Following the devastating earthquakes that have hit Japan and Ecuador in recent days, Apple has opened a donations page in iTunes to support relief efforts in both areas. The company, as it has done in the past, is partnering with the American Red Cross for the donations and is accepting donations in $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, and $200 denominations.
The donations are being accepted via iTunes and the App Store on both iOS devices and computers. Apple is promoting the Red Cross partnership with links on the main pages for both stores. On the donation page itself, Apple specifies that 100 percent of the donation goes directly to the American Red Cross and that Apple does not take any portion. Furthermore, Apple notes that the only record you will receive for this donation is a receipt via email.
As you have probably seen, a trio of devastating earthquakes hit Ecuador and Japan in the past week. Last Thursday, Japan’s Kyushu region suffered a 6.2 magnitude earthquake. Then, the next day the same area was hit by a 7.3 magnitude quake. CBS reports 48 people have been killed by the two quakes and subsequent aftershocks. Additionally, Ecuador was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday. CNN reports that at least 570 are dead following this earthquake, while an additional 155 are still missing.
This isn’t the first time Apple has partnered with the American Red Cross to raise money for areas affected by natural disasters. Last September the company started accepting donations via the App Store and iTunes to help the Mediterranean refugee crisis. And in April it helped raise money for Nepal following an earthquake; after the tragic earthquakes in Japan in 2011, it did the same thing.
Tim Cook took to Twitter over the weekend to express sympathies for those affected by the earthquakes:
Our hearts and thoughts are with everyone affected by terrifying earthquakes in recent days. #FuerzaEcuador #prayforkyushu #prayformyanmar
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 18, 2016
If you would like to donate to the American Red Cross via Apple, you can do so here.
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Apple is so far ahead of the curve when it comes to activism and human rights. How much longer will it take for them to find a relief fund that isn’t so self-interested? Every time I see them support a cause I want to help, but then their only avenue for donation is the Red Cross. That’s like being told you have to eat healthy but can only have salads from McDonalds.
Agreed. I have no desire to help pay the multi-million dollar annual salary of the Red Cross CEO.
Perhaps Apple can guarantee that 100% of the money will be used exactly as they are claiming it will be – for disaster relief for these specific earthquakes?
It would seem that truth in advertising should apply here and the FTC should have enforcement power if the money is used for anything other than what is advertised.
Hi 9to5Mac team, unrelated to article, but I have stopped getting OS X notifications again when you guys post new articles.
Happened at least twice before, always fixed itself though (or so it seemed?)…Any help would be appreciated, thanks :)
Can Apple confirm that 100% of the money will go towards relief for these specific disasters, or is it just going into a general fund where it may or may not be used for the purpose that the donors intended?
This is the same Red Cross that collected a half billion dollars for Haiti and built six houses.