2 September, 2005: Hurricane Katrina has left New Orleans devastated, but American corporates have stepped into the slush to help out Katrina's victims. Boeing said that it will match staff and retiree contributions through Boeing's Employees Community Fund. The contribution match will be dollar-for-dollar for employees and 50 cents-on-the-dollar for employees who have retired from Boeing. The program will be open till September 26.

A Boeing release said that all the staffers responded immediately and favorably to the request for relief. Said Toni Bailey, vice president, Boeing Community and Education Relations: "Our hearts go out to all who have been affected by this tragic event." Boeing will keep close contact with the American Red Cross and will receive regular updates on Hurricane Katrina relief work, she added.

Boeing's Employees Community Fund is the world's largest employee-directed charitable association, the company said. The Fund invests nearly $33 million every year in communities around the globe where Boeing employees
live and work.

Leading chip maker Intel too has donated $1 million to the American Red Cross, to help Hurricane Katrina victims. Intel will also match dollar-for-dollar employee contributions for the disaster relief operations.

"The thought that major cities will not be inhabitable for weeks or even months is something Americans have never had to face before. There is, of course, the eerie, striking similarity with the tsunami of last December. Thousands dead, families torn apart -- a hole in the human spirit is created by a terrible natural event," said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini.

Intel Foundation, the company's philanthropic arm, is making the efforts to bail out the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Intel is not just sitting back after doling out the money, It is also working with several companies and associations to determine the communications backbone needed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster relief work.

Intel's support is not only limited to financial donations. The company is working with other companies and organizations to determine the communications infrastructure and hardware needs required for the Katrina relief efforts.

Meanwhile, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has put up a telephone number (256/544-4700). Many victims of hurricane victims had taken shelter in NASA's Mississippi Stennis Space Center as well as the Michaud Assembly Facility. Information on the Hurricane Katrina victims hosted at these facilities can be received from the above number. Help on locating the people who have been working at the facility will also be available at this number, said NASA.

NASA has also set up a toll-free number (888/362-4323), where callers can get recorded updates about the general conditions and weather at Stennis and Michoud.

NASA has named its Space Shuttle Program Manager Bill Parsons to coordinate the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort. His deputy will take care of the space shuttle program as he busies himself wth Katrina's victims.

Some of the other companies who have pitched in for the Hurricane Katrina relief donations are:

• Oracle: Will match contributions made by its US staff, besides technical assistance.
• SBC Communications: 1,000 telephones with free local and long-distance calling, and other communication infrastructure
• Toyota: $5 million.
• Abbott Laboratories: $2 million in cash, plus an initial $2 million for nutritional & medical products.
• Comcast: $10 million in advertising time and
$50,000 cash
• Dow Jones: $125,000 and employee contributions up to $375,000
• Microsoft: Initial $1 million, besides help with communication infrastructure
• Wal-Mart: $1 million to Red Cross, $1 million to Salvation Army. Also sending provisions and essential items to the Hurricane-hit areas.
• Bayer Corp: $2 million in cash and product donations, and matching donations by staff.
• BP: $1 million & staff contributions.
• Canon: $1 million and employee contributions.
• Chevron: $3 million to the Red Cross.

BY A CORRESPONDENT