A-B Helps Sandy Victims

St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch will begin packaging 44,000 cases – more than a million cans – of emergency drinking water this week for residents impacted by Hurricane Sandy and other natural disasters.

More than 4,000 cases of canned water are already en route to Anheuser-Busch distributors Harrison Beverage in Pleasantville, N.J., and Ritchie & Page Distributing in Robbinsville, N.J., and will be available to American Red Cross and other local disaster relief organizations later today. More than 10,000 cases have been requested for Brooklyn, N.Y., and will be delivered to Floyd Bennett Field over the weekend.

“Relief workers and people in the region are in need of safe, clean drinking water, and Anheuser-Busch is in a unique position to produce and ship large quantities of emergency drinking water,” said Peter Kraemer, VP of supply for Anheuser-Busch. “Our local distributors help identify those communities most in need, and work with relief organizations such as the American Red Cross to make sure the water gets where it’s needed.”

The Anheuser-Busch Foundation also announced a $100,000 donation to the American Red Cross to assist in on-the-ground support for disaster relief workers and victims of Hurricane Sandy.

“The devastation left by Hurricane Sandy is significant, and we hope our donation will bring some relief to those impacted by the storm, especially those hardest hit in New Jersey and New York,” said Margarita Flores, VP of community affairs at Anheuser-Busch.

Anheuser-Busch is the founding sponsor of the American Red Cross Ready Rating Program, which helps businesses, schools and organizations become prepared for disasters and other emergencies.