“Every day when we go home, we know that we can flip a switch and the lights will come on. And, that the same electricity will keep our refrigerator running and our food safe. We have little reason to doubt that when we turn on a kitchen faucet, we will be able to fill our drinking glass with clean water. But when disaster strikes, that electricity is often unavailable for an extended period of time—many disasters cause contamination of community water supplies and lack of electricity may disable water pumps. Drinking water may be unavailable to residents who have not lost their homes, but are unable to leave the area. Simple necessities that we take for granted every day can become critical to our survival. One of the most essential of these in the aftermath of a disaster is clean, safe drinking water.
I have volunteered at the scene of many types of disasters, and have personally experienced and worked on the relief operations for Hurricane Charley, Francis and Ivan in the summer of 2004. I can tell you that putting your arm around individuals whose homes were devastated by a disaster and providing them with a cold drink of water helps refresh their body and soothes anxious nerves. Simple things can mean a lot. When disaster strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and mental health services to meet people’s immediate emergency needs. One of the most basic of those needs is clean, safe, drinking water. Thanks to generous bulk donations of products from companies such as Nestlé Waters, the American Red Cross can be there — I can be there — providing these essentials of life to people in their time of need.
Nestlé Waters, thank you for helping us help others.”
Sandy ZuiderhoekVolunteerAmerican Red Cross January 28, 2005
In times of emergencies, we’re doing our part - providing helping hands and bottled water when a community’s water supplies are interrupted. We’re proud of the times we’ve been able to offer disaster relief and replenish the spirits of our neighbors in need.
Nestlé Waters North America is a silver member of the American Red Cross and contributes to the domestic relief efforts of AmeriCares.
Press Release: March 29, 2006Nestlé and Red Cross Red Crescent join forces on water – Geneva, 29 March 2006 – Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé, and Markku Niskala, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, today signed a new partnership agreement extending their cooperation for a further three years, until 2008.
"Among the responders to AmeriCares’ call for help during the series of hurricanes in Florida last summer was Greenwich-based Nestlé Waters North America's Zephyrhills Spring Water facility in Florida. The company distributed thousands of bottles of drinking water to Florida residents through AmeriCares. ‘Through the chaos, AmeriCares had the organization and resources to quickly provide our Florida-based Zephyrhills spring water to the places that needed it most,’ said Heidi Paul, Vice President of Corporate Affairs. ‘We are now rebuilding the inventory that AmeriCares keeps on hand so their warehouses have a ready supply of bottled water when emergency situations call for it.’"
Stamford Advocate, Stamford, ConnecticutDecember 5, 2004
Open CommunicationEnvironmental ExcellenceResponsible Spring Water Resource ManagementWater Resource Relations Sustainable Land UseTraffic Mitigation Exemplary Employment PracticesWater Education and StewardshipEmergency ReliefCommunity Giving
Good Neighbor Policy Poster