Food for the Poor sends tsunami relief
published: Friday | January 21, 2005

Robert Lalah, Staff Reporter

SINCE THE catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that ravaged parts of southern Asia on December 26 last year, several countries, including Jamaica, have responded with an unprecedented show of compassion, by sending aid in cash and kind to the region.

The death toll from the disaster is now estimated to be at 226,000, with thousands still missing.

Food For the Poor (FFP), an agency best known locally for its work in providing housing for the island's destitute, is one Jamaican charity organisation that has come to the assistance of the Asians. Earlier this week, FFP began shipping tons of relief supplies to Indonesia, the hardest hit of the tsunami disaster areas.

Delroy A. Whyte-Hall, public relations officer of FFP, told The Gleaner yesterday that the supplies were shipped from a port in Miami on the weekend.

RELIEF SUPPLIES

"Over 50 tractor-trailer loads of emergency relief supplies were sent off to Indonesia. The containers were filled with food, nutritional bars and protein drinks. They also contained water, medical supplies including antibiotics, hygiene kits and other medicines," Whyte-Hall said.

Robin Mahfood, president of FFP, explained how the relief supplies will be distributed on their arrival in Indonesia.

He said: "The distribution of all food and supplies will be facilitated in Indonesia by the Church of God, a major Christian church in Indonesia, and one of Food For the Poor's relief partners in the countries it serves," he said.

Mr. Whyte-Hall said starting today and running for the next month or two, the organisation will use its charity boxes, which are located across the island, to collect donations from the public which will go directly to the relief effort.

"The entire amount collected from the boxes will go to the (relief) effort. The boxes are located at all branches of the Bank of Nova Scotia and most churches across the island," he explained.

Members of the public who desire further information on ways to assist with the relief effort may contact the FFP at 907-3662.