How companies, organizations are offering help for migrants

Pledging goods, services to ease transition for migrants in Europe

(Reuters) — Companies and organizations are pledging to provide goods and services to thousands of migrants who have overwhelmed European nations as they flee war-torn and impoverished countries.

Following are some examples of the help offered:

Germany-based mail and logistics group Deutsche Post DHL is in talks to make up to 100,000 square meters of empty buildings in Germany available for use as accommodation for migrants. Germany's largest employer also plans to offer up to 1,000 internships, CEO Frank Appel said. (Sept. 17)

•Europe's largest software maker SAP is working on a smartphone application to help migrants arriving in Germany to navigate bureaucracy and officials to register them. The app would be free of charge to migrants and authorities, and the company was talking to government bodies to see if they could use it, said a spokesman. None had signed up so far, he added. (Sept. 16)

• The European Union will allocate 30 million euros ($44 million CAD) in aid for dairy farmers to make surplus milk available to migrants. (Sept. 15)

> Google announced a donation-matching campaign that aims to raise US$11 million for humanitarian organisations aiding migrants. (Sept. 15)

• Air Liquide, Michelin, Sodexo and Total will assist refugees being resettled in France with food, essential supplies, health care, help with resettlement costs and training. (Sept. 11)

• The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Goldman Sachs have partnered to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to migrants, earmarking 2 million pounds ($4 million CAD) for supplies including emergency foodpacks, secure accommodation for vulnerable children and temporary medical facilities. (Sept. 10)

• German tour operator Alltours has been collecting donations of food and clothes at its headquarters in Duesseldorf and flying them to the island of Kos. Airlines Air Berlinand Germanwings have offered to transport the goods on their flights for free, Alltours said. (Sept. 8)

Hungary's Magyar Telekom will offer free wifi service in transit zones set up for migrants, the unit of Deutsche Telekom said. (Sept. 8)

Daimler's trucks unit and aid organization Luftfahrt Ohne Grenzen sent a convoy of trucks carrying around 120 tonnes of supplies to Syrian refugee camps in Turkey. The carmaker has also donated two Mercedes-Benz Transport vans for use by aid organizations. (Sept. 7)

• German real estate firm LEG has made around 450 flats available for migrants. It said the people coming to Germany could rejuvenate towns where populations were declining. (Sept.7)

Germany's wind power association BWE — with 20,000 members one of the biggest renewable industry associations worldwide — said its members went along to a camp with 1,700 refugees in Berlin Spandau, presenting medical and household goods. (Sept. 4)

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