Costa Rican President thanks Heart to Heart for rapid quake relief

OLATHE, Kan./February 23, 2009 — Heart to Heart International Inc., a leading global humanitarian organization, received high praise for its quick response to earthquake survivors in Costa Rica from the country’s highest official—President Oscar Arias Sanchez.

Dr. Jeff DeGraffenreid, Heart to Heart’s COO, and Jorge Coromac, program coordinator for Latin America, met with President Arias in Costa Rican capital of San José on Feb. 18.

The president and several government officials thanked Heart to Heart for providing rapid relief in the face of a challenging situation.

“We called hundreds of international agencies, including Heart to Heart,” said Mariangela Ortiz S.Directora, Despacho Apoyo Socia,Presidencia de la República. “That was Tuesday, January 19. By that Friday, the FedEx plane was touching down in San José and by Saturday we were distributing the aid to displaced people. We were impressed with the whole operation—from start to finish.”

Working with FedEx and Johnson & Johnson, Heart to Heart organized a shipment of emergency hygiene kits for people affected by the magnitude-6.1 earthquake that struck northwest of San José. The quake displaced thousands of people and put many at risk of airborne and water-borne diseases in the exposed environment.

At the Feb. 18 meeting, Dr. DeGraffenreid also shared the broader mission of Heart to Heart—creating a healthier world by tapping the energy of volunteers and the equity of strategic partners. Upon learning about the medical teams Heart to Heart deploys every year to improve global health, President Arias asked if the organization would send medical teams to rural parts of Costa Rica, where indigenous populations are still struggling from the aftereffects of the quake.

Heart to Heart is exploring the possibility of mobilizing medical volunteers to Costa Rica. People interested in participating in this prospective trip are encouraged to contact Heart to Heart at 913-764-5200.