UPS has flown vital aid supplies to Syrian refugees in Iraq in partnership with The UnitedNations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as part of its overall $7 million donations to Community Safety
Programmes this year.As part of the emergency measures taken to assist displaced Syrian children and families, UPStransported 220,000 pounds of relief cargo by air to Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq on September1. The airfreight included lifesaving health and sanitation kits, therapeutic foods, tents, mats,water, early childhood materials, and education supplies.
According to UNICEF, Syrian refuges in Iraq now count more than 200,000 including some 50,000who arrived in the last two and a half weeks, with half of them being children.
“Making a lasting difference around the world is a part of The UPS Foundation’s mission,”Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation, said. “Our organisation is proud to work withUNICEF to respond to the humanitarian crisis affecting the millions of displaced Syrians.”
In addition to providing aid for Syrians in refugee camps, The UPS Foundation continues tosupport global communities this year with more than $5.5 million in donations. An additional $1.6million are committed to in-kind services and 23 organisations that promote community safetythrough humanitarian relief and road safety initiatives.
Some of them receiving grants for their programmes from The UPS Foundation include The AmericanRed Cross, CARE USA, The Salvation Army, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) andThe World Food Programme (WFP), among others.
The American Red Cross will allocate grant dollars to their Annual Disaster Giving Program andto support both domestic and international preparedness and response efforts, UPS said.
CARE USA received grants that will be used for a variety of programs including the ongoingexpansion of the Aidmatrix Foundation’s CTS warehouse management system throughout CARE’s globalnetwork, including implementation at the world’s largest refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya.
The Salvation Army will use grant dollars provided for its Emergency Response Fund and in-kindshipping. United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) received grants toward a trackinginnovation project to enhance services to refugees, logistics response training and emergencyresponse funding.
The World Food Programme (WFP) will use grants to enhance tracking capabilities, supportemergency preparedness efforts in Nigeria, and in-kind support for urgent relief operations.
“We support an array of organisations that have community safety and humanitarian initiatives,”Martinez added. “We are pleased to provide funding in an effort to minimise human suffering,strengthen communities worldwide, and create safer roads.”
