iTunes Store Accepting Donations to Support Earthquake Relief in Japan and Ecuador

[MacRumors]

Apple today added banners to the iTunes and App Stores allowing customers to donate to the American Red Cross in support of people affected by the earthquakes that hit Ecuador and Japan last week.

Donations made through iTunes and the App Store can be placed using credit cards already on file with Apple, making the donation process simple. Customers are able to donate $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, or $200 to relief efforts. 100% of all donations made through iTunes will be given to the American Red Cross. [Direct Link to Donations]

48 people have died in Japan and thousands more were injured after magnitude 6.2 and 7.0 earthquakes hit southwest Japan on April 14 and 16, causing severe damage in the Kumamoto and Oita prefectures. More than 140 aftershocks have also affected the region.

In Ecuador, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit approximately 110 miles from Quito on April 16, killing more than 500 people and injuring thousands more.

Apple has used the iTunes Store donation method multiple times in the past to raise money for charity, most recently accepting donations in September to support the refugee and migration crisis across the Mediterranean Sea and Europe. Other previous relief effort fundraising campaigns have included the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the 2013 Phillippines typhoon, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Article Link: iTunes Store Accepting Donations to Support Earthquake Relief in Japan and Ecuador

 

[garirry]

I'm glad Apple at least respects tragedies in other nations and asks people to support them. Very respectful move.

 

[dannyyankou]

Before people complain "why doesn't Apple donate money themselves?", at least they're doing something.

 

[xARx2]

Sweet! Just donated.

 

[EllieV]

Funny that Apple of all people is saying you cannot lower your taxes with this…

 

[bladerunner2000]

I'll donate if Apple matches my donation.

 

[btrach144]

This would be great if the American Red Cross wasn't a total sham.

Edit: Catholic Relief Services gives 93% of all donations to their programs, which is higher than most charities. If you want the most bang for your buck, check them out:

http://www.crs.org/

 

[Cwolk]

Due to the severity, I feel like the earthquake in Ecuador should be mentioned before the earthquake in Japan in the article.

 

[Kabeyun]

Funny that Apple of all people is saying you cannot lower your taxes with this…

Congratulations. Three whole posts before someone went negative. Nice.

 

[autrefois]

This would be great if the American Red Cross wasn't a total sham.

For those who may not be aware, here's an article with some of their past problems.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/02/01/news/economy/red-cross-donations/

Hopefully they've been doing better the past few years, but Doctors Without Borders is still the charity I trust for tragedies like this.

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org

 

[Tubamajuba]

I'll donate if Apple matches my donation.

Good idea- let's withhold money from hurting human beings because of how we feel about a corporation.

 

[campyguy]

I feel for the victims, and I will offer donations personally and through my small business. I applaud Apple for getting behind this, and have used this donation method before to donate to Red Cross. I donated to the effort related to the earthquake and following tragedies in Haiti, then read this NPR expose:
https://www.propublica.org/article/...paign=dailynewsletter&utm_content=&utm_name=#

It wasn't just the home-building results that turned me off to the RC, but all of the other support work they just didn't follow up on. There's no way that my money is getting funneled through those, well, I can't type here what I'm thinking about the Red Cross... This last bit is IMHO.

Doctors Without Borders gets my funds to assist with these disasters.

 

[btrach144]

Congratulations. Three whole posts before someone went negative. Nice.

Updated my post to offer an alternative. Red Cross doesn't know how to manager their money. Maybe you're okay with that but some aren't. I'm just pointing that out and providing an alternative. Not negative, just wise.

 

[logicstudiouser]

Ah...the old iTunes buttons, brings me back to the days when iTunes was easy and useful!

 

[JuanFerVal]

Sweet! Just donated.

Thank you so much! I live in Ecuador and every bit of help is deeply appreciated.

 

[bladerunner2000]

Good idea- let's withhold money from hurting human beings because of how we feel about a corporation.

Yeah because the corporation is SOOOOO concerned about human beings, right? Like Apple's offshore accounts that it hides its tax money that SHOULD be paid back to US citizens... and even with all that money, Apple still has the balls to say 'nah, we dont wanna donate, YOU DO IT!'

It's like you're just HAPPY paying DOUBLE for Apple's greed.

 

[Tubamajuba]

Yeah because the corporation is SOOOOO concerned about human beings, right? Like Apple's offshore accounts that it hides its tax money that SHOULD be paid back to US citizens... and even with all that money, Apple still has the balls to say 'nah, we dont wanna donate, YOU DO IT!'

It's like you're just HAPPY paying DOUBLE for Apple's greed.

You can't control what Apple does with their money. You can control what you do with your own money. You claim to be using that control to deny earthquake victims money because of what Apple does with their money.

Wow.

 

[dan110]

Wasn't there a big scandal with the Red Cross' involvement in the Haiti Earthquake when it was found that digital donations didn't make it to the needy?

 

[usarioclave]

Don't give to the Red Cross; you'd be better off burning your money. They're this close to being a scam. And I donate blood regularly (different division).

 

[bladerunner2000]

You can't control what Apple does with their money. You can control what you do with your own money. You claim to be using that control to deny earthquake victims money because of what Apple does with their money.

Wow.

Did you just excuse Apple's tax evasion?

 

[citysnaps]

Yeah because the corporation is SOOOOO concerned about human beings, right? Like Apple's offshore accounts that it hides its tax money that SHOULD be paid back to US citizens... and even with all that money, Apple still has the balls to say 'nah, we dont wanna donate, YOU DO IT!'

It's like you're just HAPPY paying DOUBLE for Apple's greed.

Show some class for a change.

 

[Tubamajuba]

Did you just excuse Apple's tax evasion?

No, but I also don't plan on withholding donations from people in Japan and Ecuador because I didn't like something that a company in America did.

Ah, you know what? You show Apple. Your noble and selfless refusal to show financial support of natural disaster victims will surely be the catalyst of change in Apple's corporate culture.

You, sir, are the victor.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

What about Ecuador?

 

[Karma*Police]

Yeah because the corporation is SOOOOO concerned about human beings, right? Like Apple's offshore accounts that it hides its tax money that SHOULD be paid back to US citizens... and even with all that money, Apple still has the balls to say 'nah, we dont wanna donate, YOU DO IT!'

It's like you're just HAPPY paying DOUBLE for Apple's greed.

Apple has a legal responsibility to maximize profits for its shareholders and all that cash in the bank belongs to the shareholders, not Apple. Regarding their taxes, they're taking advantage of the system, just like you and me and every other individual, except unlike individuals, Apple has a fiduciary responsibilty to do so. In fact, I don't know anyone who pays their full share of taxes; not write anything off and pays every cent owed in taxes for internet purchases.

If you're really concerned about tax dollars that belong to US citizens, perhaps you should take a look at all the waste that's generated by the US gov't. When you realize how much money the government wastes, you'll realize that corporate profits are better off staying with corporations because it allows them to produce jobs and create wealth for shareholders.

 

[Mums]

Don't donate to the Red Cross - they are thieves.
[doublepost=1461298781][/doublepost]

I feel for the victims, and I will offer donations personally and through my small business. I applaud Apple for getting behind this, and have used this donation method before to donate to Red Cross. I donated to the effort related to the earthquake and following tragedies in Haiti, then read this NPR expose:
https://www.propublica.org/article/...paign=dailynewsletter&utm_content=&utm_name=#

It wasn't just the home-building results that turned me off to the RC, but all of the other support work they just didn't follow up on. There's no way that my money is getting funneled through those, well, I can't type here what I'm thinking about the Red Cross... This last bit is IMHO.

Doctors Without Borders gets my funds to assist with these disasters.

I learned how corrupt the Red Cross was living in TriBeCa after 9/11. I posted about it here but all I got was flak. I'm amazed at how all of a sudden the public has become so accepting of conspiracy theories.