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Carnival Donates $2 Million to Hurricane Harvey Relief

harvey
Relief efforts in Texas (File image courtesy American Red Cross)

Published Sep 5, 2017 6:13 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Texas cruise industry is a big business, and Carnival Cruise Line is among the biggest donors to relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey. A $2 million gift from Carnival Corporation and its CEO easily outstripped the contributions of the oil firms that dominate the Gulf Coast economy.

Carnival Cruise Line and Carnival Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Carnival Corporation, are each donating $500,000 to Harvey disaster relief efforts, for a total donation of $1 million from the company. Carnival Corporation Chairman Micky Arison and his wife Madeleine are matching the corporation's commitment with a $1 million donation from the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation. The funds will help relief and recovery organizations provide families with access to food, shelter, water, hygiene products,  medicines and healthcare supplies as they begin the relief and recovery process.

"Our hearts go out to all those who have been impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, and all of us throughout the Carnival Corporation family feel a responsibility to do our part in supporting relief and rebuilding efforts in a region that we call home," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "We are very committed to the Gulf Coast as a vibrant and special part of the North American cruise industry, and our commitment will remain as strong as ever during the region's recovery process."

The combined $2 million gift is the same as the amounts donated by Apple, IBM, Walmart and the Houston Livestock Show. Oil major ExxonMobil, the third-largest corporation of any kind, donated $1 million in total; Valero, Shell, Chevron, and Phillips 66 have pledged the same amount. Motiva – the Saudi-controlled owner of America's largest refinery – pledged $500,000. ConocoPhillips is a notable exception and a leading supporter of the relief effort: it has donated a total of $5 million to the American Red Cross and the United Way of Greater Houston. [Update: On September 5, Phillips 66 upped its total pledge to $4 million.]