AKRON, Pa. - A shipping container
of 19,200 cans of beef for potential Iraqi refugees will be loaded for
shipment to Jordan on Wednesday, February 19 at the Mennonite Central Committee
(MCC) Material Resources Center, 517 Trout Run Road, Ephrata, Pa.
The beef will be stored in Jordan and
help feed Iraqi refugees expected to flood into Jordan if there is a war
with the U.S. and its allies.
The ocean cargo container is one of two being shipped from North America by MCC at a total value of $135,000. The other container of meat will be shipped from MCC facilities in Canada.
Seven 40-foot MCC containers of relief kits, blankets and comforters and school kits have already arrived in the Middle East as MCC continues to pre-position humanitarian supplies in anticipation of a war in Iraq.
Two containers of school kits, valued at $240,000 have already arrived in Baghdad and will be distributed to 50 schools and 12 orphanages. Five containers of relief kits, blankets and comforters, valued at $726,000 have arrived at the port of Aqaba in Jordan and will be shipped to Iraq soon. MCC's local partners in Iraq, including CARE and the Islamic Relief Agency, will distribute the supplies.
Other supplies being pre-positioned by MCC in Iraq and Jordan include 200 tents, 3,000 blankets and 120 water bladders in Iraq and Jordan, valued at $51,000. The water bladders will be used to supply water to hospitals and vulnerable groups in central and southern Iraq. The tents will be used to house Iraqis forced to flee their homes if there is war.
In the past 10 years MCC has shipped approximately $4.4 million worth of food and material assistance for urgent humanitarian needs in Iraq. MCC has also been supporting a number of other agriculture, education and health-related projects and has had North American personnel in Iraq since 1998.
To make contributions to this effort, call toll free (877) 517-5673.
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is a relief, service, and peace agency of the North American Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches.
Contact:
Larry Guengerich
Mennonite Central Committee
(717) 859-1152 #282 WK
(717) 299-9518 HM
(717) 413-4329 Mobile
lrg@mcc.org