Raytheon Reaches Out to Victims of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating natural disasters in American history, has destroyed much of the United States’ Gulf Coast, including the city of New Orleans and large parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky. Many residents did not survive the violent storm and its after-effects, and tens of thousands of displaced Americans must now rebuild their lives. The full extent of the damage remains unclear, but it is obvious that the financial and emotional needs of the affected communities will far exceed the resources currently devoted to recovery from this disaster. More help is needed.

To help relieve some of the burden, Raytheon is partnering with humanitarian organizations and government agencies to provide financial and on-the-ground support. “We have more than 650 employees who live in the direct path of the storm,” says Keith Peden, Raytheon senior vice president of Human Resources, “and we feel a tremendous responsibility to help not just them, but all of the affected communities.”

Company, Employees Give to Disaster Relief
Even before Hurricane Katrina hit the mainland, the company was actively involved in supporting disaster relief and recovery programs. In 2000, Raytheon created a five-year, $1 million grant to help the American Red Cross prepare for disasters even before they strike. The company renewed that grant earlier this year, enabling the Red Cross to provide immediate support to the region.

In response to the enormity of Katrina, the company further committed $150,000 from its Corporate Contributions budget and $100,000 from its Employee Disaster Relief Fund to aid in general hurricane relief efforts, including those associated with Katrina. On top of those donations, Raytheon employees have once again stepped up in a time of national crisis, and generously contributed an additional $250,000 to the fund. 

This generous outpouring from employees has prompted Raytheon to match — dollar for dollar — total employee contributions to the fund between Aug. 29 and Nov. 30, 2005. In addition, all gifts made to the Red Cross through the company’s payroll deduction program during this period will also be matched. “It is a large commitment for the company, but one that we felt was appropriate given our outpouring of employee support and the expanding need for disaster relief in the area," explains Pam Wickham, Raytheon vice president of Corporate Affairs and Communications. 

Manpower, Horsepower Sent to Affected Regions
Raytheon's support of the disaster relief effort goes beyond monetary donations. In fact, Raytheon’s technology is helping to facilitate recovery efforts. Three donated First Responder vehicles are already in use on the ground, and have been vital in helping restore communications efforts. These vehicles enable fire, police and emergency personnel to communicate on the same radio frequency without modifying existing radios or infrastructure, and can also assist with linking Internet communications. The First Responder vehicles have enabled a coordinated rescue effort among different agencies in areas that have seen all communications virtually knocked out.

In addition to the First Responder efforts underway in the affected communities, Raytheon employees are also on the ground in New Orleans providing invaluable satellite uplink capability to U.S. task force efforts (Joint Task Force Katrina) dedicated to Katrina disaster recovery. On site, a company-led team has implemented Global Broadcast Service satellite technology, which provides surveillance video and images of the disaster area to leaders of the recovery mission, including the Joint Task Force Katrina commander, U.S. Northern Command commander, the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force, and other civilian and public service agencies.

Raytheon is also providing comprehensive support services to affected employees to help them get through this difficult time. The Raytheon Global Health Resources team is working onsite to help affected company employees and their families obtain critical health information, resources, and grief and anxiety counseling.

More to Be Done
While the outpouring of support throughout the Raytheon community has been tremendous, the reality of the long-term need for disaster relief and rebuilding efforts is daunting. In the months ahead, Raytheon will continue to work with employees, customers and affected communities to support ongoing relief efforts.

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Raytheon’s Corporate Contributions department creates and manages the company’s overall philanthropic strategy. The Raytheon Employee Disaster Relief Fund was established to provide a means by which Raytheon employees can immediately help address and ease the suffering of those personally affected by disaster.

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