McDonald's Corporation announced Friday it will donate $500,000 to the American Red Cross in an bid to help with the Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts.
"Our hearts go out to everyone in the East Coast community, including our employees, customers and suppliers, who have been impacted by this devastation," said Don Thompson, McDonald's Chief Executive Officer in a statement.
"We are part of the fabric of these communities and committed to doing what we can to help those so affected by this disaster."
McDonald's is also providing housing alternatives, transportation support and other assistance to help affected McDonald's staff and restaurant employees, the company said.
As of Friday, the vast majority of the several thousand McDonald's restaurants on the East Coast are open; approximately 230 remain closed due to weather damage, power and transportation needs for employees. McDonald's is collaborating with its suppliers to move resources where needed to support restaurants as they reopen.
The Hurricane Sandy death toll is at 113 now, with most of the deaths occurring in New York. Here is a breakdown of fatalities by state:
New York - 48
New Jersey - 24
Pennsylvania - 14
Maryland - 11
West Virginia - 7
Connecticut - 4
North Carolina - 2
Virginia - 2
New Hampshire - 1
Total: 113
