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The Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation said Friday it will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross for storm relief and recovery in Alabama, the same day that Birmingham Mayor William Bell called on corporations to get involved to help victims of the devastation.

The Newhouse foundation made the donation on behalf of Advance Alabama Publications, which includes The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times and Mobile’s Press-Register, along with al.com, The Birmingham Business Journal and Bright House Networks.

“Our community has been devastated,” said Pam Siddall, publisher of The Birmingham News. “Now is the time for all of us to rally together and help those who have suffered as they begin to rebuild their lives. I want to encourage others to join us in helping those who have lost so much. Together, we can bring hope to this great community.”

In a meeting with Siddall and other business executives at the Birmingham Business Alliance on Friday, Bell said he wants to foster that support and hope.

“I wanted to give the leadership an understanding of what we’re faced with, but also a sense of hope when all of us are working together,” Bell said.

The Newhouse storm-relief donation is one of several made by Birmingham’s corporate community, including:

Regions Financial Corp. on Thursday gave $1 million to the Red Cross Tornado Disaster Relief Fund.

BBVA Compass donated $500,000 to the Red Cross.

Energen Corp. gave $250,000 to the Red Cross.

Protective Life Corp. said it is committing $250,000, to be divided between the Red Cross, Salvation Army and local clean-up and aid initiatives involving Protective volunteers.

Wells Fargo & Co. contributed $225,000 to the Red Cross for relief efforts in Alabama and Georgia.

Belk Inc. committed $200,000 to the Red Cross, with half of that for support efforts in Alabama.

Birmingham’s Portfolio Recovery Associates Inc. contributed $15,000 to the Red Cross.

Billy Baxter, chief executive of the American Red Cross’s Mid-Alabama Region, called the Newhouse donation generous and timely.

“There is a lot of tragedy in the state right now; there’s also a lot of generous and heroic actions taking place,” he said.

Ricky Mathews, president of Advance Alabama and publisher of the Press-Register, said the Newhouse donation is an investment in home.

“These are the places where so many of our employees — and thousands of our readers and advertisers — make their homes, raise their children, worship with their families and friends,” he said. “Now is a time to focus on recovery and rebuilding.”

At the BBA meeting on Friday, Bell called on corporate leaders to use their financial resources and their manpower to come to the aid of those devastated by this week’s storms. Bell estimated that as many as 1,000 homes have been destroyed in Birmingham alone, meaning hundreds of families are in need of replacing everything from toothbrushes to clothing.

Money and volunteers

Whether they give money to the American Red Cross or have employees volunteer through the Hands On Birmingham organization, Bell urged others to get involved in the relief effort. He praised the work of those at the old Scott School building in Pratt City where volunteers are providing necessities to residents in that wrecked community.

Executives from some of the metro area’s largest corporations such as Regions, Alabama Power Co., AT&T Alabama, Protective Life, Energen and others joined Bell at the meeting to get an update of the disaster and hear from him the ways in which they can help.

Regions was the first to give a $1 million donation in the wake of the storms.

“Many areas have been hit hard by these storms, particularly our home state of Alabama,” Grayson Hall, chief executive of Regions, said in a statement. “Now is the time to reach out and offer the help and assistance people need to begin rebuilding.”

Brian Hilson, chief executive of the BBA, said there is no complete assessment yet on the storm’s damage to the business community.

“You can look at it geographically start to get some idea, but that really only begins to tell the story of the ultimate impact,” he said.

Bell said he has been encouraged by the outpouring of support.

“It has lifted my spirit the number of individuals and churches, corporations and businesses that have stepped up to the plate to say, ‘We care about our community,’” he said. “At times when I was tired and weary, the minute I saw someone stepping up to say, ‘What can I do to help?’ it lifted me back up.”

Join the conversation by clicking to comment or e-mail Tomberlin at mtomberlin@bhamnews.com.

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