Becton, Dickinson & Co. (NYSE:BDX) is donating $550,000 to support relief efforts in Haiti and pledged to ship another $500,000 worth of medical equipment to the island nation, which was devastated by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake Jan. 12.
The Franklin Lakes, N.J.-based medical device maker said it will split $250,000 between the American Red Cross and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Another $250,000 will go to Partners in Health, AmeriCares, the Catholic Medical Mission Board, Direct Relief International, Heart to Heart International, Project HOPE and Save the Children.
BD said it will also donate up to $500,000 worth of medical equipment, including needles, syringes, IV catheters and blood collection tubes, to be distributed through the charities it’s also giving the cash to. The company will also match donations to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF by its employees, to the tune of up to $150,000, on top of its traditional matching gift program. That means the comapny has already match contributions to match its employees’ donations to date.
"With the massive devastation of this earthquake, BD is committed to working with our partners to support critical relief efforts," said chairman and CEO Edward Ludwig said in a prepared statement. "On behalf of BD’s 29,000 associates around the world, I extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to the people of Haiti and all affected by this tragedy."