The kids' actions are commendable, but the sad truth is they're bailing on the Titanic. Your entire country is sinking, unless the corporations learn some social responsibility, which will never happen.

I think the take-away here is the power of small acts, and how they can multiply. It should inspire each of us to do something good, something right, every day. It gives me hope that we can address gigantic problems and effect change.

Like the song goes "Beautiful Dreamer". Now if we can only find the money trail. It's amazing how people dedicate time and money to a cause, only to find there is no way to track donations etc. The middlemen plus the overnight benefit organizations use salaries and operating costs to use the money. The speed in rebuilding New Orleans is an example of distributing the relief money.

So let me get this straight if you please.. American Children gave $10 Million to Katrina victims. Private American Charity gave >$300 Million to Tsunami victims. Both on top of what the US government covered. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Venezuela, Mexico. Made BILLIONS of $ due to the questionable increase in Gas prices. Why isnt anyone asking how much they gave to the Tsunami and Katrina victims instead of focussing on US corporations? Sorry I would prefer my company figure out a way to keep jobs in America instead of China and INdia than give money to the idiots who did not bug out.

How much did you give?

4000 kids baked cookies and washed cars and raised nearly 1200 dollars each(avg).

Money raised from regular people, small businesses...etc.

All of the donations mentioned herewithin, corporate and randomkid....are nothing compared to the amount of money the insurance companies are NOT paying; practicing fraudulant claims adjusting!!!!

This reporter acts as though companies don't give money to other charities beyond Katrina. Maybe they can actually do some real investigative journalism and see how much big companies give to ALL causes, i.e. education, hunger, etc. You could write the same story about corporations not giving as much money for 911 or for tsunami relief as other charitable groups raised - where would it end?

It's great that these kids raised so much money and it's an achievement worth publicizing. They deserve their own story, not a few lines in a drive-by attack on corporations.

"Corporations are legally required to focus on maximizing shareholder value."

A common myth, but not true at all. Corporations can do anything they want. If they wish to focus on maximiizing wealth, that's their choice. If they're "required" to focus on maximizing shareholder wealth, then that's only because they chose to put that into their corporate bylaws. It's not a government requirement.

There's no law _requiring_ people to be greedy. It's all choice. If they wish to focus on other goals, they have the freedom to do that as well. There are lots of individuals and companies that do focus on other things, Paul Newman's food company to name one.

In my view, corporations should not be required to care about social goals or contribute to the common good. Not unless they take advantage of tax deductions and other programs designed by the people to promote the common good. Once they do that of course, then they are morally obligated to return the favor. The deductions aren't given to promote profits, but to promote the common good.

The kids raising that money are certainly to be commended, but the article is just plain wrong when it was reported that individual corporations didn't contribute just as much, if not more. Take for example Cisco Systems. In addition to the direct relief aid there were other more long term aid that stems directly from the disaster, such as $40 mill to rebuild Mississippi and Louisiana schools.
That is just one instance I know about. However, I imagine it's more sensational to simply compare short term donations and givings than long term investments in rebuilding.

I bet Walmart and those oil companies are kicking themselves now, knowing that they could have got away with donating less.

Next disaster like this, I'm sure we'll see donations from industry of very equal amounts....

Victims of Katrina or world corporations
Like mindless American consumer puppets we keep waving our flags while in third world countries like Lebanon, after Israel’s retaliation for Hezbollah’s attack’s, I saw this terrorist group hand out twelve thousand dollars in cash to displaced families, and their homes will be rebuilt by these terrorists! While in America, in New Orleans after many of the poor were left to die and the displaced families received a few hundred dollars. The reality is most of the homes of elderly and widowed will never be rebuilt, but I am sure someone will benefit from a future urban renewal of shopping centers casinos and Mac-millionaire homes. After all this is America is the home of promises of freedom, and the freedom to suffer and to be victimized by the capitalists who build fortunes off others misery and misfortunes. God bless.
Some of you will tell me if I don’t love America to leave it, but I tell you that you do support the greatest country ever founded but has been taken over and subverted by a now corrupt political system, run by corrupted politicians who are owned and paid for by world these corporations, the same fine people who gave our Congress thirty three thousand vacations last year and thousands in political contributions, has anyone ever gave your family a vacation. And don’t forget the after congress jobs worth millions in salaries. Why do these corporations give our legislators gifts? These corporations now write ever piece of legislation through their proxies in congress. The corporations is who Congress represents now, not you! Thanks to the corporate lobbyists and corrupt Politian’s.

REMINDER: Exxon has yet to pay for the Alaska oil spill and that happened in 1989. If Exxon rebuilt everything in New Orleans, it would still not relieve them from their responsibility for one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in history. They're just hoping that we will all develop amnesia, and it looks like we have done just that. We as individuals are responsible for our actions 24/7, 365. Giant, bloated corporations have gotten away with picking and choosing how and when to Do The Right Thing, based on how it will be received by the public. And we have been letting them get away with it, too, long before the Exxon Valez ran aground. Let's throw out the greedy CEOs and put the kids in charge.

"The child is father of the man"
Children are teaching us, reminding us, and walking the walk of generosity for one reason and one reason only - They want to help people who really need help. We all need to embrace that and share in the simplicity and sincerity of their hearts. Big business doesn't belong to us - but our hearts do. Sharing - what a concept!
God Bless these children for doing what their hearts told them to do...

Keep up the Hurricane Katrina donations by supporting the one year anniversary event in New Orleans. They're auctioning off celebrity jewelry to raise money for the Wynton Marsalis Rebuild the Soul of America Trust. You can view celebrity jewels up for auction at Adler's Jewelry on Canal Street.

Simply a PR move, nothing more. Phillip Morris gives out a lot of money too, are they a super-awesome-do the right thing-company? no, but they want to think they are. phillip morris once gave a couple hundred grand to some chairty and then spent millions of $$$ telling everyone about them giving away some chump change (to them it is).

the only purpose of giving money like this is so ppl just like the ppl on this board will say "gee willakers, that was really nice of them to do that, maybe i should shop at ______ from now on."

Think for yourselves.

THESE COMPANIES BETTER HOPE THEY DONT NEED HELP IN THE FUTURE, REMEMBER EVERYTHING THAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN.GOD BLESS THESE CHILDREN AND ALL THEIR EFFORT.

Hi%2C+everybodyv

First off, the people, of this country have given and cared and still do care about New Orleans and those affected by the hurricane. I am a New Orleans resident and native and love this city, and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of help.

As for corporate America and government (all levels local, state and fed.)they have all underwhelmed me with their ability to affect the rebuilding process. I realize that corporations are in business to make a profit, but, you whould thing some major corporation would "SEPT UP" and locate a manufacturing plant or sometime in the area because what we need to rebuild this city is JOBS! No, they would rather we fill-out the endless amount of forms and play their bureaucratic b.s. I guess it's ok to send us charity, but, the jobs go to the home state of the Senator who does that industies bidding regularly. And that my GOOD Americans is how it goes! Corporate America, surpise me and STEP-UP and show what you're made of!!!!

Very good web site. Great work and thank you for your service.

...And these kids are the sons/daughters of the employees of corporations