US home improvement retailer Lowe Wednesday pledged to donate Rs 40 crore to support India in its second and more lethal wave of Coronavirus pandemic.
The funds will support the procurement of medical equipment, oxygen concentrators and cylinders, oxygen generation plants, and vaccination drives for the underserved.
“To support India during the current surge in the pandemic, Lowe’s is contributing Rs 40 Crore towards Covid-19 relief,” the company said in a statement.
“Lowe’s US has also shipped thousands of PPE kits materials to India for the use of frontline workers who are working tirelessly to keep us all safe and healthy,” it added.
Lowe’s India works across technology, analytics, business operations, finance and accounting, product management, and shared services.
Further, Harman International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, contributed Rs 10 crore to PM-CARES to help in Covid-19 relief efforts.
“It is heartening to see the entire nation coming together in this fight against the pandemic. Keeping in mind our commitment towards the community and our country at large, we are contributing funds to PM Cares in order to aid the governments’ endeavor to combat the Covid-19 crisis. Let us all pledge together in supporting India to flatten the curve,” said Prathab Deivanayagham, Country Manager, Harman India, in a statement on Wednesday.
Earlier, the company had also announced that it will cover the cost of vaccination for as many as 8,400 Indian employees and their dependents who are enrolled in the company’s medical benefits program.
The company has partnered with Apollo hospital to provide medical care for its employees, expanded its insurance covers, and is offering financial support for urgent medical situations for its workforce.
US-based financial services company Wells Fargo has also responded to India’s Covid crisis with a grant of $3 million for health care and emergency response.
The funds aim to provide portable hospital annex units with 200 beds, deploy oxygen concentrators to hospitals, deliver Covid-19 isolation kits for people recovering at home, support ICU ambulances to help transport patients to hospitals.
The grants will go to United Way agencies in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai; Nirmaan Organisation; Akshaya Patra Foundation; Mantra Social Services; and NASSCOM Foundation.
“It’s been heartbreaking to see the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in India,” said Bill Daley, vice chairman of Public Affairs, in a statement.
“Our priority is caring for our employees and local communities in India. These grants can help nonprofits quickly provide much-needed medical equipment and build capacity while providing care for those affected and support for healthcare professionals tirelessly working to save lives,” he added.
Wells Fargo has also taken steps throughout the pandemic for the health and safety of its employees in India and globally through remote work and enhanced benefits.
The grants are in addition to $225 million in philanthropic contributions for Covid-19 relief that Wells Fargo has deployed globally since 2020.
