Press Releases

"As the largest corporate blood donor to the American Red Cross, our company wanted to extend a helping hand and do everything we could to assist the disaster relief efforts of the Red Cross," said Ken Thompson, chief executive officer of Wachovia Corp. "Our heartfelt thoughts are with the victims and families of this national tragedy."

The contribution will be funded from the Wachovia and First Union Foundations. It will be used to assist the Red Cross in all facets of disaster relief. The company is also setting up blood donation centers at its Charlotte, N.C., headquarters and throughout its market areas.

"The American Red Cross would like to thank the Wachovia Corporation for its generous contribution to our national disaster relief fund," said Dr. Bernadine Healy, president of the American Red Cross. "This donation will help the Red Cross ensure the immediate availability of the safest possible blood. In addition, this donation will support disaster relief mobilization efforts, including dispatching hundreds of trained disaster relief workers and mental health counselors to New York, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere."

"As the full extent of yesterday’s tragedy emerges today, people throughout our country will begin to more fully feel its impact. Wachovia is a company that believes deeply in the importance of good corporate citizenship in doing what we can to assist agencies helping those in need," said Thompson. "To this extent, our focus continues to be on our customers and employees. We have ensured Wachovia’s financial systems are fully operational, with nearly all First Union and Wachovia branches, operations centers and brokerage offices opened on a regular schedule today."

Wachovia Corporation, created through the Sept. 1, 2001, merger of First Union and Wachovia with pro forma assets of $322 billion as of June 30, is a leading provider of financial services to 19 million retail and corporate customers throughout the East Coast and the nation. The company operates full-service banking offices in 11 East Coast states and Washington, D.C., and offers full-service brokerage with offices in 47 states and global services through more than 30 international offices.