Chamber Marshals Business Response to Disaster

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas Donohue expressed sympathy for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and said the business community would work to help affected areas rebuild following the disaster.

"A tragedy of this magnitude will require the assistance of the entire nation in rebuilding the communities that were in the path of the hurricane," said Donohue. "The business community, working with local, state and federal agencies, will bring their expertise and resources to the reconstruction effort ahead."

The Chamber's Center for Corporate Citizenship will serve as a clearing house for information on the business community's disaster response and has been sharing that information with its federation members and other stakeholders.

Reports of business contributions to disaster response indicate the initial outpouring could surpass $100 million in the first few days alone, according to the Chamber's Center for Corporate Citizenship, even though it could take several days before the extent of the damage is known.

"The affected-communities are still digging out and it is too dangerous in many areas to implement anything beyond basic assistance: food, water and shelter," said Donohue. "The business community will work to provide additional assistance and support as reconstruction moves forward."

As relief and reconstruction move forward, the Chamber will work to match the specific needs of the damaged communities with companies and chambers nationwide that are prepared to donate the services, support and resources to meet those needs. Next steps for the Chamber include sharing information between local, state and federal disaster response organizations and the U.S. Chamber's federation of state and local chambers of commerce, as well as business owners and their employees. The Chamber has identified disaster assistance steps and resources for those efforts online (www.uschamber.com/ccc).

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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