Edible Apple

In light of the ongoing crisis in Japan, Steve Job sent the following email to Apple employees in Japan offering the company’s support to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

To Our Team in Japan,

We have all been following the unfolding disaster in Japan. Our hearts go out to you and your families, as well as all of your countrymen who have been touched by this tragedy.

If you need time or resources to visit or care for your families, please see HR and we will help you. If you are aware of any supplies that are needed, please also tell HR and we will do what we can to arrange delivery.

Again, our hearts go out to you during this unimaginable crisis.
Please stay safe.
Steve and the entire Executive Team

Recently we reported that Apple set up a donation page on iTunes where folks can donate money to the Red Cross to assist in the relief efforts in Japan. Apple won’t take a cut of any donations as 100 percent of it will go directly to the Red Cross.

Moreover, Kevin Rose relayed a story from an Apple employee in Japan who detailed Apple’s efforts at one of their retail stores to provide the masses with free wifi and unfettered use of Apple products so that folks could keep up with the news and contact loved ones and relatives.

You know how in disaster movies, people on the street gather around electronic shops that have TVs in the display windows so they can stay informed with what is going on?  In this digital age, that’s what the Tokyo Apple stores became.  Staff brought out surge protectors and extension cords with 10s of iOS device adapters so people could charge their phones & pads and contact their loved ones.  Even after we finally had to close 10pm, crowds of people huddled in front of our stores to use the wifi into the night, as it was still the only way to get access to the outside world.

Apple also let employees and executives sleep in the Apple Store in addition to offering to cover any incurred expenses employees generated staying at hotels and paying for taxis in order to get where they needed to go.

“We want to help our customers connect with loved ones in Japan in anyway we can,” senior AT&T Vice President Mark Collins explained. “Connecting with family and friends is most important at times like this- we want to make it as easy and worry free as possible for our customers.”

via Macotakara