Apple to offer, collect donations for Europe refugees, migrants
Los Angeles (dpa) - Apple will collect donations to help relief efforts for migrants and refugees in Europe, and itself make a "substantial donation" to relief agencies, chief executive Tim Cook said in an internal company memo.
"Millions of people from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries have fled their homes because of war and persecution," he wrote. "Our hearts go out to these refugees, and many of you have asked how we can help."
The donations are to help the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) and other humanitarian aid organizations.
Cook said Apple would make a "substantial donation" to humanitarian aid agencies helping refugees in Europe and around the Mediterranean, and match donations by Apple employees 2-for-1.
The Silicon Valley company's iTunes music store added a page to help the public donate amounts from 5 to 200 dollars in the US, and 5 to 150 euros in Europe with a few clicks.
In the past, Apple has made appeals for donations for the IFRC in response to other humanitarian crises, including earthquakes in Nepal in 2015 and Haiti in 2010, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013 and Hurricane Sandy in the United States in 2012.
The IFRC recently launched a series of emergency appeals for donations to help member organizations deal with millions of peoplein need in the Middle East and tens of thousands of migrants in Europe.
