SCHAUMBURG, IL - In response to on-going support needed by communities damaged by Hurricane Ike, Omron Foundation, Inc. approved the donation of $50,000 to the Greater Houston Community Foundation to assist with relief efforts following the storm. The Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund was established by Houston Mayor Bill White to help fill unmet humanitarian needs for victims of Hurricane Ike in Houston, Harris and Galveston Counties and other affected areas.

The Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund at the Greater Houston Community Foundation (GHCF) was selected by Lourdes Maduro, Human Resources Manager for Omron Oilfield and Marine based in Houston, Texas. "With Houston’s mayor directly involved, I knew they would use the funds locally and give more immediate relief to local people," says Maduro, explaining her donation recommendation. Mayor White convenef an advisory committee to determine the actions to be funded, according to Bob Paddock, GHCF Vice President of Development. The Omron Foundation will also match Omron employees' donations to organizations that support disaster relief and recovery.

Omron operates an Industrial Automation Service Center in addition to Oilfield and Marine offices in the Houston, Texas area where power and water service were interrupted after Hurricane Ike. Omron employees in the area are still repairing their personal property and waiting for the return of power and water to their homes. Hurricane Ike, which struck the Houston area on September 12, 2008, devastated a large part of coastal Texas, causing damage estimated at $20 billion.

Founded in 1989, the Omron Foundation (OFI) coordinates the charitable efforts of all Omron offices in the US and Canada to achieve the greatest positive social impact. The Foundation is funded by Omron's subsidiaries in North America, who contribute 0.1 percent of their sales, as well as money from Omron Management Center of America. The Foundation divides its charitable resources among organizations benefiting education, people with disabilities, cultural pursuits, the aged, and other social concerns such as disaster relief. Donations are disbursed in accordance with Omron’s Guiding Principles and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals regarding giving back to society.