Rushing Aid to Midwest Flood Victims

When it rains, it pours. Literally. Even as Heart to Heart has been responding to major disasters overseas, we are assisting flood victims throughout the Midwest, especially along the Mississippi River. We have already sent 8 tons of water and hygiene kits to families in Iowa, and we're expanding our response in Illinois, Missouri and Kansas.

This weekend, our volunteers will fan out to Sam's Club locations in Kansas City and collect specific items to assist affected families in the cleanup of their property. We will assemble cleaning kits the week of June 30 and ship them immediately to affected communities. Starting the week of July 7, we will begin deploying volunteers to help families recover after the floods.

If you can't make it to a Sam's Club location this weekend, please make an online donation to support our flood-relief efforts or assemble hygiene kits and send them to our warehouse.

If you are interested in volunteering in the collection or sorting of aid, contact our Volunteer Development Office at 913-764-5200. If you are interested in traveling with us to affected communities in July, email us at info@hearttoheart.org.

More News from the Quake Zone in China

Our volunteers continue to overcome obstacles and provide aid and assistance to quake victims in China.

The Christian Science Monitor shares one of our volunteer's story in this article filed by reporter Peter Ford.

The article recounts the efforts of Frank Dunne, a volunteer from Virgina who now lives on the border between neighboring Yunnan Province and the Tibetan Autonomous Region, where he and his wife are establishing a business making apple jam. Frank leads one of our "extreme teams" that deliver relief supplies to mountain villages, which have been cut off by rock slides and aftershocks. These teams drive as far as they can into the mountains and then hike the rest of the way to deliver food, water, medicine, tarps and hygiene products.

Keep the aid flowing to people trapped in the mounatins of Sichuan Province. Make an online donation today by clicking here.

An Audience with the President

Today, Dr. Jeff DeGraffenried, our Chief Programs Officer, will be in Washington, D.C., to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush and share how we are responding to earthquake victims in China.

The meeting is taking place at the American Red Cross headquarters.

Dr. DeGraffenreid was in China May 19-31 and oversaw much of our response during that timeframe. He and representatives from other nongovernment organizations and companies will brief the President on the relief efforts in China and how the United States can further assist in the response.

You can help our efforts today by making a donation online or over the phone on our toll-free number (866-341-GIVE).

NPR "Considers" Heart to Heart's Work in China

Yesterday afternoon, National Public Radio (NPR) correspondent Andrea Hsu tagged along with several members of our volunteer team in Sichuan Province. She filed this report for "All Things Considered" on a couple from Columbus, Ohio, whose mission in China changed from training physicians to helping disaster victims.

Dr. Bill Burke, a family physician, took one of our Ready Relief Boxes with him to a remote village, where he and other volunteers helped set up tents for families resettling after the magnitude-7.9 earthquake on May 12. The Ready Relief Box contains essential medicines, supplies and instruments to assess and treat 400-500 people. It was launched last year in partnership with BD and is funded on this intiative from Abbott.

You can help us make a lasting impact with a financial contribution today. You can give online or call our toll-free number (866-341-GIVE).

Your support is needed now more than ever.

Heart to Heart, FedEx Send First Private Airlift to China to Aid Quake Victims

The following press release says it, but here is a breifing on the airlift that will leave Kansas City today en route to Chengdu:

• Thanks to a donation of transportation and logistics-support services, 70 tons of humanitarian aid are being loaded onto a FedEx MD-11 and flown to Chengdu, China this after at 2:20 p.m. CST
• The load contains requested medicines, first-aid supplies, IV solutions, orthopedic equipment, diagnostic instruments, and such basic necessities as blankets, tarps, and personal-hygiene products
• It will take 22 hours to fly it from Kanasas City to Chengdu
• The airlift will arrive at 1 a.m. (local time in China)
• It is valued at $1.5 million (U.S. wholesale)

Please share this good news with those in your personal network. The full press release follows...

HEART TO HEART, FEDEX SET TO DELIVER FIRST PRIVATE AIRLIFT TO CHINA

Planeload of Humanitarian Aid Leaving Kansas City Today to Arrive in Chengdu Early Sunday  

KANSAS CITY/May 23, 2008 — Heart to Heart International Inc. and FedEx Corp. will deliver the first private airlift of relief supplies to China following a massive earthquake in Sichuan Province. A FedEx MD-11 cargo plane carrying nearly 70 tons of humanitarian aid will depart Kansas City today at 2:20 p.m. (CST). The cargo is valued at approximately $1.5 million (U.S. wholesale).

Thanks to FedEx and its donation of transportation and logistics services, Kansas City-based humanitarian organization Heart to Heart will be able to help millions of people over the next several months throughout Sichuan Province, the area hit hard by a magnitude-7.9 earthquake on May 12. Heart to Heart has been working in this part of China for more than a decade, managing year-round health and emergency initiatives from its base of operations in the Sichuan capital of Chengdu. Because of the organization’s location and history in Sichuan, Heart to Heart was able to start helping survivors of the quake only hours after it struck near Chengdu.

“Shortly after the quake hit, our staff in Chengdu mobilized quickly and were onsite helping survivors of this terrible tragedy," said Jon D. North, Heart to Heart’s CEO. "Today's airlift is going to make a significant impact on our efforts to reduce suffering and we're privileged to be working on this initiative with our partners at FedEx, who helped us start our humanitarian operations in China with a medical airlift to Chengdu in 1997."

The load consists of requested antibiotics, pain relievers, children’s medications, IV solutions, first-aid supplies, diagnostic instruments, surgical items, orthopedic equipment, and such basic necessities as tarps, blankets and personal-hygiene kits.

“FedEx has found a way to proactively leverage our core competencies with Heart to Heart and take disaster relief to a new level.  This relief mission is one example of our cooperation together, which started in 1995 and has grown into a longstanding relationship,” said Steve Cox, managing director of Global Program Management for FedEx.  “Today, FedEx maintains Forward Response Centers in strategic locations globally for Heart to Heart which provides immediate relief when disasters strike anywhere in the world.” 

A total of 44 FedEx employees have been involved in the coordination of the flight, which will take 22 hours from start to finish including ground time.  The MD-11 departs Memphis at 9:47 a.m. CDT, lands in Kansas City at 12:20 p.m., and is scheduled to depart for China at 2:20 p.m., allowing the FedEx crew on the ground 45 minutes to an hour to load the plane with the relief supplies.

Heart to Heart and FedEx share a long-time commitment to preparedness and have worked together since 1995 to deliver humanitarian aid around the world.  FedEx is committed to utilizing their network to support disaster preparedness and contingency planning to pre-stage materials before a disaster strikes. Working with FedEx, Heart to Heart has established an innovative Forward Response Center network to position relief supplies in strategic locations, so the supplies can be rapidly transported to people affected by a disaster.

FedEx has helped Heart to Heart transport humanitarian aid to almost every major region of the world. Additionally, FedEx organizes the collection, sorting inventory, storage, clearance and transport of relief supplies to sites affected by earthquakes, hurricanes or other natural disasters.

Today’s airlift is supported by dozens of generous companies, including Abbott, BD, Cardinal Health, Hospira and Welch Allyn. Additional support of the shipment was received from Heart to Heart’s humanitarian partners at AmeriCares, Convoy of Hope and NCM.

Heart to Heart at the Center of Volunteer Movement in China (USA Today)

One of the most powerful things happening with our relief efforts in China is an emerging form of common-cause volunteerism. Expatriates from around the world are working alongside Chinese residents from all over the country in an effort to provide aid to survivors of the magnitude-7.9 earthquake that struck Sichuan Province on May 12.

Heart to Heart has become a volunteer hub in Chengdu, as people visiting China, attending school in other provinces or living down the street from our office are finding their way to our emergency operations center and signing up to help.

USA Today reporter Paul Wiseman tells the story of our relief effort eloquently in this morning's edition of the paper. Check out the story by clicking here.

You may not be able to volunteer in China right now, but you can help our efforts in the hard-hit parts of Sichuan Province. Make an online donation today or call our toll-free number (866-341-GIVE) to contribute financially to our cause.

We need all the support you can provide, because as the article points out, this response won't be over in a week, a few months or even a year. Regardless of how long it takes, Heart to Heart is committed to helping Sichuan emerge from this tragedy stronger than before the earthquake.

Volunteers Make a Difference with Heart to Heart in China's Quake Zone

Heart to Heart was founded as a volunteer-oriented organization. Volunteers energize us and help drive our humanitarian initiatives. They are a key strategy to our mission of creating a healthier world.

Dr. Gary Morsch, our founder, discovered that our core value of volunteerism was alive and well in the quake zone near Chengdu in Sichuan Province. Dr. Morsch is in China to support our relief efforts and meet with important officials about Heart to Heart's work there.

While he was in Chengdu, he ran into AP writer Tini Tran, who filed this story about several of the volunteers in China who linked up with our work in Sichuan.

Our staff and volunteers in China report that the Sichuan health and emergency workers are doing a phenomenal job in responding to people in crisis, but that the need is almost overwhelming.

We are preparing to send the first major shipment of humanitarian aid from a U.S.-based group to the quake zone. The shipment is slated to leave Kansas City later this week.

You can help us send aid to China. Make an online donation today or call our toll-free number at 866-341-GIVE. Your contributions will allow us to making a lasting impact in the lives of quake survivors.

Chinese Premier Lauds Heart to Heart's Relief Efforts in Sichuan

Our staff team in Sichuan had an unexpected surprise yesterday: Premier Wen Jiabao visited with them at the emergency operations center in Beichuan. Dr. Brian Robinson, Heart to Heart's medical director, had the privilege of sharing what we're doing on the ground and how we're coordinating our efforts with local relief workers. And the Chinese news service was there to capture the moment.

Mr. Wen then thanked Dr. Robinson and Heart to Heart for helping save lives in quake zone. According to local officials, Heart to Heart International is the only foreign aid group working in Sichuan right now.

This video is in Mandarin Chinese, but for our non-Mandarin-speaking visitors, here is a transcript of the news clip:

In the morning Wen Jia Bao ran into American doctor, Dr. Brian Robinson of Heart to Heart.

MR. WEN: "Are you guys tourists?"

DR. ROBINSON: "We're here for disaster relief."

MR. WEN: "What country are you guys from?"

DR. ROBINSON: "United States, with the Heart to Heart organization."

MR. WEN: "First of all, on behalf of China's government, we thank the American people, American government in assisting with China's disaster relief. This disaster is very severe, but the Chinese government is very organized and capable."

...Wen explained the Sichuan's current crisis relief situation to the Heart to Heart organizers...

MR. WEN: "We hope that under China's direction and guidance, we can cooperate on efforts. We know the people are subjected to suffering and hardship. We will diligently cooperate together to help the people. China's government thanks all the countries helping out, we welcome you, we welcome and thank the support from the various gov'ts around the world."

Special thanks to CCTV in Chengdu for reporting on our efforts.

USA Today Reports on Heart to Heart's Work Near Epicenter of Quake in China

USA Today reporter Calum MacLeod has been covering the tragic aftermath of the magnitude-7.9 earthquake that struck Monday in Sichuan Province, located in southwest China. As he entered the Bechuan county, the epicenter of the deadly quake, MacLeod met an American--Dr. Brian Robinson, Heart to Heart's medical director, who lives in Chengdu and runs our year-round health program in Sichuan.

Here is what MacLeod said:

'My spirit is still strong'

In southern Beichuan, workers searched furiously for survivors at the town's middle school, where at least 1,000 students and teachers were thought to be buried. The building's collapse continues a morbid trend: At least nine schools have crumbled across the zone affected by the quake.

About 100 people have been rescued from the school's rubble, said Li Yinxian, a doctor who is leading a team from the Mianyang Third Hospital.

Li had slept just one hour since arriving on the scene Monday night. "We can't sleep anyway, as there is terror in our minds. We have never experienced anything like this before," Li said.

"I am willing to stay here longer," Li said. "My spirit is still strong."

Standing amid the wreckage in Beichuan was Brian Robinson, a doctor from Oklahoma. China's government has officially turned down foreign aid groups' offers to provide help on the ground, but Robinson has lived in the provincial capital, Chengdu, for nine years. He is a representative of Kansas City-based Heart to Heart International, an organization that sends doctors to developing countries.

Robinson gathered a team of 13 other American volunteers from Chengdu, which has a fast-growing expatriate population, and headed to Beichuan to help the wounded onto ambulances and trucks.

"I am impressed by the amount of aid they have got in there," Robinson said. "But it will be days before there is total access to the main part of Beichuan. Only helicopters can get there" with many roads still impassable due to debris, he said.

Robinson and his team spent Wednesday assisting the wounded and distributing medicines, water, saline and IV kits to the front line.

"It is as well-organized as it could be," Robinson said. However, he said no one had yet compiled a list of the living or dead, and people were streaming in from all over the country to check on relatives. So Robinson and his colleagues were trying to set up a central registry on Wednesday night.

You can read the whole story from this morning's edition of the USA Today here.

Because Heart to Heart has an office based in Sichuan and has a strong relationship with Chinese health and emergency officials, we are being asked to participate in the response.

We know this part of China and its people. For the past 11 years, we have been working alongside Sichuan health officials to improve medical expertise and enhance the health of the province's 90 million people. Sichuan is often called the "rice bowl of China," because it feeds the rest of the country. Unlike the east coast of China, where the national economy growing by leaps and bounds, many families in Sichuan survive on less than $1 a day.

You can help us provide more aid. Make an online donation today, or give by calling our toll-free hotline (866-341-GIVE). Every donation counts. Heart to Heart has historically operated on less than 2 percent overhead--meaning that more than 98 percent of every contribution goes directly to help people in need. And because we are able to leverage corporate donations of medical aid and transportation, as well as tremendous volunteer support, we are able to transform every $1 cash donation into $25 worth of aid, on average. For more information, read our latest annual report by clicking here.

We need your support to help quake survivors in China.

Heart to Heart Providing Assistance at Epicenter of Quake in China

Shortly after the magnitude-7.9 earthquake struck rural Sichuan Province on Monday, May 12, Heart to Heart mobilized for action. Our medical director in Chengdu, 25 miles away from the epicenter in Beichuan County, rallied his staff, gathered medical aid from our local clinic, and drove to help quake survivors.

Click here for a news account of our local response.

This morning, additional staff flew from the United States to China in support of our local efforts near Chengdu. We sent three Ready Relief Boxes with our staff. Each box contains the medicines and supplies to assess and treat 400-500 people. The box is essentially a portable pharmacy for our medical staff and relief partners on the ground.

A team of medical volunteers will arrive in Sichuan next week to assist with the crisis response. This team's original mission was to support our ongoing health intiatives throughout the province, but the mission has become more urgent.

Later next week, Heart to Heart expects to deliver a major shipment of medical aid, since the hospitals and clinics of Sichuan have been overwhelmed by people affected by the earthquake. Latest reports indicate that more than 15,000 people are dead (many of them schoolchildren trapped under collapsed buildings) and an additional 40,000 are missing -- raising the spectre of a deathtoll in the range of 50,000-60,000 people.

Foreign aid is trickling into this remote region, but Heart to Heart is already there -- we've been there for more than a decade -- and we're already working to help people in crisis.

We need your support to save as many lives as possible. Please support our relief efforts in China, Myanmar and elsewhere by making a cash donation online or on our toll-free hotline (866-341-GIVE).

Heart to Heart Team Helping Quake Victims in China

When a massive earthquake struck southwestern China yesterday, Heart to Heart's offices in the Sichuan capital of Chengdu felt the aftershocks. Our team quickly mobilized for action, transporting aid and providing direct medical services in support of the local relief efforts in Beichuan County--the epicenter of the quake, which measured 7.5 on the Richter scale (7.8 by Chinese seismologists).

Heart to Heart has been working in China for the last 10 years and has established a strong relationship with health officials in Sichuan Province. We have also fostered a strategic partnership with the national relief network.

We will continue to respond to quake victims as long as our services are needed.

You can help us respond in times of crisis by making a financial donation today. Call our toll-free number (866-341-GIVE) or click here to contribute online.

"Micro-Shipments" Helping Cyclone Victims in Myanmar

Harkening back to the widespread carnage caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, Cyclone Nargis struck the coastline of Myanmar (Burma) on Friday, May 2, packing windspeeds of more than 120 mph. For residents living in low-lying areas, the impact was felt immediately: A storm surge created a wall of water 18-20 feet high and swept everything in its path nearly a half-mile inland.

The results: State-run media in Myanmar report that 20,000-25,000 people are dead; 45,000-50,000 people are missing; and more than 1 million people are stranded or homeless. International aid experts estimate that the deathtoll could reach 100,000 if humanitarian assistance does not reach Myanmar soon. A complex humanitarian disaster is emerging: In the shadow of an isolationist government that is allowing foreign aid but not foreign aid workers, the country is facing a food crisis, a water crisis and a compounded health crisis.

Heart to Heart is responding, but we're in a race against time.

Though the political climate is certainly taking us out of our rhythm of sending bulk shipments of targeted medical aid, it has forced us to become creative in our efforts to help people in crisis. We are working with several humanitarian partners to create a supply chain into Myanmar. A critical component of the supply chain is our Ready Relief Box. Essentially a portable pharmacy, the Ready Relief Box contains all the essential medicines and supplies, as well as diagnostic instruments, for a medical professional to assess and treat 400-500 people. The beauty of the Ready Relief Box is that it's designed like a suitcase to be carried into remote locations. Several boxes are already within Myanmar and more will follow.

We need your support to keep the supply chain operating efficiently and effectively. Each dollar you donate can be used to save a life in Myanmar. Please make a financial contribution now, so we can address the emerging health crisis.

Mobile Lab Sees First Action

As part of our ongoing response along the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, we are engaging two of our newest health partners on a new kind of health fair. Working with the American Osteopathic Foundation and the Clinical Laboratory Management Association, we are helping people who are rebuilding their lives in St. Bernard Parish this Friday and Saturday in New Orleans.

Our volunteers left yesterday aboard the Mobile Medical Unit and several support vehicles in preparation for the local initiative.

Beyond seeing hundreds of patients over the two-day health fair, our mobile lab will sees its first action. Not only will patients be screened by qualified physicians, they will also receive rapid lab services such as blood work (when appropriate). Patients requiring follow-up care will be transported to nearby St. Bernard Health Center, which is serving as our local partner on this community-health initiative.

Heart to Heart is continuing to assist people along the Gulf Coast. We need your help to make a difference as we seek to create healthier communities. Call us at 866-341-GIVE or make an online donation today. Every bit of support counts!

Larry Gatlin Sings Our Praises at OKC Celebration Event

Last week, we were honored to host country music legend Larry Gatlin at our "Celebration of the Heart" event in Oklahoma City. Staged at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, this year's event drew nearly 500 people to hear the Heart to Heart story and enjoy a benefit concert with Mr. Gatlin.

Jon North, Heart to Heart's CEO, challenged attendees in his keynote address to "be an inspiration" to people in need locally and globally by joining us in our efforts to create a healthier world.

Introduced by Tracy Thomas, 96.1 KXY radio host and emcee for the evening, Larry Gatlin brought a Branson flair to the event as he entertained and conversed with the crowd -- and shared why he supports Heart to Heart:

"I first learned about Heart to Heart from a friend. I didn't know they do all the wonderful things they do around the world and I'm even more supportive now than before. When you all need me, just give me call and I'll be there for you."

The event raise nearly $80,000 for Heart to Heart's global humanitarian operations. If you missed this Celebration event, mark Thursday, September 4, on your calendar for the next Celebration event, which will take place at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Providing a Dose of "People Power" to Tornado-Ravaged Tennessee

Heart to Heart sent a "convoy of hope" this morning to devastated parts of Tennessee, which was hit by dozens of tornadoes on Tuesday, Feb. 5. The response team is delivering relief supplies and helping clear debris from homes and businesses in Denmark, Tennessee -- a small town south of Jackson, which also experienced nature's fury in multiple locations.

According to local responders, Denmark has many unmet needs following Tuesday's tornadoes. Our response team will explore more ways we can get involved in helping to rebuild the community.

We hope to make a big impact in this small town. You can help us by making an online donation or by calling 913-764-5200.

We are also in need of hundreds of hygiene kits. You can build these by yourself, with your family, friends, coworkers, civic club colleagues, or members of your faith community. All the instructions can be found by clicking here.