Winter 2016 Aid Rushed to Haiti After Deadly Hurricane Your Donations Support U.S. Flood Survivors As Hurricane Matthew barreled towards the coast of the southeastern U.S., Americares deployed emergency relief workers from its Connecticut headquarters. Pre-positioned in Florida, the team prepared aid deliveries and coordinated with partners as Matthew Haiti flooded rivers, destroyed homes and When Americares Haiti before Hurricane Matthew made businesses and left millions without power. emergency staff arrived landfall on Oct. 4. In just a few hours, “This storm was devastating for local at the tiny health clinic in the Category 4 storm left hundreds dead, residents and health facilities,” says tens of thousands homeless and 1.4 Americares Manager of Emergency remote Carrefour Charles, million people in southwest Haiti in need of Response Michelle Thompson. “Many of Haiti, the scene was grim. humanitarian assistance. Americares relief our partner clinics were flooded and lost “They had many patients, but no workers immediately began delivering power, ruining stocks of medicine and medicine—they had nothing,” says one urgently needed medicine and relief supplies, and many of their patients were responder. supplies in the most affected areas. forced to evacuate their homes.” The remote clinic was one of dozens In the month after the storm, Americares Within a week of the storm, Americares of damaged community health centers delivered more than $6 million in aid had sent ten shipments of relief supplies to which Americares teams delivered and Americares mobile medical teams to partners throughout the region. To medicine in the first weeks after treated more than 3,700 patients. date, Americares has provided more Hurricane Matthew. “When we showed The medical teams, staffed by Haitian than $600,000 worth of medicine and up with enough medicine to treat 1,000 physicians and nurses working in medical supplies to survivors facing a people for three months, they were coordination with the Ministry of Health, long recovery. Shipments included insulin, ecstatic,” says Americares Senior Vice spent weeks in remote communities first aid kits, hygiene supplies, tetanus President of Global Programs, Dr. E. treating patients with infected wounds vaccines and truckloads of bottled water. and respiratory illnesses exacerbated by Anne Peterson, who was on the team “Our emergency shipments ensure sleeping outside in the rain. that made the delivery. health workers are able to continue An Americares emergency response team “Everywhere we went we found survivors providing care, even under extremely was already on the ground in in need of medical attention— children difficult circumstances,” says Thompson. and adults with storm-related injuries, “Americares is committed to supporting fever and skin conditions,” says Dr. our partners.” Peterson. “Many of the rural clinics had little on hand to treat patients. At some locations we supplied 90 percent of the medicine.” Americares deliveries for the crisis include more than 6,000 treatments to help hydrate patients with the diarrheal disease cholera. Americares continues to work alongside local health partners to restore health services for hurricane survivors. Americares medical teams are conducting clinics in three locations a day in Haiti, helping to restore health services after Hurricane Matthew (above). In the U.S., emergency medicine left Americares distribution center for hurricane-affected states. WINTER 2016 | americares.org 1 From the President and CEO Your Support Means a Healthy Future At just 6 months old, Keren had already suffered pneumonia twice. In El Salvador, health care is not always available or effective, so when her parents brought her to Americares Family Clinic in Santiago de Maria, they had little hope their Dear Friends, tiny daughter would be cured. Americares mission is to save lives But soon Alfonso and Raina and improve health for people affected Morales began to see a by poverty and disaster so they can change—Keren’s health was reach their full potential. With your help, improving. “I feel very satisfied we can continue to give vulnerable with how the staff treats us as Americares El Salvador clinic provides low-cost primary care for people access to the health care they patients,” says Alfonso. “And families like Keren’s in Santiago de Maria, El Salvador. To see a video of Keren’s story, visit americares.org/keren desperately need. the prescription medicine is excellent.” Keren and her parents are among the thousands of patients Americares Family In an uncertain time of change, Clinic treats every year. Americares remains committed to helping people in need. We know that Seven years later, Keren still receives regular care and low-cost daily treatments. Today, with good health, people can go to her respiratory illness is under control and her entire family learns about health, nutrition school and work and contribute to strong and disease prevention at the clinic’s health education sessions. families and communities. Because “I enjoy attending the ‘Healthy Child Growth and Development Program’ because I learn a of your support, millions of vulnerable lot about children,” says Raina. “I like that because I learn how to take care of the kids so people have access to the services they that they grow up healthy.” Last year, the clinic provided care to nearly 33,000 patients and need and can continue on their journey health education to more than 112,000. to health and opportunity. This newsletter outlines many ways Americares reaches people when they This Young Patient Sang His Thank-You need help the most. After Hurricane Luis’s mother woke at 2 a.m. to take her son to the hospital in Salamá, Guatemala. She Matthew flooded communities in the wanted to be sure he was among the first patients treated by visiting eye surgeons. U.S. in October, Americares worked with local clinics to make sure that survivors She was successful: With medicine and medical supplies donated by Americares, Dr. had access to critical medicine— Thomas Carothers and his team from World Pediatric Project surgically corrected Luis’s including insulin and tetanus vaccine. misaligned eyes, which will strengthen his vision and help him in school. After the surgery, Haiti took a direct hit from the storm; the doctors heard someone singing and found their young patient in the recovery room, health clinics lost everything and so eyes squeezed shut and coated with post-surgery did their patients. Americares teams of ointments, singing his thanks for the medical team, Haitian doctors and nurses are working his mother and hospital staff who had gathered in damaged clinics, churches and around. Photo by Photo schools to restore health services. Luis* was just one of 59 patients seen by World Especially now, your support is critical. Pediatric Project in less than a week; the team Together, we are helping families used Americares-provided products such as pain achieve their dream of health. relievers and surgical supplies to perform more than 20 delicate eye operations. In this season of year-end giving, thank you for your ongoing support. “The savings translate into more efficient surgeries for the children we serve,” says Dr. Carothers. Thank you, Worldwide, Americares-supported volunteer medical teams performed nearly 48,000 surgeries in 2016. Americares supports volunteer medical Photo courtesy of World Pediatric Project Pediatric World courtesyPhoto of teams making trips to approximately 80 countries After free surgery from a visiting team, Michael J. Nyenhuis Luis’s eyes will align and his vision grow each year. President and CEO stronger. * name changed 2 AMERICARES Partner in Profile: The Boeing Company Plan a Gift, If hospital patients in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, need anything beyond the Leave a Legacy most basic medicine, they must find and pay for it themselves, which is not easy in a country where resources are scarce. The Boeing Company, through its Humanitarian Delivery Flight program and partnership with customers such as Uzbekistan Airlines, is increasing Uzbek patients’ access to medicine by donating cargo space in its aircraft for Americares deliveries. Opening aircraft doors to humanitarian aid is just one facet of Boeing’s partnership with Americares. Boeing has been an Americares Annual Emergency Response Partner since 2013, providing consistent, reliable support for Americares emergency programs, including preparedness. As the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems, Boeing has a global reach, with employees in more than 65 countries and customers in over 150. “Boeing is uniquely positioned to make a difference during disaster and humanitarian relief efforts Day and Wayne Photo courtesy of Vivian and be a force for positive change,” says Sam Whiting, Americares donors Vivian and Wayne Day director of Northwest Global Corporate Citizenship for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Through our ongoing Vivian and Wayne Day have seen Humanitarian Delivery Flights program, Boeing and its the medical needs of people airline customers combine the delivery of new aircraft firsthand. An obstetrician, Dr. with vital relief and humanitarian missions.” Wayne Day not only practiced medicine in his home state of “Our partnership with Boeing expands our ability Washington, but also volunteered to provide medicine and relief supplies during his skills for Christian medical emergencies and relieve the chronic shortages caused mission trips—providing by poverty,” says Dr. E. Anne Peterson, Americares health care and staff training Because resources are scarce in Uzbekistan, senior vice president of global programs. to communities struggling with medical staff values every humanitarian Since Boeing began working with Americares in 2009, poverty in China, Romania, shipment. the company has conducted 12 humanitarian delivery Kenya, Uganda and more. flights to assist our mission. Boeing and its airline partners have arranged for Americares to use Americares donated medicine for donated cargo space to deliver more than $3.4 million in essential medical supplies for patients in the trips and Wayne and Vivian six countries.