GM Foundation Pledges $500,000 to Help Victims of Tornado Devestation

Spring tornado season has been destructive and tragic in the heartland, but it’s also brought out the compassion and generosity of the American spirit.

In the wake of the recent powerful storms in North Texas and Oklahoma not only took lives, but damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, people all over the country are already coming together to help these communities rebuild.

Many of the residences affected by the dozen or so tornadoes which struck in North Texas were originally built by Habitat for Humanity, meaning a number of the homes built by the charity were done so through donations and volunteers. It means getting these homes fixed isn’t going to be easy.

In response, the General Motors Foundation has pledged $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity to help the charitable organization fix and rebuild what the devastating tornadoes have damaged.

It’s import to note a majority of the residences affected by the tornadoes included affordable housing built specifically to provide nice homes to middle-class and low-income families. Without question, the powerful storms have taken a disproportionately high toll on the families who need these homes.

The GM Foundation donation will go a long way to helping the Texas community move on and recover from the tragedy.

In addition to the financial pledge, the GM Foundation has donated numerous Chevrolet Express Vans to Habitat for Humanity. These vans are used by the organization to provide rapid response to communities hit hard by natural disasters. The vehicles are equipped with tools, materials, and other supplies that volunteers can use to quickly begin repairs. Many of the Express Vans have been used over the last six months to help the east coast rebuild following Hurricane Sandy.

The charitable actions taken by GM are consistent with the automobile giant’s long history of philanthropy and community service. For more than thirty-five years the corporation’s foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to charities not just in the United States but also all across the world. Often the donations are made in response to tragedies like the Texas tornadoes, but the foundation also supports ongoing educational and humanitarian efforts at home and abroad.

Dan Akerson, the chairman and CEO of GM, has shown personal leadership when it comes to charity. He and his wife Karin made a $1 million donation to Habitat for Humanity last year.

It’s clear that such generosity is badly needed in North Texas and in other parts of the heartland that have been getting ravaged by deadly and destructive tornadoes over the last several weeks. While GM’s support is hugely significant, it offsets only a small amount of the damage that has been done. Hopefully GM’s philanthropic leadership will spur other corporations in the region to make similarly generous contributions to help the people of their community who have been most affected.