Tsunami Survivors to Receive Vitamins This Week
2005-01-04 - Vitamin Angel Alliance

Santa Barbara, Calif. --Jan 4, 2005 – Within 24 hours after Vitamin Angel Alliance issued their call for massive vitamin donations for their earthquake / tsunami relief effort, vitamin supplements began arriving at the warehouse. Their goal of collecting 20 million supplements for the relief effort is now on its way to being met, according to Vitamin Angel officials.

“We were stunned by the generosity and immediacy of the response” said Howard B. Schiffer, President of Vitamin Angel Alliance. “Volunteers had cut short vacations to begin calling colleagues in the natural products, vitamin, and pharmaceutical industries. Many of our contacts were on vacation but the people who were working said ‘YES!' without hesitation. The only question people asked as ‘What else can we do to help?'

One day later, the first shipments began arriving from a consortium of key companies in the supplement field. Mead Johnson, Healthquest, FDC Vitamins, Mason Vitamins, Tishcon, Pharmachem, Edward & Sons, Natural Factors, Pacific International, Edward & Sons and more all pledged their support and many had overnighted shipments to go out with the first relief team that was leaving for Sri Lanka.

Other companies like Vitaquest International and Windmill Vitamins are setting up special production runs of the most needed products; adult multiples and children's chewable multiples, immediately.

Vitamin Angels in partnership with their sister organization, Direct Relief International and other relief colleagues is now working to consolidate these vitamin shipments that will begin being flown in along with medical supplies as early as this week. More vitamin product is still needed to meet Vitamin Angel's goal of 20 million supplements for the first phase of the response effort.

“It's amazing that the worst natural disaster brings out the best in humanity” said Schiffer. “This past year our country has been so divided but something like this happens and everyone sheds their political, religious and other affiliations to work for the common good. America's generosity is boundless and in a crisis situation the kindness, generosity and compassion are overwhelming. It really is the best that America has to offer.”

Vitamin Angel Alliance is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization dedicated to providing basic nutrition and fighting vitamin A deficiency childhood blindness around the world since 1994. Last year Vitamin Angels donated 16.2 million supplements to people in need in 45 countries around the world.

In addition to vitamin and supplement products, cash and in-kind donations are being accepted by Vitamin Angel Alliance to speed delivery of the relief supplies.

For more information, visit www.vitaminangel.org or call: 805 565 9919.

Source: http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=11382&zoneid=2