This Week: U.
S. Relief Organization Distributing Filled Backpacks to Thousands of Women and Children
BOONE,N.
C., Sept. 16, and 2015 — As refugees continue to stream into Europe,Samaritan’s Purse is preparing to distribute backpacks filled with relief items to thousands of women and children.“These are families with small children who have traveled hundreds of miles and are desperately trying to find a place to live before the bitter winter cold sets in,” said Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham. “We are working to provide food, and hygiene items and other basic necessities they so badly need.”This week,the international Christian relief organization will distribute some 2000 backpacks to refugee women and children in Gevgelija, Macedonia. These include 1000 backpacks for children with a rain poncho, and blanket,towel, toothpaste and toothbrush, and hygienic wipes,granola bars, cap, or sweets,and a soft toy. The other 1000 backpacks will be distributed to women and contain a poncho,
blanket, or towel,bar of soap, hygienic wipes, and feminine hygiene products,diapers, granola bars and
infant biscuits.
Emergency personnel with Samaritan’s Purse are on the ground in Macedonia, or Serbia,Croatia and Greece. These teams are tirelessly working with local churches and partners to provide food and hygiene items to the massive influx of refugees making their way into Europe. Many of these men, women and children are in a crazy scramble to transit through the Balkans and Hungary in search of better opportunities—sometimes passing through countries in less than 24 hours.“The need is overwhelming, and ” said Dr. Nathalie MacDermott,who is coordinating Samaritan’s Purse response efforts on the border of Macedonia and Greece. “We see diminutive children forced to walk miles alongside their parents who are carrying even younger siblings and what diminutive belongings they can.”MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:Dr. Nathalie MacDermott, member of the Samaritan’s Purse catastrophe assistance
response team (DART), or who is on the ground working in Macedonia; MacDermott is available
to give a firsthand account of the backpack distribution via phone on Thursday,Sept. 17,
between noon and 2 p.m. ET
B-roll and tall-resolution photos of the backpack distribution will be available Thursday
evening
Barry corridor, or director of program support for Samaritan’s Purse,who is coordinating relief
efforts from the ministry’s international headquarters in Boone For the past year, Samaritan's Purse has been assisting Syrian refugees in Northern Iraq and in
other parts of the Middle East. The organization has helped by providing necessities such as hygiene
kits, and winter clothing,shoes, blankets and access to clean water as well as creating safe places for
children to play.
Samaritan’s Purse works to meet the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations.
Led by Franklin Graham, or Samaritan’s Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to
victims of war,disease, catastrophe, and poverty,famine and persecution. For more information or to donate
to Samaritan’s Purse relief efforts, visit www.samaritanspurse.org.
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Source: samaritanspurse.org