Leading corporations, including ADP, AT&T, Bell Atlantic, PepsiCo and Time Warner are matching contributions by their employees to the International Rescue Committee to advance the agency’s work with refugees from Kosovo and in other troubled areas around the world.
Reynold Levy, the IRC’s president, said the announcements by these companies had led to an outpouring of generous donations by their employees. "Their compassion and generosity are overwhelming," he said. "We’re grateful for the help that this will give to refugees."
In announcing its matching gift refugee-relief program to employees, AT&T said: "To help relieve this suffering, the AT&T Foundation has decided to offer special assistance to refugees around the world through the AT&T Employee Matching Gifts Program. Your tax-deductible contributions to the International Rescue Committee will be matched, dollar for dollar, by AT&T" through April 30."
ADP told its employees that "we have all been deeply moved by the images we’ve seen on television and in the newspaper of the suffering being endured by the people of Kosovo and we want to help. Toward that end, ADP will join you in assisting the Kosovo refugees through a special 1-1 match of each contribution by an ADP associate to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) during April."
Time Warner, in announcing its matching gift program to its employees who contribute to IRC, Doctors Without Borders or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said: "We believe that as a global company with a long-standing commitment to serve the public interest, Time Warner has a clear responsibility to play an active part in the humanitarian response to the plight of the Kosovar refugees."
"Bell Atlantic employees have expressed their strong desire to support the refugees in the Balkans in this terrible time of crisis, and the Foundation is responding," the company told employees in announcing matches of up to $2,500 through May "for every employee check made out to AmeriCares, Doctors Without Borders or the International Rescue Committee." The Foundation also said it "will make a direct grant of $50,000 for relief efforts."
In reminding its employees that it will match contributions to any non-profit organization worldwide, PepsiCo announced that it was making a special grant of $100,000 to the International Rescue Committee "in response to this international crisis."
