In the Nick of Time

Pallets of critical supplies are loaded onto a plane bound for Beirut. Photo: Scott Dubin for Mercy Corps

Just hours after the Israeli Defense Force lifted its blockade on air traffic into Lebanon, a Boeing 747 filled with relief supplies touched down in Beirut. Mercy Corps, working in collaboration with the Embassy of Lebanon and the Hariri Foundation filled the aircraft to capacity with durable medical goods, pharmaceuticals and other relief supplies.

The Lebanese Embassy in Washington, D.C. initiated the flight to not only get aid into Lebanon, but also to provide a way for the Lebanese-American community to participate in Lebanon's relief and recovery process. The Embassy then turned to Mercy Corps' Material Aid Program for assistance in coordinating the flight and collecting donated goods. The cost of the airlift was shared by Mercy Corps and the Hariri Foundation.

Mercy Corps collected goods at a warehouse near Boston, Massachsetts. The warehouse's owner, Fowez Khoury, not only donated warehouse space, but also provided staff and equipment to help sort and prepare the donations for shipment to the airport.

Individuals, groups and non-governmental organizations all donated goods to the airlift. Alumni associations from the American University of Beirut were among the most active groups, gathering ten pallets of durable medical goods and pharmaceuticals for their alma mater.

Mercy Corps and the Hariri Foundation will use the donated materials to aid in relief and recovery efforts through their respective programs. The Hariri Foundation is also working with the Ministry of Health in Lebanon to identify beneficiaries such as hospitals, clinics and communities throughout Lebanon.

The relief flight was the second part of a two-part shipment facilitated by Mercy Corps. The first, a shipment of pharmaceuticals, was sent to the Hariri Foundation in Cyprus while the blockade was still in effect and transported by ferry to Lebanon.

The combined value of the donated goods from both flights was more than $8 million dollars.