NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Sep 28, 2004 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- In the face of devastating loss of life and property from recent hurricanes in Florida, several Gulf States and the Caribbean, Johnson & Johnson said it is creating a special disaster relief fund of $5 million to provide cash grants to relief and recovery agencies throughout the region. Additionally, the Company said it has already donated several hundred thousand dollars of health and medical products and supplies for victims in the area and will continue these donations.

"The consequences of several storms hitting the region within weeks of each other has caused incredible suffering and significant disruption of life for millions," said William C. Weldon, Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. "We regularly provide product donations through leading disaster relief agencies, but all of these organizations have been stretched well beyond their resources to meet emergency needs of people living in the region," he said.

The Company said the special cash fund earmarks donations for several organizations moving emergency relief supplies and to others engaged in longer-term recovery and rebuilding projects. Major components of the special fund include the following:

    * American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund                $1,000,000
    * Red Cross Caribbean Relief                             $1,000,000
    * National Association of Community Health Centers         $500,000
    * National Head Start Association                          $500,000
    * Rosalynn Carter Institute in support of caregivers       $100,000
    * Disaster relief agencies                                 $400,000
    * Reserve fund for community-based grants                $1,500,000

Weldon said the severity of the losses to people and businesses throughout the region is very great and will be felt for some time to come. "A number of business organizations such as ours are stepping up with cash, products and services from their own industries to help meet human needs," he said. "But the stresses put on the infrastructures in many communities throughout the Gulf States and the Caribbean will require a wide response from business. We hope that major business organizations will continue to follow developments and will consider making contributions and funding grants to relief and recovery organizations."

Weldon said the fund will help speed the delivery of cash to meet critical needs, but would also include a reserve fund to meet community and neighborhood rebuilding needs which typically emerge well after the immediate crisis.

The Head Start organization, for example, will receive cash grants to help restore classrooms and other facilities so that these programs can resume as quickly as possible.

Similarly, the National Association of Community Health Centers would be expected to solicit proposals from community health centers in high impact zones to restore services to those underserved by established health care treatment and payments systems.

The Rosalynn Carter Institute and Red Cross International will seek to support the needs of caregivers serving the chronically ill.

Weldon said the Company has already dispatched health and medical products valued at more than $200,000 throughout the region and employees have donated more than $100,000 in cash in their local communities.

      Johnson & Johnson Disaster Relief and Community Outreach Partners

American Red Cross

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting http://www.redcross.org.

National Head Start Association

The National Head Start Association is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to meeting the needs of Head Start children and their families. It represents more than 900,000 children, 190,000 staff and 2,500 Head Start programs in the United States. Because over 90% of participating Head Start families have annual incomes below the federal poverty line, those who have been impacted by the recent storms are likely to need significant help to recover self-sufficiency. NHSA will work through its member programs in the affected regions to assist these families. For more information, visit http://www.nhsa.org.

National Association of Community Health Care Centers

The National Association of Community Health Centers is the national trade association serving and representing the interests of America's community health centers. These centers are not-for-profit providers of health care to America's poor and medically underserved. For nearly 40 years, they have been responsible for bringing doctors, basic health services and facilities into the nation's neediest and most isolated communities, including the working poor, the uninsured, as well as high-risk and vulnerable populations. NACHC will work through its membership network to provide support to health centers that are challenged by the impact of the storms on their clients. For more information, visit http://www.nachc.com.

Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) was established in 1987 in honor of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Through research, education and training, the RCI promotes the mental health and well being of individuals, families, and professional caregivers; promulgates effective caregiving practices; builds public awareness of caregiving needs; and advances public and social policies that enhance caring communities. Through its network of contacts in the field of caregiving support organizations, the RCI will be asked to assist those families most impacted by the storms. For further information, visit http://rci.gsw.edu/home-pc.htm.

Catholic Medical Mission Board

Since its founding in 1928, CMMB has been committed to providing basic medicines, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to those in need. For more information, visit http://www.cmmb.org.

AmeriCares

Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, AmeriCares has been working to improve health care around the world since 1982. Approximately 70% of the work AmeriCares does focuses on addressing long-term health care, while 30% is concentrated on providing disaster relief to victims of natural disaster, famine and civil unrest. Over the last 20 years, AmeriCares has responded to requests for assistance in approximately 137 nations, including the United States, and currently supports programs in 50 countries on a sustained basis. For more information, visit http://www.americares.org.

Direct Relief International

Since its founding in 1948, Direct Relief International has provided medical resources to the health care providers who serve people affected by natural disasters and anywhere resources are limited. In 2003, Direct Relief provided medical resources with a wholesale value of over $90 million to 61 countries on an operating budget of only $2.5 million. Based in Santa Barbara, California, Direct Relief International is nonprofit, non- governmental and non-sectarian. For more information, visit http://www.directrelief.org.

MAP International

With a medical supply distribution center in Brunswick, Georgia, and field offices in Ecuador, Bolivia, Cote d'Ivoire and Kenya, MAP International works to promote the Total Health of people living in the world's poorest communities. MAP has distributed over $1 billion (wholesale value) in donated medicines and supplies over nearly five decades. For more information, visit http://www.map.org.

SOURCE Johnson & Johnson

Jeffrey J. Leebaw of Johnson & Johnson, +1-732-524-3350
/Company News On-Call:  http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/467347.html

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