Amgen and JP Morgan Chase & Co. are each donating $500,000 to support Southern California residents with wildfire relief. The Amgen Foundation, which is affiliated with the biotech company in Thousand Oaks, on Monday announced that it has pledged $200,000 to the United Way of Ventura County and $300,000 to help victims of the wildfires. The Amgen Foundation also will match any donations made by Amgen staff across the world. “During this overwhelming time, we want our friends and neighbors to know that we stand united with them now more than ever and are grateful for the support from the Amgen Foundation,” said Eric Harrison, president and chief executive of United Way of Ventura County. JP Morgan Chase & Co. on Friday said it is donating $500,000 to the American Red Cross, Thomas Fire Fund hosted by the United Way of Ventura County and other organizations. The money will help residents with food, shelter, relief supplies and health services. “The path to recovery will be long and we are committed to supporting our employees, customers and communities until they’re back on their feet again,” said Peter E. Engel, chair of JP Morgan’s California Operating Committee. Amgen and JP Morgan are the latest of a number of companies that have stepped forward with pledges to help victims of wildfires in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Many businesses have made smaller donations. For example, the charter company JetSuiteX, which operates at the Hollywood Burbank Airport, on Monday announced that an unspecified percentage of tickets sold on Dec. 12 will be donated to the American Red Cross to support fire relief in Southern California. “In the days since the fires began, our pilots have navigated over the fire zones, and the scene is just heartbreaking. We are hopeful that in this holiday season, we can do at least a little to help support those affected by the fires in our region,” said Alex Wilcox, the chief executive and co-founder of JetSuiteX.
