Apple CEO Tim Cook sent out an email on Friday addressed to employees about the company's plan to give out a substantial donation to relief agencies that are involved in helping people affected by the refugee crisis and are seeking temporary shelters in Europe.
The move made Apple as the latest company to join other companies such as Google, SAP, JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs which had all pledged to provide help to the thousands of refugees that are running away from countries such as Syria, Eritrea, Pakistan, Iran and other countries in the Middle East. Many of them have fled to Europe which is now experiencing a refugee crisis on a scale that is believed to be even worse than what was experienced in World War II. Thousands of the fleeing refugees have already lost their lives as they attempt to make their journey on dangerous land and sea.
In his email, Cook said that the company is providing humanitarian aid to the affected refugees in Europe and also those that have sought temporary shelters around the Mediterranean. Cook also expressed how customers can give their support and join Apple in its mission to help by sending out their donations to the Red Cross by going to the App Store and iTunes.
"Millions of people from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries have fled their homes because of war and persecution. Europe, where many hope to find safety, is experiencing a refugee crisis on a scale that hasn't been seen since World War II," wrote Cook in the email.
He added that the company is dedicated to advancing human rights and hopes that it will somehow help in making the situation less desperate for those who are affected by the crisis.
On Sept. 16, Google said that the company is providing funds to a number of non-profit organizations in a move to support the refugees. These include the International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Google had already donated $1 million for the refugees that came from the war-torn countries of Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Yemen. It pledged to match individual donations with the aim to reach as much as $11 million as indicated in the company's official blog.
