Mercy Corps Mobilizes Emergency Response Team To Philippines

Donations needed to fund lifesaving aid and recovery efforts

PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The global humanitarian agency Mercy Corps is mobilizing a team of emergency responders, including experts in water, sanitation and logistics, into the areas devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan.  Donations are needed to fund lifesaving aid and recovery efforts, and Mercy Corps is accepting donations online at www.mercycorps.org/typhoon.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110818/DC54665LOGO-a)

"Based on our initial conversations with the United Nations and other colleagues on the ground, we anticipate the most pressing needs to be clean water, sanitation, temporary shelter and food," says Michael Bowers, Mercy Corps senior director of strategic response and global emergencies.  "Mercy Corps has years of experience helping low-income communities in the Philippines. We know that the storm has devastated some of the country's most vulnerable people."

According to the United Nations, an estimated 9.5 million people have been affected by the storm and as many as 10,000 people are feared dead.  

"Our experience in these situations is that while we're working to meet immediate humanitarian needs, it's critical we look immediately for ways to start the recovery and reconstruction process," says Bowers.  "Coming out of the immediate crisis, our goal is to help people return to their homes, get businesses running again and kids back to school as quickly as possible."

Recognized as a leader in delivering rapid, lifesaving aid to hard-hit communities, Mercy Corps has responded to almost every global emergency in the past 20 years, including the Japan earthquake and tsunami (2011), Horn of Africa drought and hunger crisis (2010) and Kashmir earthquake (2005). Mercy Corps was also one of the first responders to the Indian Ocean tsunami (2004) and Haiti earthquake (2010).

HOW TO HELP:
www.mercycorps.org/typhoon
Mercy Corps – Super Typhoon Haiyan Fund
Dept. NR
PO Box 2669
Portland, Oregon 97208
1-800-852-2100

About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global humanitarian agency saving and improving lives in the world's toughest places. With a network of experienced professionals in more than 40 countries, we partner with local communities to put bold ideas into action to help people recover, overcome hardship and build better lives. For more information, visit mercycorps.org.

SOURCE Mercy Corps