Newsroom Press Releases

AmeriCares Responds to Hurricane Katrina

Stamford, CT, September 1 2005 - Two AmeriCares emergency relief teams are in Jackson, Mississippi and are preparing to receive AmeriCares relief shipments within the next few days.

"The situation here remains critical," said emergency relief worker Kathleen Oldaker. "Many people have been displaced from their homes and are in need of water, food and other basic personal items. AmeriCares relief shipments of bottled water, non-perishable food, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products and other materials will be of great assistance.

With the situation in New Orleans and its surrounding areas continuing to deteriorate, AmeriCares second emergency response team will travel from Mississippi into Louisiana today to perform a needs assessment there and determine how AmeriCares relief supplies will be distributed. Dr. Jonathan Fine, a volunteer physician for AmeriCares who is based out of Norwalk (CT) Hospital, will be offering AmeriCares emergency medical expertise to the local authorities in the area.

"The contaminated flood water combined with the limited availability of clean drinking water puts more than half a million people at risk for water-borne diseases," said Christoph Gorder, AmeriCares vice president. "Providing safe drinking water for the people affected by Hurricane Katrina is one of our top priorities."

The Bush administration declared a public health emergency yesterday along the entire Gulf Coast; federal and local authorities are concerned about the risk of disease epidemics such as cholera and typhoid.

AmeriCares has a 23-year history of providing emergency medical relief to natural disasters. During last year’s deadly hurricane season, AmeriCares mobilized massive quantities of aid valued at more than $1 million to help those affected in Florida, Alabama, Haiti, Jamaica, Grenada and the Cayman Islands.

To support AmeriCares hurricane relief efforts, log onto www.americares.org or call AmeriCares directly at 1-800-486-HELP (4357).