AT&T Foundation to Assist San Antonio Chapter of the American Red Cross in Uvalde Tornado Relief Effort

$1 Million Grant to American Red Cross Annual Disaster Relief Fund Delivers Vital Support to Uvalde

Uvalde, Texas, March 23, 2006, Victims of the tornado that struck the Uvalde area this week will benefit from a portion of a $1 million AT&T Foundation grant to the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Relief Fund to aid emergency relief efforts.

The funds will be devoted to the most immediate and basic needs of tornado victims who were forced to find alternative means for housing, electricity and water. Underscoring AT&T’s commitment to assisting the communities it serves in times of need, the AT&T Foundation grant will help provide temporary housing to the displaced families.

The funds are part of a five-year commitment from the AT&T Foundation to the American Red Cross, spanning from 2005 to 2009 and designating $200,000 to be donated each year.

"At this devastating time, we are fortunate to have partners like AT&T Inc. who are dedicated to helping us provide relief from this suffering" said Mike Bennett, CEO of the American Red Cross, San Antonio Chapter. "Their contribution will support our neighbors in Uvalde and victims of future disasters here in the United States. Their gift will certainly make a lasting impression"

"When something like this hits your community, it is great to see the private and public sectors come together to help out" said State Sen. Frank Madla. "I will do everything that I can to ensure that our people get all the help that they need" Madla said.

"When you tour the devastation of the impacted area as I have, you see that much more than buildings and homes have been lost" said State Rep. Pete Gallego. "Lives and families have been torn apart. But you can rest assured that we will utilize all available resources to bring relief to our friends and neighbors in Uvalde"

Every eight minutes, the American Red Cross helps someone devastated by a disaster. Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 67,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (the majority of disaster responses), hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters. The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund provides immediate relief for victims of disaster.

"In situations like this, our first priority is to help out with relief efforts in any way we can" says Lupita Zepeda, AT&T area manager. "After all, in addition to providing telecommunications services in Texas, we also have South Texas AT&T employees who live and work here. We’re especially grateful to Sen. Madla and Rep. Gallego for providing the leadership and vision so badly needed at a time such as this" Zepeda said.

The Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund focuses on meeting people’s immediate emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services, the core of the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund is the assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently.

The Red Cross also feeds emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provides blood and blood products to disaster victims and helps those affected by disaster to access other available resources.

The new AT&T Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AT&T Inc., supports programs that build communities and improve access to information technologies, technology training and professional skills development. The new AT&T Foundation will provide more than $60 million in 2006 in charitable contributions, thereby placing it among the top five largest corporate foundations in the country. The new AT&T Foundation combines more than 40 years and $1.7 billion of philanthropic commitment to communities across the country.

AT&T Inc. is one of the world’s largest telecommunications holding companies and is the largest in the United States. Operating globally under the AT&T brand, AT&T companies are recognized as the leading worldwide providers of IP-based communications services to business and as leading U.S. providers of high speed DSL Internet, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. AT&T Inc. holds a 60 percent ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which is the No. 1 U.S. wireless services provider with more than 54 million wireless customers. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and AT&T products and services is available at www.TheNewATT.com.

© 2006 AT&T Knowledge Ventures. All rights reserved. Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand.

Contact Information

Karen Oddy James

AT&T Inc.

Contact via E-mail