Carnival Corp. pledges $10 million for Irma relief

Carnival Corp. and related entities have pledged $10 million toward hurricane relief in the wake of Hurricane Irma, which devastated parts of the Caribbean and Florida, including Miami-Dade County where Carnival has its headquarters.

Carnival Foundation (the philanthropic arm of Carnival Corp.) and the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund are pledging to raise a combined $5 million for relief and recovery efforts. Carnival chairman Micky Arison and his wife Madeleine will match that commitment through their foundation.

Included in the $5 million, the Arisons are making an immediate donation of $2.5 million to Direct Relief, UNICEF and the United Way of Miami-Dade County to support the most timely and urgent relief needs, Carnival said.

"Hurricane Irma's impact strikes close to home both in our home state of Florida and across the Caribbean, where we and our brands have made many friends and partners over many years," Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald said. "Our prayers and thoughts go out to all of those who have been impacted."