Amway Makes Commitment to Those in Philippines Tragedy

Nov 12, 2013

Over the past few days, we’ve been in frequent contact with our colleagues in the Philippines.

If you follow recent news reports, you know about how Super Typhoon Haiyan blasted through the country late last week. There is inconsistency in the report of numbers impacted, mainly because communications are nearly impossible in areas that are decimated by winds and flooding. But we do know that thousands of people have lost their lives, hundreds of thousands are displaced, and millions are affected.

At this time, all 120 Amway employees are safe and accounted for, although many are trying desperately to reach family members in affected areas. Efforts are underway to assess the impact on Amway Business Owners, as well as assessing damage to our business and distribution centers in Cagayan De Oro, Cebu, Davao City, Mandaluyong City and Pangasinan. Fortunately, the populous capital of Manila, where our headquarters is located, did not take the brunt of the storm.

Amway communities are resilient, and we expect to see positive signs of recovery soon, as well as a spirit of generosity and assistance to emerge from the rubble. Senior leaders at Amway have committed to an initial $100,000 contribution to help out with relief efforts. We will work through local staff and aid agencies to make sure it is put to use with the most urgent needs. And we will continue to monitor the situation and work with local leaders to provide further assistance if needed.

Next week, we hold our first global volunteer event, the Amway Universal Children’s Day, in honor of the anniversary of the Amway One by One Campaign for Children. We already planned for volunteers in the US to assemble 10,000 personal hygiene kits (toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, etc) for future disasters. We have decided to send all 10,000 kits to the Philippines thorugh our partner, International Aid, as we know the recovery will be slow and much help is needed.

Our hearts go out to those affected by this catastrophe, and we encourage others to help see the Philippines recovered and restored.