Disastrously Successful PR

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"Involvement in relief efforts for recent disasters has helped the reputation of corporations and nonprofits," writes PR Week. Wal-Mart was the big winner, earning the top spot in Delahaye's Media Index of Corporate Reputation. Following Hurricane Katrina, "for every negative story about FEMA, there was positive information about how Wal-Mart was able to take care of its staffers and communities," Delahaye's Mark Weiner pointed out. According to a Harris Interactive poll, disasters also "have a way of bolstering the images of the well-established charities and nonprofits," as Harris' David Krane put it. Nonprofits responding to Katrina that saw subsequent high approval ratings include Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society, the Salvation Army and the ASPCA.