WLRN campaign feeds 780 children in Haiti for 6 months

More than 780 children in Haiti will be fed for six months, thanks to the generosity of Friends of WLRN and compassionate public radio listeners. For every $100 committed by supporters who called to make a donation on March 17, Friends of WLRN sent $18 to Food For The Poor.

At a time when soaring food and fuel prices are threatening nonprofits’ ability to get lifesaving food to the poor, the March 17 campaign was especially appreciated by the international development and relief agency.

“This gift of money for food could not have come at a better time,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “Everything is costing more, and these children are depending on us to give them simple meals that will give them life and hope for one more day. We are very grateful for the support of Friends of WLRN and 91.3 WLRN.”

The campaign took on an even greater significance midday, when American Airlines executives heard the call for donations on the radio and were moved to help. They offered two tickets for every 100 donations, with the requirement the tickets be used by relief workers.

“This is a great campaign to help the people of Haiti, and American Airlines wanted to do something substantial to show our support,” said Peter Dolara, American’s Senior Vice President based in Miami. “We have proudly served Haiti for 40 years and believe this is an important effort to help the needy.”

This is not the first time Friends of WLRN has reached out to the children aided by Food For The Poor. Through the station’s generosity in two campaigns last year, more than 1,300 children were fed for six months through Food For The Poor feeding programs.

Wagner Previato, Director of Marketing and Membership for Friends of WLRN, called the campaign a success for both the station and for the children.

“The South Florida community and supporters of our public radio station responded generously when we mentioned that a portion of their contributions would be going directly to feeding children in Haiti through Food For The Poor,” said Previato. “Our partnership with Food For The Poor helped mobilize our efforts in making a gift that nourishes Haiti’s most vulnerable citizens, and supports 91.3 WLRN’s news coverage of Haiti and all other local news stories.”

In Haiti, more than half of the population, including two-thirds of the children, suffers from malnutrition. About 76 of every 1,000 children die before reaching their fifth birthday.

“Through the generosity of 91.3 WLRN, Friends of WLRN and American Airlines, we can not only make sure that children get vital food, but Food For The Poor will benefit from the additional tickets to get essential relief staff to Haiti,” Aloma said.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Kathy Skipper
Director of Public Relations
Food For The Poor
954-427-2222 x 6614
kathys@foodforthepoor.com