LOS ANGELES (June 23, 2008) In response to the worst flooding the Midwest has seen in 15 years, Operation USA, a 29-year-old international relief agency based in Los Angeles, is aiding local nonprofit health clinics and small family farmers in the Midwest.
Flooding has swallowed up towns, swamped bridges and highways, shut down factories, damaged utilities, and destroyed thousands of acres of prime crop land in the heart of the world's largest grain exporting region. The damage to crops, communities and infrastructure is in the billions of dollars and more than 40,000 people have been displaced, most of them in Iowa. As many as five million acres of corn and soybeans have been lost in the fertile U.S. Corn Belt and corn and other food commodity prices are likely to rise to record highs.
"This catastrophic flooding will affect all Americans as the corn crop we rely on our farmers to produce will no doubt be drastically reduced," said Richard M. Walden, President of Operation USA. "We hope all Americans will join our small but well focused relief effort and assist local nonprofits in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri to provide services to flood victims, especially the children. These floods can only add to what threatens to become a 'Tsunami of Hunger'."
Repeating its extensive 6-state Midwest flood relief work through its earlier "Operation Heartland" project of 1993, Operation USA will assist local health clinics throughout the area in replacing equipment and supplies lost to the widespread flooding and will make a series of small grants to assist nonprofit institutions in Iowa, Missouri and Illinois so that they can maintain services to flood-affected communities. Operation USA also has access to large amounts of seeds for donation to small family farms affected by the flooding.
HOW TO HELP: To assist Operation USA in delivering aid to the Midwest, donate online at www.opusa.org, by phone at 800.678.7255 or, by check to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave., Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232. As with every disaster, Operation USA asks the public to refrain from collections of used clothing and other inappropriate materials.
Corporate contributions of essential products in bulk and with at least one year's remaining shelf life can be arranged by calling Neil Frame, Operation USA, 310.838.3455.
Media Contact:
Christine Oppenheim or Richard Walden
310.838.3455
coppenheim@opusa.org
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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