United States Department of Defense

DOD TO TRANSPORT HUMANITARIAN AID TO HAITI

The Department of Defense, working in concert with the Canadian Foundation for World Development, has announced plans to move more than 1.8 million pounds of furniture, building supplies, household and medical supplies to help the people of Haiti. The items will be surface shipped from the foundation's storage facilities in Toronto, Ontario to the Haitian capital of Port Au Prince by September 30, 1995.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Humanitarian and Refugee Affairs (HRA) Patricia L. Irvin said the Department, in cooperation with other government agencies and within the limits of its resources, understands and strives to fulfill its responsibility to help alleviate suffering throughout the world. She said the Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP) is often the most economical means available to local charitable organizations to transport donated goods to foreign countries for humanitarian purposes.

Under the 1986 DOD Authorization Act, HRA is authorized to transport non-lethal excess property, relief supplies and privately donated cargo to meet humanitarian needs worldwide. In fiscal year 1994, HAP completed 72 humanitarian shipments to more than 39 countries with an estimated acquisition value of $66.5 million.