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VISA U.S.A. announced this morning it will make a $250,000 donation to be divided between the American Red Cross and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter to support tornado relief efforts in the Midwest and Red Cross services in the Bay Area. Atlanta-based Cox Communications also announced this morning it is donating 5,000 pre-paid 30-minute telephone calling cards to victims of Monday's tornadoes in Oklahoma City via the Red Cross. The insurance industry said this morning that insurance costs could easily exceed $500 million as more than 2,000 homes were destroyed and 8,000 damaged when the tornadoes swept across the Midwest states this week. The median sale price of homes in the Oklahoma City area, where the losses were concentrated, is $77,000. Meanwhile a number of other firms have joined the relief efforts. Yesterday afternoon priceline.com announced it is making 1,000 hotel room nights, mostly through Marriott, available free of charge to relief effort volunteers. Bank One Oklahoma also announced two disaster loan programs on Thursday, designed to quickly provide individuals and small business with new loan funds for disaster-related expenses. Fannie Mae's says its disaster relief provisions give lenders the discretion to help borrowers in several ways, including suspending mortgage payments for up to three months, reducing the payments for up to 18 months, or in more special cases, creating longer loan payback plans. Phillips Petroleum contributed $100,000 to a special relief fund established by the American Red Cross for the tornado victims. Miller Brewing Company interrupted production yesterday to bottle 1,000 cases of drinking water. And SCI Oklahoma Funeral Services is donating funeral arrangements including casket and burial services for victims of the tornados. To make contributions or for more information visit www.redcross.org.
