Coca Cola and Taiwan donate $550,000 total toward Guam disaster relief

Coca Cola today donated $350,000 to the American Red Cross for Guam disaster relief, and yesterday the government of Taiwan donated $200,000.

These are the two single-largest donations to help the people of Guam through the Red Cross thus far, according to information verified by Red Cross Division Disaster State Relations Director Erin McCann.

The following is a news release from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office on Guam, that provides further detail about the donation from the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

From May 24th to 25th, 2023, Typhoon Mawar struck Guam, causing severe damage around the island. On June 2, Director General Paul Chen of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Guam, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presented a $200,000.00 donation to the American Red Cross Guam Chapter to assist in the post-disaster reconstruction efforts in Guam. The humanitarian spirit of Taiwan shows that Taiwan can help and is actively helping. First Gentleman Jeffrey A. Cook, Vice Speaker of the 37th Guam Legislature Tina Muña Barnes and members of the Taiwanese community on Guam attended the donation ceremony as witnesses.

Director General Chen stated in his remarks that since the reopening of the Guam Office in October 2020, they have donated 200,000 medical masks, 900 rapid test kits, and 4 thermal imagers to assist the Guam government in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, they also coordinated with China Airlines and arranged international humanitarian medical charter flights to help patients from Guam to seek medical treatment in Taiwan. This time, as Guam experienced its largest wind disaster in 20 years, the 23 million people of Taiwan, who have long suffered from typhoon damage, empathize with Guam. The $200,000 donation aims to assist our Guamanian brothers and sisters, who are also part of the Austronesian community, in overcoming this difficult situation and strengthening the Taiwan-Guam partnership.

Vice Speaker of the 37th Guam Legislature Tina Muña Barnes expressed her thanks to the Taiwanese government for extending a helping hand again, demonstrating the spirit of helping others in times of need. The people of Guam have witnessed this. The typhoon caused a complete loss of water and power across the island, hundreds of homes were severely damaged, thousands of displaced victims had nowhere to go, and residents’ livelihoods were severely affected. Mayors of various cities were exhausted in taking care of the needs of the people, and the once proud tourism industry was destroyed overnight. The Guam government will continue to work with the American Red Cross Guam Chapter, utilizing the Taiwanese government’s donation, to assist in the recovery efforts for disaster-affected people.

Chita Blaise, Executive Director from the American Red Cross Guam Chapter and Denise Everhart, who is in charge of the local Red Cross response, also praised the goodwill of the Taiwanese government and confirmed that this is the highest donation amount they have received so far in support of the recovery of Typhoon Mawar. The organization will collaborate with the Guam government in utilizing the donations to jointly provide assistance and relief to the affected victims. Hundreds of volunteers have already distributed emergency generators, drinking water, food, and hygiene supplies to various sectors in the aftermath of the disaster. They are also collaborating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), United Airlines, and the Airlink Disaster Response Logistics Fund to alleviate the shortage of relief supplies.

Typhoon Mawar struck Guam, severely impacting the international airport, accommodations, and water and electricity facilities. It was the most severe wind disaster faced by Guam since Typhoon Pongsona in 2002. As a result, 115 Taiwanese tourists on a direct charter flight from Taiwan to Guam were stranded. TECO in Guam, Lion Travel, and Starlux Airlines worked together to provide them with food, supplies, and medical assistance; Director General Chen personally visited and comforted the tourists stranded in Pacific Islands Club hotel. On May 29th, after the Guam International Airport resumed normal operations for commercial flights, the Taiwanese tourists safely returned to Taiwan on a charter flight, and other independent travelers will gradually transit back home to Taiwan.