Intel’s Response to the Pandemic

COVID-19 has rocked the U.S. economy, healthcare system and our way of life. Governments across the country have worked relentlessly to implement important public health and economic policies to save human lives and keep the economy functioning. Policymakers have identified “essential businesses” that are needed to ensure stability in our communities. As one of the world’s largest semiconductor chip makers, Intel’s manufacturing and research operations are the backbone of our nation’s supply chains. Our technology is used in more than 95% of internet, communications and government digital infrastructures in today’s global economy. We are grateful for the support we have received to ensure that Intel is able to continue our important work.

Intel has launching a $50 million pandemic response technology initiative to combat the coronavirus through accelerating access to technology at the point of patient care, speeding scientific research and ensuring access to online learning for students and teachers.

What It Funds
Approximately $40 million will fund the Intel COVID-19 Response and Readiness and Online Learning initiatives. The Intel COVID-19 Response and Readiness Initiative will provide funding to accelerate customer and partner advances in diagnosis, treatment and vaccine development, leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and edge-to-cloud service delivery.

The Intel Online Learning Initiative will support education-focused nonprofit organizations and business partners to provide students, without access to technology, with devices and online learning resources. In close partnership with public school districts, the initiative will enable PC donations, online virtual resources, study-at-home guides and device connectivity assistance.

And a $10 million innovation fund will support requests from external partners and employee-led relief projects, addressing critical needs in their communities.

Coronavirus Relief to Date
This technology response initiative builds on Intel’s prior announcements of $10 million in donations that are supporting local communities during this critical time. Those donations include 1 million gloves, masks and other equipment for healthcare workers, $6 million from the Intel Foundation toward relief efforts in local communities and $4 million from Intel and its subsidiaries around the globe.

Arizona COVID-19 Efforts
Intel will donate one million dollars to the Arizona Community Foundation to bolster their efforts to support nonprofits across the state providing direct assistance to economically vulnerable individuals and families impacted by COVID-19 in Arizona.

Additionally, for our AZ employees (we have 12,000 employees based in Arizona) – the Intel Foundation is establishing a special donation matching campaign to amplify their contributions. Intel employees who donate to the Arizona Community Foundation’s Arizona COVID-19 Community Response Fund, Valley of the Sun United Way’s United for the Valley COVID-19 Fund, or to For Our City – Chandler, will have their donations matched up to a total of $2 million.

We’re also happy to share that 80,000 surgical masks are leaving our Hillsboro Oregon facility today to support Arizona health care workers on the front lines. The State of Arizona, under the Governor’s leadership, will be distributing these masks to those most in need.

Oregon COVID-19 Efforts
Intel will donate $1 million dollars for our local communities in Oregon. Funds will be distributed to community foundations and organizations that are focused on food security, shelter, medical equipment and small business support. We are beginning to allocate contributions to organizations including:

• The Hillsboro Community Relief Fund, which was recently established to bring rent and utility assistance, as well as medical bill relief and meal assistance, to impacted populations in the city of Hillsboro.
• Free Geek, which provides digital access to some of our communities’ most vulnerable populations, the same people who are most adversely impacted by the spread of COVID-19. This includes K-12 students and college students, displaced workers, and aging populations. Intel has also put the call out to our employees to donate used technology to help Free Geek supply devices to those in need.

Intel also recently provided Microsoft Surface Pro tablets to the Oregon Department of Human Services to address the issue of isolation felt by older adults and others living in long-term care facilities undergoing visitor restrictions to reduce their exposure to COVID-19. These tablets will be used as a point of access for long-term-care-facility community members to communicate with their loved ones through telecommunications applications such as Skype and Google Hangouts.

Additionally, for our OR employees (we have over 21,000 employees) – the Intel Foundation is establishing a special donation matching campaign to amplify their contributions. Intel employees who donate to Oregon Community Foundation’s Oregon Community Recovery Fund, Oregon Food Bank, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, will have their donations matched, up to a total of $2 million.

We’re also happy to share that the first shipments of Intel-donated surgical masks left our Hillsboro, Oregon, facility. We are coordinating with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management and the Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management, which are working to distribute them to health-care facilities in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority and local county health departments.

New Mexico COVID-19 Efforts
Intel will donate $375,000 to the All Together NM Fund established by the New Mexico Coalition of Community Foundations to address immediate community needs and offer long-term support for the recovery work that lies ahead. Additionally, for our employees in New Mexico, the Intel Foundation is establishing a special donation matching campaign to amplify their contributions. Intel employees who donate to Storehouse West, Rio Rancho Public Schools, and United Way of Central New Mexico will have their donations matched, up to a total of $2 million.

We’re also happy to share that 20,000 surgical masks left our Hillsboro, Oregon facility yesterday to support New Mexico health care workers on the front lines. The State of New Mexico, under the Governor’s leadership, will be distributing them to those most in need.

Texas COVID-19 Efforts
For our employees in Texas – the Intel Foundation is establishing a special donation matching campaign to amplify their contributions. Intel employees who donate to Central Texas Food Bank, United Way for Greater Austin, and Austin Partners in Education will have their donations matched, up to a total of $2 million.

Massachusetts COVID-19 Efforts
For our employees in Massachusetts – the Intel Foundation is establishing a special donation matching campaign to amplify their contributions. Intel employees who donate to United Way of Tri County, Hudson Community Food Pantry, and Hudson Public School District will have their donations matched, up to a total of $2 million.

All other states where Intel has employees will similarly have the opportunity for the Intel Foundation to match employee donations to area relief non-profits serving their respective communities.

As an essential business, Intel’s top priority is ensuring the safety of our direct and indirect workforce while preserving continuity of critical business operations. Intel Corporation has instituted the following:

• Work-from-home and social distancing policies: We have directed our employees to work from home. For those who are needed to keep our manufacturing and other essential functions running, we have instituted social distancing, facemask and temperature monitoring policies to keep our employees safe and operations running.
• Keeping hourly workers whole: We are continuing to pay-in-full Intel’s hourly workers. For at least the next two months, this policy also extends to hourly workers employed by Intel service partners around the world, regardless of changes to service levels due to our remote-work and social distancing policies.
• Benefits updates: Employees and contractors asked to work from home or self-quarantine due to travel restrictions will be paid their regular pay, and Intel will reimburse up to 15 days of care services for employees who need backup childcare and/or elder care in the case where there are school or care center closures or if an employee or family member is required to be self-quarantined due to the coronavirus outbreak.
• Increased cleaning of Intel facilities: Intel offices will remain open to support the large number of Intel’s global workforce who work in labs and factories critical to so much of our world’s digital infrastructure. At Intel, maintaining clean and safe facilities is core to how we operate. As an extra precaution, we have contracted for additional and sustained several-times-daily cleaning of Intel facilities around the world.

We are grateful for your support in keeping Intel’s critical operations running which enables us to support the critical infrastructure that powers our hospitals, government and economy. We are committed to work with you to ultimately defeat the COVID-19 pandemic. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or concerns.

Jason Bagley
Senior Director, State Government Relations
[email protected]  |  480-272-2801

Carlos Contreras
Senior Director, State Government Relations
[email protected]  |  480-554-1921