Anheuser-Busch Hurricane Katrina Relief Aid Fact Sheet

A-B Relief Efforts:

Canned water
Financial
Transportation/trucking
Packaging materials
Police support
Clothing supplies
Employee volunteers
Busch Entertainment Corp.

Agencies Supported:

American Red Cross
Federal Emergency Management Agency
New Orleans Police Dept.
Numerous local agencies

Water Donations:

Anheuser-Busch Companies has donated 5.7 million cans of water to relief efforts. That equals 236,550 cases, or 110 truckloads of water.

Breweries Involved:

Four breweries have devoted a portion of their capacity to canning water. Each still brew beer:

Houston
Cartersville, Ga.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Fort Collins, Colo.

Water Distribution:

137,400 cases in Mississippi
47,700 cases in Louisiana
25,650 cases in Alabama
15,050 cases in Texas
10,750 cases to other states

Water Logistics:

Before Hurricane Katrina hit, Anheuser-Busch staged water near the Gulf Coast so it would be prepared to send it in immediately. After the storm, the company’s logistics network, freight carriers and approximately 20 wholesalers have worked with government officials to find passable routes into the affected areas to deliver water to relief agencies.

Financial Support:

Total contributions from Anheuser-Busch, its Foundation, wholesalers and employees equal

$3 million, as follows:

$1 million donation from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation to the Red Cross;
$1 million donated by the company’s employees and independent wholesalers to the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief efforts;
$1 million in matching funds from Anheuser- Busch to the Red Cross for donations from wholesalers and employees.

In addition, the total value in goods Anheuser-Busch has donated is worth approximately $1 million (including cans as noted below).

Transportation:

Anheuser-Busch is making its truck fleet available to the Red Cross to ship emergency supplies.

Packaging Materials:

Metal Container Corp., an Anheuser-Busch subsidiary, has donated all cans and lids for packaging the water. The following facilities are involved:

Windsor, Colo.
Rome, Ga.
Gainesville, Fla.
Oklahoma City, Okla.

Police Support:

The company has sent three large event tents and supplies (tables, chairs, paper plates, etc.) for police officers in New Orleans who are patrolling and assisting relief efforts.

Clothing Supplies:

Anheuser-Busch has donated more than 20,000 shirts, pants, hats, coolers and plush toys to relief agencies.

Employee Volunteers:

St. Louis-based company employees are authorized to take up to five days off in order to volunteer to aid relief efforts in St. Louis. Employees will be paid for their time, up to eight hours per day.

Busch Entertainment:

SeaWorld San Antonio is offering free admission to evacuees from Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, from Sept. 10 through Nov. 27. SeaWorld Orlando is temporarily housing 15 sea lions that were evacuated from their home in Mississippi due to the hurricane.

History of Support:

Anheuser-Busch has been helping disaster victims since 1906, when company founder Adolphus Busch donated money to relief agencies to help victims of the San Francisco earthquake. Since then, the company has been one of the first to respond with aid to victims of natural disasters.

Return to the NCSL Foundation Hurricane Katrina Page