General Mills Foundation Provides Ongoing Help for Post-Morakot Reconstruction

After Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan’s southern counties and cities in August, General Mills Taiwan donated 100 boxes of Green Giant canned corn and Nature Valley granola bars to the Kaohsiung Tzu Chi Foundation to distribute to victims in the isolated Kaohsiung mountain area. The company immediately followed up and sent another 100 boxes of Green Giant canned corn and Nature Valley granola bars to aboriginal villagers, military personnel and disaster relief volunteers working in the Alisan area.

To support the long and arduous process of rebuilding, many General Mills employees in Asia are donating one day’s salary for disaster relief. In addition, the General Mills Foundation donated US$25,000 (about 822,750 NT dollars) to the International Red Cross for post-Morakot reconstruction. “General Mills employees around the world are expressing deep concern for people who have suffered heavy losses in this disaster, and we urgently want to help them re-settle and rebuild their homes and beautiful villages,” said Ellen Luger, vice president of the General Mills Foundation.

As of Aug. 24, General Mills employees and the General Mills Foundation had donated a total of US$50,283 (about 1,654,800NT dollars) to the International Red Cross and World Vision Foundation.

“In seeing our people’s outburst of enthusiasm and excitement over the relief efforts, I am touched by their heartfelt, selfless gestures and actions, said Catherine Teng, managing director of General Mills Taiwan. We are people who have lived and grown up together on the land and are bound by our close and inseparable relationships with each other.”

As Typhoon Morakot is Taiwan’s worst natural disaster in 50 years, Teng added, "To rebuild after this disaster is critical, so we see that compassion and relief support for the displaced victims as needing ongoing attention. As a corporate citizen, General Mills Taiwan stands ready to extend its compassion to help those in need.