Iraq Aid Ready To Roll — $3 Will Help Keep One Child Healthy For Six Months

Baltimore, March 27, 2003 — As soon as the road is somewhat safe, 11 tons of soap and detergent for pediatric wards in Iraq will leave by truck from Amman, Jordan. The cargo is a gift of "All Our Children," a special campaign to raise $1 million for Iraqi children with critical health problems.

Three dollars worth of the soap in this shipment will help keep one child healthy for six months. The $47,000 hygiene project is aimed at nearly 15,000 sick and malnourished children. More soap, plus pamphlets to teach mothers about hygiene, is already in Baghdad for the project.

Trucking costs to Iraq have more than tripled in two weeks and insurance is no longer available, but CARE Iraq, the agency overseeing distribution in Iraq, says the items are urgently needed now. A small group of faith-based agencies including Lutheran World Relief manage the campaign and have raised $130,000 so far. They are seeking public donations to mount more projects.

Cleanliness is critical for children malnourished or suffering from diarrhea and related diseases which are widespread in Iraq and cause most infant deaths there, according to UNICEF. Since the last Gulf War, Iraq has seen the steepest rise in infant mortality in the world.

To contribute: Donations may be made by credit card via 800-number, on-line or by check. You may designate your gift: "Iraq/Mideast Crisis." Please consider making an unrestricted donation, which will enable LWR to use your gift where it is needed most.

Lutheran World Relief
P.O. Box 17061
Baltimore, MD 21298-9832
1-800-LWR-LWR-2
www.lwr.org/giving

LCMS World Relief
P.O. Box 66861
St. Louis, MO 63166-9810
1-888-930-4438

ELCA World Hunger Appeal
P.O. Box 71764
Chicago, IL 60694-1764
1-800-638-3522