AmeriCares Reaches $2.5 Billion Milestone in Life-Saving Aid

AmeriCares Foundation
Saturday, 1 April 2000

AmeriCares, the international and national disaster relief organization, announced today that it had passed the $2.5 billion mark in aid delivered to disaster victims and developing nations around the world. The milestone comes after one of AmeriCares' busiest years.

During the past twelve months, AmeriCares has responded to crisis after crisis, beginning March 30th, 1999 with the tragic flight of Albanian refugees from Kosovo. August and November brought terrifying earthquakes to northwestern Turkey, and September a powerful earthquake in Taiwan. December saw the devastation of Venezuela from days of torrential floods and mudslides. Recently, AmeriCares responded to the thousands of cyclone victims in Mozambique.

"The world stood in shock," remarked Robert C. Macauley, AmeriCares Founder, "at the horrifying media images of suffering and devastation in the Balkans, in earthquake-stricken Turkey, and in flood-ravaged Venezuela and Mozambique. AmeriCares is grateful to its countless donors and volunteers, who enable us to provide immediate and efficient relief, time and time again."

In addition to providing millions of dollars in relief supplies, AmeriCares constructed four housing projects in northwestern Turkey, sheltering over 7,500 of the nation's displaced earthquake victims. After powerful floods and mudslides hit Venezuela's northern coastline in December, AmeriCares partnered with Cisneros Foundation, providing safe and warm shelter and clean drinking water for 1,500 disaster survivors.

Since 1982, AmeriCares has been on the scene, bringing HELP and HOPE to victims and survivors of each disaster. The organization delivered millions of pounds of relief supplies – essential medicines, medical supplies, nutritional supplements, blankets, tents, water purification units, sleeping bags, warm clothing and other relief materials – to people who lost their homes, their livelihoods and in many cases their families.

AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization, which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs—and supports long-term healthcare programs—for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion.

For more information, or to contact AmeriCares Foundation, see their website at: www.americares.org