Carnival Corporation Announces Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation Pledge to Donate $5 Million to Recent Global Disaster Relief Efforts
Immediate $5 million donation from family foundation of Carnival Corporation Chairman Micky Arison and his wife Madeleine will be made to Save the Children and Direct Relief to support most urgent hurricane, typhoon, earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in North and South Carolina, Philippines and Indonesia
Carnival Corporation’s philanthropic arm, Carnival Foundation, and its cruise line brands have fundraising initiatives under way to provide additional support to multiple organizations leading immediate relief efforts in affected areas
MIAMI (Oct. 4, 2018) — Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) today announced the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation pledged to donate $5 million to support relief efforts in communities affected by Hurricane Florence in North and South Carolina, Super Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines and the recent Indonesia earthquake and resulting tsunami.
The Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation will make an immediate donation of $5 million to Save the Children and Direct Relief to support the most timely and urgent relief needs, as well as the long-term recovery strategy across the globe in the wake of recent natural disasters.
Additional grants are under way from Carnival Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Carnival Corporation, and the company’s cruise line brands – including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises Australia and P&O Cruises UK. Carnival Corporation’s collective donations will go toward supporting global aid agency Mercy Corps in Indonesia, International Medical Corps in the Philippines, and Save the Children in North and South Carolina and the Philippines.
“Our hearts go out to those who are dealing with great hardship and loss following these major natural disasters, and our sincere hope is that these additional resources will help our partner organizations execute response plans for both immediate relief needs and longer-term recovery efforts,” said Linda Coll, executive director of Carnival Foundation. “The Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation has helped so many people and communities over the years through its generous donations, and with this new pledge, it continues to provide critical support resources around the globe that will make a difference for those in need.”
Added Coll: “Building on many different efforts from organizations around the world, with our collective support from Micky and Madeleine Arison, Carnival Foundation and Carnival Corporation’s brands, we want to do all we can to help those with the most urgent needs, and also build a foundation for the future health and well-being of these affected communities for years to come.”
A portion of the funds from The Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation, Carnival Foundation and the company’s cruise brands will go to Save the Children, an international non-governmental organization and recognized national leader for services to children in emergencies, to provide support in the affected areas through emergency relief initiatives and longer-term recovery projects. Focus areas for Save the Children’s relief efforts include:
- Hurricane Florence Response in the Carolinas: In the short term, efforts will focus on protecting children and providing essential supplies in evacuation settings, as well as supporting the rapid restoration of early-learning and community programs for children. Long-term programs will focus on supporting children’s social and emotional recovery, as well as strengthening community resilience and future disaster preparedness plans.
- Super Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines: Relief efforts will focus on supporting children and families through the distribution of shelters, household kits, water and hygiene items, in addition to supporting the timely return to learning by opening temporary learning spaces, providing teaching and back-to-school kits and supporting teachers with teaching assistance.
- Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami: Early responders are preparing to distribute basic necessities and are setting up child-friendly shelters, as well as working with local organizations and government agencies to identify and reunite separated families. Programs will focus on providing access to water, hygiene, sanitation and health services, and ensuring that the nutrition needs of children are being met. Additionally, they will work to distribute cash transfers to support the immediate needs of children and families, and help with economic activity and recovery. Efforts will also support the return to learning through the distribution of key items, such as school kits.
The donation from The Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation will also support Direct Relief, an international humanitarian organization providing critical medications and supplies for emergency situations. Direct Relief will begin delivering requested medications and medical supplies to the affected regions as those specific relief needs are identified. Emergency supplies pre-positioned in Southeast Asia by Direct Relief have been made available to Indonesian authorities responding to survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi. Adding to the stockpiled items, Direct Relief has offered the National Disaster Management Authority of Indonesia (BNPB) an additional $30 million in medicine and supplies from its available inventory.
Direct Relief is also on standby and ready to provide medicines and medical resources to its network of partners throughout the Philippines should the government request international assistance.
Carnival Corporation & plc Carnival Corporation & plc is the world’s largest leisure travel company and among the most profitable and financially strong in the cruise and vacation industries, with a portfolio of 10 dynamic brands that include nine of the world’s leading cruise lines. With operations in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK), as well as Fathom, the corporation’s immersion and enrichment experience brand.
Together, these brands operate 103 ships with 234,000 lower berths visiting over 700 ports around the world, with 22 new ships scheduled to be delivered between 2018 and 2025. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only dual listed company in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices.
In 2017, Fast Company recognized Carnival Corporation as being among the “Top 10 Most Innovative Companies” in both the design and travel categories. Fast Companyspecifically recognized Carnival Corporation for its work in developing Ocean Medallion™, a high-tech wearable device that enables the world’s first interactive guest experience platform capable of transforming vacation travel into a highly personalized and elevated level of customized service.