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News
Archive - Article 18
Operation Compassion at Ground Zero
11/28/01
Following the September 11 World Trade Center attack, the Care
Ministries’ international director, John D. Nichols, and Operation
Compassion’s David Lorency, director of Benevolence Field
Ministries, were working out details and arranging transports to
aid the disaster victims.
Under ordinary circumstances, Operation Compassion would have many
congregations in a disaster area scrambling to aid victims, but
because of the uniqueness of this tragedy and the tight security,
FEMA had approved only certain organizations to distribute needed
items at ground zero. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army were
approved to distribute and serve hot meals while Feed the Children,
under the direction of Larry Jones, and its affiliate organizations
were approved to distribute other needed items. At the request of
Larry Jones, Operation Compassion immediately partnered with Feed
the Children to assist in hauling and distributing donated products
for relief workers. Two Feed the Children semis were set up to distribute
the needed supplies at ground zero, one block from the disaster
area.
In its 11 warehouses nationwide, the Operation Compassion stocks
between 70 and 100 semi loads of items for emergency disaster relief.
After reviewing its inventories, Operation Compassion shipped seven
semi loads of needed items requested by the ground rescue workers,
including 2,000 blankets, 12 pallets of batteries, 12 pallets of
athletic socks donated by Charleston Hosiery, and large quantities
of towels, toothbrushes, snack foods, candy and bottled water. More
than 100,000 pairs of socks were given out to relief workers to
replace the burned socks on their feet, resulting from working on
the hot, smoldering debris at the disaster site.
President Bush stated that the war we now face would not be a quick
decisive one, but a long-drawn-out one, fighting an enemy we cannot
see. So it will also be with the healing of emotions, especially
for those directly affected by the tragedy and those who have been
devastated by the domino effect of job and family security. Americans
everywhere are seeking solace and a way to come to terms with what
to them makes no sense at all. Many New Yorkers who went to work
as usual on that fateful day lost their lives. Many others found
themselves in turmoil in an open graveyard, surrounded by death,
suddenly without jobs, seemingly hopeless, without a means to supply
the needs of their families.
In an effort to do what they can, Operation Compassion and Feed
the Children are partnering for the next year to continue their
aid to these devastated New Yorkers. Their priority is to assist
those who have suddenly been left with no means of support by supplying
them with the things they need to survive: food, clothing, hope,
encouragement, comfort and consolation. John D. Nichols, Larry Jones
and David Lorency met in New York City to view the scene of the
tragedy and plan their course of action.
As recovery workers continue their cleanup operations, life goes
on. And Operation Compassion will be a part of that life, giving
physical and spiritual assistance, hope and comfort to those in
need—always at ground zero.
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