AmeriCares Delivering Aid for U.S. Tornado Survivors

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 5, 2012 MEDIA CONTACTS: Donna Porstner (203) 658-9579 dporstner@americares.org Leslie Gianelli (203) 658- 9692 lgianelli@americares.org AmeriCares Delivering Aid for U.S. Tornado Survivors Bottled water, vaccines and relief supplies getting readied for shipment Stamford, Conn. - March 5, 2012 - AmeriCares is preparing to send bottled water, medical aid and relief supplies for survivors of the deadly tornadoes that caused widespread damage across the U.S. The aid includes 32,000 bottles of water donated by Nestle Waters North America destined for the four hardest-hit counties in eastern Kentucky. The bottled water will be distributed to families in shelters, as well as those in homes that lack access to running water as a result of power outages. Additionally, to protect first responders and affected families as they sift through the rubble, AmeriCares is securing donations of hundreds of doses of tetanus vaccine, and is preparing a shipment of respirator masks. More than 100 tornadoes swept through the South and Midwest in recent days, leaving more than 50 people dead and leveling homes from Indiana to Alabama. AmeriCares immediately reached out to more than three dozen clinics and health care organizations in affected communities with offers of assistance, and their relief workers are coordinating with local first responders, health departments and FEMA liaisons to meet specific needs as the disaster unfolds. AmeriCares has provided medical relief and humanitarian assistance to millions affected by natural disasters and man-made crises around the world for 30 years, including Hurricane Katrina in the United States. In 2011, after America was hard hit by a series of deadly tornadoes along with massive flooding along the Mississippi River, hurricanes and tropical storms up and down the East Coast, AmeriCares delivered nearly $3 million in aid, including $600,000 in disaster recovery grants to help communities recover and prepare for future emergencies. About AmeriCares AmeriCares is a nonprofit global health and disaster relief organization that delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in need around the world and across the United States. Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $10 billion in humanitarian aid to 164 countries. For more information, visit americares.org