Duke Energy, through The Duke Energy Foundation, Wednesday committed up to US$200,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief efforts associated with the flooding and storm damage caused by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast of the United States.

The Foundation will contribute $100,000 to the American Red Cross immediately. In addition, the Foundation has set aside another $100,000 to match donations made by Duke Energy employees and retirees through the end of September.

"Red Cross provided a safe haven for over 40,000 evacuees in more than 230 Red Cross shelters from Florida to Texas," said Pamela Daigle, chief executive officer of the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross. "The Red Cross is launching the largest mobilization of resources for a single natural disaster in its history. We are thankful for partnerships with companies like Duke Energy and others who have come together to aid these victims."

"Our thoughts are with all those who continue to suffer through the tremendous destruction that Hurricane Katrina brought with her," said Martha Wyrsch, president and chief executive officer, Duke Energy Gas Transmission, which has operations in the affected region. "We applaud the Red Cross for all they are doing to help people and communities that have been so devastated by this event, and we are pleased to be able to provide this assistance toward their efforts."

Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf states and the southern tip of Florida with more than 140 mph winds and flooding. It continues to dump rain along its path in the United States, and has led to a rising death toll of more than 100 people. In addition, power has been lost to almost 3 million customers.

The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors -- across the street, across the country and across the world -- in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new -- the nearly 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through almost 900 locally supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world. Some 4 million people give blood -- the gift of life -- through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty stay connected. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of 181 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money and blood to do its work. Marsha J. Evans is the president and CEO of the American Red Cross.