from its users.

Google.org is donated $250,000 to the Red Cross, to match employee donations of up to $250,000. The tech giant also launched a similar campaign for consumers, with donations reaching up to $1 million.

IBM donated $2 million in cash and kind, including technology and services. McDonald's contributed $1 million to the Red Cross, while Microsoft announced a $100,000 grant to the same.

Many of Samsung's U.S. subsidiaries donated $500,000 to the Red Cross. The company also pledged $500,000 worth of products, including washing machines, dryers, laptops and tablets to rebuild homes in the disaster-struck areas.

The Starbucks Foundation donated $250,000 to the Red Cross. It has also made arrangements for its customers to donate through its chain of stores across the country.

According to Una Osili, associate dean at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, companies have gotten more generous in their contributions over the years.

"Employees themselves want to work at companies that are engaged in a broader social good and making the community better," Osili said.