Submitted by Frank Macey on
Apple has opened donations directly through iTunes to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. The storm hit Texas as a category 4 cyclone, causing catastrophic flooding in Houston. The floods are expected to get worse as rain totaling up to three feet is forecast to blanket the area through Wednesday. Those with an Apple ID can easily send donations to the American Red Cross using iTunes, the App Store or Apple's online store.
According to the Washington Post, Hurricane Harvey has been responsible for five deaths and over 1000 water rescues have been performed in the Houston area. The National Weather Service issued more tornado warnings on both Friday and Saturday than they have issued on any single day on record. Not only this, but August will go down as the wettest month in recorded history. Many rivers around Houston have already exceeded their record flood levels by 10 feet.
Apple set up the iTunes donation page with buttons to send various donation amounts by simply clicking a button. These donations are charged to the payment method on file with your Apple ID, and 100% of the money goes directly to the American Red Cross. Those looking to write off the donation on tax returns can save the receipt, as no personal information is transferred to the Red Cross.
Apple has set up similar donation pages in the past for natural disasters including Hurricane Matthew, the Nepal earthquake, wildfires in Canada, and flooding in Louisiana.