Heart to Heart responds to refugees of Middle East conflict

OLATHE, Kan./July 27, 2006 — Heart to Heart International Inc., a leading global humanitarian organization, today said that it is responding to an international call to help refugees located in Cyprus and Jordan.

“As people fled from escalating violence in southern Lebanon, our response team went into action,” said Dr. Jeff DeGraffenreid, Heart to Heart’s vice president for Global Crisis Response. “Jews, Muslims and Christians—they all need our help and we’re responding with an immediate shipment of humanitarian aid.”

Last week, Heart to Heart started preparing for a possible crisis response to the region. Part of those preparations involved an assessment of humanitarian partners, available aid, and possible delivery channels. The organization received the “international 911” call this morning and is mobilizing medical aid and water-purification tablets.

The shipment is expected to depart Heart to Heart’s warehouse in Kansas City, Kan., early next week. Heart to Heart is also preparing for a long-term response and expects to send an assessment team to the region, once the violence has subsided.