iTunes Store Now Accepting Donations for Philippine Typhoon Relief - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iTunes Store Now Accepting Donations for Philippine Typhoon Relief

Apple has launched a new page on its iTunes Store allowing users to easily donate money to the American Red Cross toward Super Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts in the Philippines. The donation page, which is accessible through the main Apple.com page and the desktop iTunes Store, permits donations at the $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, and $200 levels.

ituneshaiyan2
Apple will transfer 100% of each donation directly to the American Red Cross, allowing users to have their donations seamlessly billed to their existing iTunes Store accounts. With Apple currently holding over 500 million iTunes Store accounts with credit cards attached, the company has a very significant customer base that can take advantage of the donation program.

Apple has conducted several similar campaigns in the past, most recently in October 2012 following Superstorm Sandy, in March 2011 following the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and in January 2010 following the Haitian earthquakes.

Related Forum: Mac Apps

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple's Next Era Begins September 1

Thursday May 7, 2026 10:36 am PDT by
Apple recently announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO later this year, after 15 years of leading the company. Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company,...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in September With These 10 New Features

Saturday May 9, 2026 6:03 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...
Apple Watch Series 10 Jet Black Touch ID

Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year

Friday May 8, 2026 2:07 pm PDT by
While not too much has been reported about the next Apple Watch models, there are a few rumors about potential design changes and watchOS 27 features. Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September, and we have outlined some of the key rumored hardware and software changes below. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year, as that model was...

Top Rated Comments

dannyyankou Avatar
163 months ago
Do not donate to the red cross. They hoard money. (http://gawker.com/5958176/the-coca+cola-of-disaster-relief-whats-the-red-cross-really-doing-for-hurricane-sandy)
So we shouldn't donate so they won't have ANY money to spend on ANY aid? Sounds like a smart idea.

I mean, if the way they do business means that they have billions of dollars ready for potential disasters, I'm all for that. As for them keeping 9% of the money, they need to get paid.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
163 months ago
Thanks Apple just gave $10.00 and it was a joy and so easy. Thank-u for using your system for such a good cause
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
japanime Avatar
163 months ago
Apple did the same thing after the horrific earthquake and tsunami struck Japan two and a half years ago. It's a fantastic gesture. I will be making my donation later today.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dumastudetto Avatar
163 months ago
This is incredible generosity from Apple. And only Apple can do this. This is one of the reasons I'm proud to be an Apple consumer.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
163 months ago
You can use Charity Navigator to look the charity you're think about donating to.

For example, Save The Children (www.savethechildren.org/) gets 64/70 (http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4438). Doctors Without Borders gets 57 (http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3628). Red Cross gets 56 (http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3277)

There are many others to research, but any amount will help those in need in some way. Even if The Red Cross takes a bigger chunk for administrative purposes, they still spend a huge absolute amount on real aid.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
163 months ago
Does anyone know how a charity gets on that page? The red cross is notorious for not spending its money on the specific disaster in question, husbanding the money for something else. Also, the donation is to the American Red Cross, even though the Philippines has its own Red Cross organization. Why?

Thanks for mentioning all this so I don't have to...I really wish people would take more care when selecting charities. There are many better charities out there than the red cross, whose CEO makes over a million bux each year.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)