The Verizon Foundation activated its Disaster Relief Incentive Program to support the American Red Cross in their relief efforts for the recent Colorado wildfires.

The Verizon Foundation activated its Disaster Relief Incentive Program from June 29 – July 13 to assist the American Red Cross in supporting relief efforts to support those affected by the recent Colorado wildfires. Close to 500 employees utilized the program!  Employee donations combined with the Verizon Foundation match totaled more than $84,000 in relief contributions to the American Red Cross.

To date, the Red Cross has:

• Opened 19 shelters
• Provided more than 1,900 overnight shelter stays
• Served nearly 65,000 meals and snacks
• Assigned 26 emergency response vehicles to the operation to provide mobile feeding, supply distribution, information dissemination and disaster assessment
• Distributed more than 22,500 relief items such as clean-up kits, hygiene kits, sifters, face masks and work gloves
• Registered nearly 5,200 people in Safe & Well
• Assigned nearly 650 Red Cross workers to the operation
• Provided nearly 9,300 health and mental health consultations

In addition to matching employee donations 1:1, the Verizon Foundation awarded a $20,000 disaster relief contribution to the local chapter of the American Red Cross in Colorado.