From very early on in their histories, America's beverage manufacturers and bottlers have stepped up for their local communities in the wake of natural disasters. That tradition of service carries through to today. 

In the summer of 1955, Hurricanes Connie and Diane hit the eastern part of the country. The flooding caused severe potable water shortages. Local bottlers volunteered their water filtering equipment to purify water and supplied it to those in need. Additionally, the American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages (ABCB) - now the American Beverage Association (ABA) - offered its technical laboratory in Washington, D.C. to help solve emergency problems and replenished the stocks of bottlers affected by the storms. 

In the fall of 2007, when wildfires raged in Southern California, the beverage industry donated 300,000 bottles of water, along with other beverages, to first responders fighting the fires and to displaced residents. Beverage companies including Coca-Cola North America and Pepsi Bottling Group also donated thousands of bottles of water and other beverages to charity organizations including The Red Cross, Salvation Army, and America's Second Harvest. 

Just last year, in fall of 2018, beverage companies in the Southeast stepped up to support communities affected by Hurricanes Florence and Michael. Pepsi Bottling Ventures, headquartered in Raleigh, sent 6,000 cases of bottled water to Wilmington and Lumberton, N.C. Coca-Cola Consolidated sent dozens of pallets of water to communities in North Carolina. Keurig Dr Pepper donated bottled water to the United Way Association of South Carolina and Second Harvest in Tallahassee, Fl. And beverage industry employees traveled from other states to help in relief efforts, clearing fallen trees and storm debris. 

As an industry that has roots in every community across America, we know that in times of disaster, our industry comes together to help provide those impacted the relief and support they need. Service and decisive action in the aftermath of natural disasters are values that have been and will always be at the core of our industry.