Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) wants to take part in fighting poverty, which is why the tech giant recently donated $500,000 through SF Gives. The program is an anti-poverty initiative created by Tipping Point’s chief executive officer Daniel Lurie and Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff.
SF Gives helps those in need
SF Gives aims to get twenty companies in the San Francisco area to donate $500,000 or $10 million to charitable programs throughout the area. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s donation comes just two days ahead of Wednesday’s deadline. 10 companies have already declined donating to the program. Lurie explained, “For some, they feel like they’re doing their own thing: They’re giving back [already], and they’re involved. Then, there are others who just fundamentally believe that a company shouldn’t be doing philanthropy and that individuals should do it.”
It is also important to point out that some companies don’t really generated revenue and other companies don’t want to donate money from investors.
SF Gives initiative could not have come at a better time. The tech industry’s biggest critics blamed the companies for the sky-high increase in rents and the increase in evictions. Some critics even took it a step further when protesters blocked commuter buses for Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) employees. They also stood outside the home of Kevin Rose (a partner for Google Ventures) with signs and flyers protesting Rose’s contributions to the tech industry. Other critics even held a rally outside the annual Crunchies awards celebration.
Apple is big on charity
It is not surprising Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) donated a significant amount of money to the SF Gives anti-poverty initiative. The iPhone maker has donated to numerous charitable organizations including Product RED, Stanford Hospitals, and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS. Apple also donated $2.5 million to the Red Cross back in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy swept through the east coast. The company’s CEO sent the following message along with his donation, “For the past week, our thoughts have been with those affected by Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. And Apple employees and customers the world over have raised millions of dollars toward the relief effort so far. But we can always do more. That’s why, on behalf of all our employees, Apple is making a donation of $2.5 million to the American Red Cross to benefit Hurricane Sandy relief. We hope this contribution will help families, businesses, and communities recover and rebuild.”
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) also offered a donation program through iTunes which allowed users to make donations with their credit cards. 100% of the proceeds went to the Red Cross.
