MFA Helps Ship 15,000 Hygiene Kits to Refugees on World Humanitarian Day

(New York, NY - August 17, 2016) – In honor of World Humanitarian Day, this Friday, August 19th, the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees (MFA) – a coalition of nearly 70 faith-based and humanitarian organizations – has teamed up with Heart to Heart International’s PowrServ Division and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), global Jewish humanitarian group, to ship 15,000 hygiene kits to suffering Syrian refugees in Turkey.

Half the kits were assembled in New York City in June at the largest multi-faith gathering of its kind to help Syrian refugees: More than 800 volunteers - including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists - united at the historic 69th Regiment Armory to assemble hygiene kits from products donated by New York-based healthcare company, Henry Schein.

“It’s inspirational that so many people from diverse religious traditions joined together to help a people suffering in the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II,” said Rabbi Eric Greenberg, MFA’s Director of Communications, Programs and Interfaith Relations. “It’s a model for what I call ‘interfaith with impact.’”

“The continued devastation in Syria is unconscionable. The faith-based and civil society collective must serve as the moral conscience of the world. As such, MFA will not be silent in the face of these evil and barbaric tactics of war,” said Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees founder, Dr. Georgette Bennett. “Refugees and other Syrian war victims are facing terrorism and atrocities every day. We stand with them and demand more effective action from the international community.”

Jim Mitchum, chief executive officer, Heart to Heart International stated, “Heart to Heart International is pleased that the kits will soon arrive in Turkey to help refugees in desperate need of hygiene supplies. We are extremely grateful for the support from all the partners, volunteers and sponsors who made this shipment possible.” The container transporting the 15,000 hygiene kits leaves the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on World Humanitarian Day. Hygiene kits will be distributed to refugees by MFA’s international partner, Orient for Human Relief.

MFA is a project of the Tanenbaum Center of Interreligious Understanding and its mission is to mobilize global multi-faith support to alleviate the Syrian humanitarian crisis, heighten awareness of the growing dangers of complacency, and advance future stability in the region.

For more information about the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees, visit www.multifaithalliance.org.

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