World Food Program USA Donates $250,000 to Support United Nations World Food Programme’s Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts
WASHINGTON, DC (August 24, 2021) – World Food Program USA has donated $250,000 to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support critical earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. The UPS Foundation, our longtime corporate partner, contributed $100,000 of that donation in addition to providing transportation and logistics support for the emergency response. The U.N. World Food Programme estimates that 215,000 Haitians need urgent food assistance.
Following the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake in southwestern Haiti on August 14, the U.N. World Food Programme swiftly mobilized to provide logistics support to the Haitian government, in addition to transporting government and humanitarian staff to affected areas along with medical and emergency relief supplies – water, hygiene kits, blankets, food and fuel.
“We are committed to helping Haitians recover from this devastating disaster and are grateful for the support of The UPS Foundation and individual donors who have made this donation possible,” said Barron Segar, President and CEO of World Food Program USA. “This funding helps support the U.N. World Food Programme’s relief efforts on the ground, which has included hot meals or cash transfers to 9,000 people, as well as logistics support for medical relief operations and providing food in hospitals to injured people, their families and medical staff.”
“Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti,” said Joe Ruiz, vice president of social impact and The UPS Foundation. “The UPS Foundation is committed to delivering disaster relief and improving the well-being of the Haitian community by tapping into our partnerships and innovative logistical expertise for health and humanitarian solutions to those impacted by this awful disaster.”
The earthquake struck as Haiti was already coping with multiple crises, including widespread hunger, political instability, gang violence and rising food prices – all in the midst of an active hurricane season. Haiti has one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the world. Nearly half the population (about 4.4 million) was already struggling to put food on the table, and of those, 1.2 million are facing severe hunger. The U.N. World Food Programme, which has operated in Haiti since 1969, provided food assistance to 900,000 Haitians in 2020, with plans to reach 1.3 million in 2021.
###
The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, DC, proudly supports the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger. Our leadership and support help to bolster an enduring American legacy of feeding families in need around the world. To learn more about World Food Program USA’s mission, please visit wfpusa.org/mission-history.
Media Contact:
Toula Athas
Director, Communications
World Food Program USA
tathas@wfpusa.org
202-627-3940
