Airlink, Amerijet, Food For The Poor send hygiene kits to Haiti
Additional Airlink flights to Haiti are planned with potential to ship more aid from FFTP and its partners
Hygiene kits from Food For The Poor (FFTP) partner Heart to Heart International were flown to Haiti through a humanitarian air bridge in partnership with Airlink, a non profit, in response to a worsening humanitarian crisis and a desperate need for everyday necessities.
The goods, eight pallets containing 3,600 hygiene kits, were flown to Port-au-Prince by Airlink through their donor Amerijet on a cargo plane from Miami International Airport, says a release from Airlink.
"In April, FFTP received nearly 20,000 hygiene kits in drawstring bags from Lenexa, Kan.-based Heart to Heart International, a longtime partner, to support FFTP’s response to the crisis in Haiti."
Additional Airlink flights to Haiti are planned with the potential to ship additional aid from FFTP and its partners, the release added.
Hygiene supplies such as soap, toothpaste and shampoo are desperately needed, according to Ed Raine, President and CEO, FFTP. "They can make a world of difference for many families displaced in Haiti. This partnership is an extraordinary moment. We’re grateful to Heart to Heart International, Airlink, and Amerijet for helping us make this possible.”
Kim Carroll, CEO, Heart to Heart International says: "The current situation in Haiti is tragic and challenging, and we firmly believe everyone deserves access to basic necessities and health care. That’s why we are truly grateful to partner with Food For The Poor and Airlink to deliver critical hygiene supplies to those in need in Haiti. These basic yet essential items will help displaced families maintain their health and well-being.”
Steve Smith, President and CEO, Airlink adds: "We are delighted to be able to work with Food For The Poor on another critical programme supporting communities in Haiti. Thanks to the incredible in-kind support of our partner Amerijet, Airlink overcame the huge logistical challenges preventing almost all aid from entering the country. The hygiene kits are vital in preventing potential outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, which can devastate communities.”
Haiti has been gripped by a wave of unrest and gang violence in recent years. The airport in Port-au-Prince has resumed some military flights with supplies and equipment while commercial flights remain suspended as work continues to ensure security around the airfield, the release added.
“We are extremely proud to partner with Airlink to help the people of Haiti,” says Joe Mozzali, CEO, Amerijet International Airlines. “Amerijet has served the Haitian market for close to 40 years. We are committed to doing our part by transporting critical goods to those in need in Haiti.”
The United Nations estimates that over 360,000 people are internally displaced, and the number could swell past 400,000 with the Atlantic hurricane season just weeks away, the release added.
