Wilma's Force Felt Heavy Throughout South Florida
DISASTER PRESS RELEASE
America’s Second Harvest Network food banks assisting with relief and recovery
CHICAGO --- October 25, 2005 --- In a seemingly-endless hurricane season which has devastated tens of thousands of homes and hundreds of thousands of lives, residents of southern Florida are now reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma, which smashed into the western coast on Monday leaving more than 1 million people without power. As was the case with the previous storms this season, the food banks and food-rescue organizations, Members of in the America’s Second Harvest—The Nation’s Food Bank Network, have been assessing the damage to their communities and started delivering food to those caught in the grips of this emergency.
The Daily Bread Food Bank in Miami and the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida in Ft. Myers, both members of America’s Second Harvest, have been working tirelessly since before the hurricane’s landfall to fortify their agencies with food and grocery products to help those in the greatest need as quickly as possible. With hundred of thousands of people returning to homes with no power or potable water, the need will be extreme.
“This is becoming an all-too-familiar predicament for so many communities,” said Robert Forney, President and CEO of America’s Second Harvest. “But residents of South Florida can be assured that the America’s Second Harvest Networks are responding in force during this crisis.”
Safe, drinkable water becomes one of the most valuable resources immediately
following a hurricane, due to sewage and drainage issues. In response to
the need, America’s Second Harvest is moving supplies in Valdosta, Georgia, and
Winston-Salem and Charlotte, North Carolina to affected areas. All Florida
food banks in the America’s Second Harvest Network are assisting in the effort
as well, readying current stock for immediate dispatch to other Member food
banks providing service to hurricane survivors.
Since August 29,
the America’s Second Harvest Network has dispatched more than 1,540 truckloads
filled with food and grocery products – ready-to-ship pallets including
hand-held snacks such as granola and energy bars, breakfast bars, beefy jerky,
peanut butter, canned meals such as hearty soups, stews, chili, pasta, plates,
bowls, cups and utensils, bleach, disinfecting household cleaning items and
diapers. This amounts to a staggering 47.9 million pounds of product, which
equates to nearly 40 million meals.
America’s Second Harvest has collected nearly $23 million for hurricane relief this year alone, with more than $20 million dedicated specifically to Hurricane Katrina Relief. On September 24, America’s Second Harvest established the Hurricane Relief Fund. Donations to this fund allow the Network to all hurricanes through June 30, 2006. Additionally, it will fund any costs not currently anticipated that become part of our relief and recovery effort for Hurricane Katrina.
Funds pledged or collected to date for Hurricane Katrina or those already earmarked for the Katrina relief and recovery operation will be used specifically to that end.
To make a financial donation directly to your local America’s Second Harvest Network Member, visit www.secondharvest.org to locate the food bank serving your area. America’s Second Harvest remains in continued need of financial donations to provide food and grocery products to those affected by the hurricanes. To make a financial donation that will assist the America’s Second Harvest Network in its hurricane relief and recovery efforts, visit www.secondharvest.org or call 877-817-2307.
America's Second Harvest -- The Nation's Food Bank
Network is the nation's largest charitable hunger-relief organization
with a Network of more than 200 regional member food banks and food - rescue
programs serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
The America's Second Harvest Network secures and distributes nearly two billion
pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. The America's Second
Harvest Network supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies
operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens,
emergency shelters, after-school programs, and Kids Cafes. Last year, the
America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 23
million low-income hungry people in the United States, including more than nine
million children and nearly three million seniors. For more on America's
Second Harvest, please visit www.secondharvest.org.
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Contact:
Phil Zepeda
Office: 312-263-2303,
x184
Cell: 312-622-2640
