Tsunami Survivors to Receive Vitamins this Week : Vitamin Angel Alliance Calls Generosity Of Response To Relief Effort ‘The Best That America Has to Offer’
Within 24 hours after Vitamin Angel Alliance issued their call for massive vitamin donations for their earthquake / tsunami relief effort, vitamin supplements began arriving at the warehouse. Their goal of collecting 20 million supplements for the relief effort is now on its way to being met, according to Vitamin Angel officials.
Santa Barbara, CA (PRWEB) January 4, 2005 -- Within 24 hours after Vitamin
Angel Alliance issued their call for massive vitamin donations for their
earthquake / tsunami relief effort, vitamin supplements began arriving at the
warehouse. Their goal of collecting 20 million supplements for the relief effort
is now on its way to being met, according to Vitamin Angel officials.
“We were stunned by the generosity and immediacy of the response” said
Howard B. Schiffer, President of Vitamin Angel Alliance. “Volunteers had cut
short vacations to begin calling colleagues in the natural products, vitamin,
and pharmaceutical industries. Many of our contacts were on vacation but the
people who were working said ‘YES!’ without hesitation. The only question people
asked as ‘What else can we do to help?’
One day later, the first
shipments began arriving from a consortium of key companies in the supplement
field. Mead Johnson, Healthquest, FDC Vitamins, Mason Vitamins, Tishcon,
Pharmachem, Edward & Sons, Natural Factors, Pacific International, Edward
& Sons and more all pledged their support and many had overnighted shipments
to go out with the first relief team that was leaving for Sri
Lanka.
Other companies like Vitaquest International and Windmill Vitamins
are setting up special production runs of the most needed products; adult
multiples and children’s chewable multiples, immediately.
Vitamin Angels
in partnership with their sister organization, Direct Relief International and
other relief colleagues is now working to consolidate these vitamin shipments
that will begin being flown in along with medical supplies as early as this
week. More vitamin product is still needed to meet Vitamin Angel’s goal of 20
million supplements for the first phase of the response effort.
“It’s
amazing that the worst natural disaster brings out the best in humanity” said
Schiffer. “This past year our country has been so divided but something like
this happens and everyone sheds their political, religious and other
affiliations to work for the common good. America’s generosity is boundless and
in a crisis situation the kindness, generosity and compassion are overwhelming.
It really is the best that America has to offer.”
Vitamin Angel Alliance
is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization dedicated to providing basic
nutrition and fighting vitamin A deficiency childhood blindness around the world
since 1994. Last year Vitamin Angels donated 16.2 million supplements to people
in need in 45 countries around the world.
In addition to vitamin and
supplement products, cash and in-kind donations are being accepted by Vitamin
Angel Alliance to speed delivery of the relief supplies.
For more
information, visit www.vitaminangel.org or call: 805 565 9919.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/1/prweb193295.htm