Kirkland & Ellis LLP Contributes $310,000 to Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts
The Kirkland & Ellis Foundation, its individual attorneys and staff have contributed a total of $310,000 to help recovery efforts related to the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the capital of Haiti and surrounding areas on January 12.
The Kirkland & Ellis Foundation contributed an initial $100,000 to the American Red Cross and Haitian orphanage Grace House of Hope in January. Kirkland attorneys and staff subsequently contributed $160,000 in individual donations. In response to the volume of employee donations, the Foundation has contributed an additional $50,000, bringing Kirkland's total contribution to $310,000.
"Donations from attorneys and staff far exceeded our expectations," said Vicki Hood, partner and director of the Kirkland & Ellis Foundation. "The Kirkland Foundation is pleased to increase its contribution in proportion to the generosity of Kirkland's employees. We are honored and obligated to assist these worthy organizations in their continued relief efforts."
Since its founding in 1881, the American Red Cross has been the nation's premier emergency response organization. In an operation that has involved more emergency response teams than any other single-country disaster in global Red Cross history, the American Red Cross has so far spent or committed more than $67 million to meet the most urgent needs of earthquake survivors in Haiti.
"This generous gift from Kirkland & Ellis will have an immediate and lasting impact on the people of Haiti," said Fran Maher, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago.
"The generous contributions and support of our partners are critical to the ability of the American Red Cross to provide help and hope for the people of Haiti during their time of need," said Jeffrey Towers, chief development officer of the American Red Cross. "We are rushing supplies and disaster management staff to Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake, and are very grateful to the Kirkland & Ellis Foundation, attorneys and staff for their support of our humanitarian mission."
Since its founding in 1992 by Marie Major, Grace House of Hope has served as the home for numerous orphaned and abandoned children in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. Grace House currently includes two orphanages that have been rendered uninhabitable by the earthquake: one is home to 33 girls from ages two to 15; the other is home to 35 children from ages five to 15; as well as an on-site school that provides daily food and education to more than 200 children from the community. Kirkland's contributions have provided temporary relief for the children and will help fund the rebuilding of the orphanages, one of which has collapsed.
"While we have received other donations from a variety of supporters, it can be safely said that Kirkland's timely and generous support was the catalyst that made our rebuilding efforts possible," said a representative from the Grace House of Hope.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a 1,500-attorney law firm representing global clients in complex corporate and tax, litigation and dispute resolution/arbitration, restructuring, and intellectual property and technology matters. The Firm has offices in Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.
