Toshiba America Targets Community Needs with In-Kind Product Donations to Key Haitian Earthquake Relief Organizations
Company Provides its Advanced Technology Products to Help Support Haitian Community Housing, Job Creation and Communication Needs
New York , NY ( Jun 01, 2010 ) :
Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, today announced that it has provided in-kind product donations to several prominent Haitian earthquake relief organizations to help them facilitate medium- to long-term reconstruction efforts including housing, job creation, and communication needs. The Toshiba product donations, offered to organizations including Habitat for Humanity International, MercyCorps, and Yéle Haiti Foundation, include Toshiba laptops, mini notebooks, portable camcorders, uninterruptable power supplying devices, TVs and photocopiers. The in-kind technology donations follow Toshiba Corporation's initial pledge of $100,000 made in January 2010 to help relieve suffering caused by the devastating Haitian Earthquake.
The goal of Toshiba America's in-kind donations program is to help Haitian Earthquake relief organizations respond efficiently to supporter requests and information needs, as well as to facilitate inter-office communications such as daily activity reports on earthquake relief programs, logistical information and inventory updates on relief supplies. With this in mind, the Toshiba product donations were chosen based on specific requests from the organizations. Habitat for Humanity will receive the technological tools that will help them and the Haitian people rebuild their domiciles, Mercy Corps will use its new laptops to help Haitians gain short-term employment opportunities, and the new Toshiba products will help Yéle Haiti Foundation rebuild its damaged facilities and communications infrastructure. The donated laptop computers were specially built and customized with features and applications tailored to meet the specific needs of the relief agencies.
Noted Mr. Yoshihide Fujii, Chairman and CEO of Toshiba America, Inc.: "Our in-kind donations program is designed to help Haitian earthquake relief organizations maximize the efficiency of their recovery efforts as they address key issues such as housing and job creation. Aid organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Mercy Corps, and Yéle Haiti have been on the ground in Haiti working diligently to help save lives and rebuild the country. We commend these organizations for their tireless efforts and great work and we are proud to help join in the support effort with our Toshiba products."
"We are grateful for Toshiba's generous gift towards our Haiti efforts," said Kip Scheidler, Habitat for Humanity International senior director of Global Disaster Response. "The need in Haiti is great, and this donation will support Habitat's efforts to help families affected by the devastating earthquake."
"Immediately after the earthquake, Mercy Corps began tackling some of Haiti's biggest challenges: helping people to earn income and gain access to water and sanitation. We also aim to help Haiti rebuild in the long term - ensuring that Haitians have jobs, skills training and financial services. The laptops and UPS devices Toshiba provides will aid our program implementation and enhance our operations in Port-au-Prince, Mirebelais and Hinche," said Mercy Corps Country Director William Holbrook.
Executive from Yéle, "Yéle suffered greatly from the earthquake and our facility in Haiti was severely damaged. However, we have had a tremendous outpouring of contact from people who want to support the Haitian community through us. So, we would like to thank Toshiba for its generous donation, which will help Yéle Haiti support earthquake relief activities at our new headquarters and logistics facilities in New York City, as well as in South Orange, NJ, and La Plaine in Haiti."
About Toshiba
Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, and a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning information & communications systems; digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 199,000 employees worldwide. Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm
About Toshiba America, Inc.
Toshiba America, Inc. is the holding company responsible for managing the U.S. implementation of Toshiba Group's Environmental Vision 2050, a commitment to environmental management practices that includes initiatives to reduce Toshiba's impact on the environment while offering products and services that will help businesses and consumers reduce their impact. The Toshiba Companies employ over 14,000 people in North America, and Toshiba America, Inc., is the holding company for six Toshiba operating companies in the United States. http://www.toshiba.com
Toshiba in the U.S.
Toshiba's U.S.-based companies and some of their chief products are as follows: Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (Semiconductors, Flash Memory-Based Storage Solutions, LCDs, and custom chips); Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. (Laptop Computers, and Hard Disk Drives, Telephony Products); Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. (Copiers, Facsimiles, Printers); Toshiba International Corporation (Motors, Motor Controls, Uninterruptible Power Systems from 1KVA to 3000KVA, Power Generation Equipment, Automation, LED Lighting); Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. (Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance, X-ray and Ultrasound); Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. (Flat Panel LCD TVs, and portable products); Toshiba America Nuclear Energy Corporation (Advanced Boiling Water Nuclear Reactors).
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built, rehabilitated, repaired or improved more than 350,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.75 million people. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, visit www.habitat.org.
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps helps people in the world's toughest places turn the crises of natural disaster, poverty and conflict into opportunities for progress. Driven by local needs and market conditions, Mercy Corps' programs provide communities with the tools and support they need to transform their own lives. The agency's worldwide team of 3,700 professionals is improving the lives of 16.7 million people in more than 40 countries. For more information, see www.mercycorps.org.
About Yéle Haiti
In 2005, Grammy Award-winning musician, humanitarian and good will ambassador to Haiti Wyclef Jean founded Yéle Haiti. It is a grassroots movement that has built global awareness for Haiti while helping to sustain the country through its short-term emergency relief efforts and long-term programs in education, job creation, environment preservation, sports and the arts. Yéle Haiti is a U.S.-based nonprofit charitable organization with tax-exempt 501(c)3 status. For more information, please visit www.yele.org.
About Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc.
Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. (TABS) manages product planning, marketing, sales, service support and distribution of copiers, facsimiles, multifunction printing products, network controllers, and toner products throughout the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TABS has five divisions: the Electronic Imaging Division; the Toner Products Division; the Document Solutions Engineering Division; the International Division; and TOPAC U.S.A., Inc., dba Toshiba Business Solutions (TBS), a wholly-owned subsidiary corporation of TABS, that operates a network of wholly-owned office equipment dealers throughout the United States.
Named the most favored manufacturer ten times by the Business Technology Association (BTA), Toshiba’s entire product line, customer support and marketing distribution policies are markers for the industry. Among the many other awards garnered in recent years, Toshiba was named the “Manufacturer of the Year” eight times by Marketing Research Consultants (MRC), and has twice been named to the CIO 100 for being among the top 100 “bold” (2005) and “agile” (2004) companies in the world.
TABS is an independent operating company of Toshiba Corporation, the seventh largest electronics/electrical equipment company and the world's 91st largest company in terms of sales. Ranked by Fortune magazine as the eighth Most Admired Electronics Company in the World, Toshiba Corporation is a world leader in high technology products with more than 300 major subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. Fiscal year revenue in 2007 was approximately $76.6 billion.
For more information on Toshiba copiers, facsimiles, multifunction printing products, network controllers or toner products, or for a dealer in your area, call (800)-GO-TOSHIBA or visit the TABS Web site at www.copiers.toshiba.com
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