Tag Archives: Global Aid and Disaster Relief

Hearts On Fire Unites Community for Wildfire Relief at West Hollywood Charity Drive

Celebrities, Philanthropists, and Volunteers Join Forces to Support Fire Victims

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Feb. 14, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Hearts On Fire, a coalition of nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists, is hosting a charity drive at A Divine H2O on Sunday, February 23, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. to provide essential aid to victims of the recent California wildfires.

Image caption: Hearts On Fire Unites Community for Wildfire Relief at West Hollywood Charity Drive.

This collaborative effort, led by Divine Project, Mekdela Global Outreach Foundation, KTM Events (Kiss The Monkeys), GoGirl Worldwide, and Assuaged Foundation, has garnered the support of notable public figures, including supermodel and philanthropist Toni Garrn, actor Miguel Núñez Jr., Queens/delegates of Virgelia Productions, and two former mayors of West Hollywood John M. Erickson and Sepi Shyne.

“We all have the power to bring hope and healing to those around us. I’m proud to support Hearts On Fire in providing critical resources for those affected by the California fires,” said Sepi Shyne, West Hollywood mayor 2023-24.

A UNIFIED EFFORT FOR RELIEF

The event will include a distribution of food, water, toiletries, and toys to impacted families, as well as opportunities for volunteers to assist in relief efforts. Community leaders will share words of encouragement, and entertainment will uplift spirits. The renowned Pava World Volunteers, known for their efficient disaster response, will assist with organizing and distributing donations.

Founded by Sofi Mamo, Dr. Azeb Bhutia, Jennifer Murphy, and Raquel Sanchez, Hearts On Fire unites experienced leaders in philanthropy and business to provide a rapid, effective, and trusted response to disaster relief efforts.

CHARITY DRIVE DETAILS

Location: A Divine H2O, 8539 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Time: 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Donation Distribution: Families in need will receive essential supplies.
Volunteer Engagement: Community members can help sort and distribute donations.
Live Entertainment & Guest Speakers: Influential leaders will share messages of hope.
Honoring First Responders: Firefighters and emergency personnel will be recognized for their bravery.

SUPPORTING AMERICAN LEGION POST 283’S RELIEF EFFORTS

All in-kind donations collected will be distributed through the American Legion Post 283 Distribution Center, ensuring that relief reaches those who need it most. This trusted center plays a crucial role in providing displaced individuals and families with essential supplies, shelter assistance, and ongoing support.

EXPANDING RELIEF EFFORTS BEYOND THE CHARITY DRIVE

The Hearts On Fire initiative extends beyond this event, with ongoing relief efforts, including:

Free Movie Premiere – “I Want To Be Neenja! The Movie”

Hosted by Jennifer Murphy “GoGirl,” this special screening will include giveaways for children and families affected by the wildfires.

Volunteer Coordination & Donation Sorting

Mobilizing volunteers to organize and distribute donations at designated relief centers.

Spring Benefit Gala & Art Auction (Date TBD)

A fundraising event to support wildfire victims and honor first responders, featuring a fashion show, live music, and an exclusive art auction hosted by royal Prince Mario-Max.

Summer Charity Gala (Date TBD)

A high-profile event to continue raising funds and awareness for long-term recovery efforts.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Donate Essential Items – Non-perishable food, toiletries, blankets, toys, and other necessities are needed.

Volunteer Your Time – Help with event logistics, donation sorting, solicit in-kind donations from corporations/privately-owned businesses, or community outreach.

Sponsor or Partner – Businesses can contribute by sponsoring a relief initiative or providing in-kind donations.

For more information, to volunteer email raquel@ktmevents.org or contact Raquel Sanchez at (323) 376-5976.

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Let’s unite, ignite hope, and support wildfire victims in rebuilding their lives. Join us at Hearts On Fire and be part of a community committed to making an impact.

MULTIMEDIA:

Hearts On Fire Promo Video on YouTube https://youtu.be/b3JBVUNZK5g

EVENT image link/flier: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/25-0214-s2p-honfire-300dpi.jpg

Promo image for media: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10Dtz4r0N3VHEl-K9homgGiYmKhPJFWQX/view

MEDIA CONTACT:
Raquel Sanchez
(323) 376-5976
raquel@ktmevents.org

NEWS SOURCE: Hearts On Fire

This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Hearts On Fire), who is solely responsible for its accuracy, by Send2Press Newswire. Image, if any, was provided by the news source and not this website or the wire service. Information is believed accurate, as provided by the news source, but is not guaranteed.

To view the original story, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/hearts-on-fire-unites-community-for-wildfire-relief-at-west-hollywood-charity-drive/

Pure Polymer Solutions Employee Runs Critical Supplies to Hurricane Victims in Pinellas

TAMPA BAY, Fla., Oct. 16, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — As Hurricane Helene & Milton wreaked havoc across Florida’s Gulf Coast, employees at Pure Polymer Solutions (PPS) took extraordinary action. Nick Strazzulla, a lead water treatment specialist at PPS, requested special permission from the company’s founder, Bob Davis, to use a company boat to deliver emergency supplies and assist in rescue operations in some of the hardest-hit areas, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Barrier Island, and Boca Ciega.

Image caption: Nick Strazzulla delivering emergency supplies by boat in Tampa Bay.

With permission granted and the company supplying fuel, Nick and team spent their time tirelessly volunteering to help neighbors and Pinellas community members in need. Accompanied by two medically trained volunteers – EMT and Marine Haley Crippen, and Army Veteran Trisha Perez – Nick ran multiple rescue missions, providing much-needed aid to residents trapped by floodwaters.

Among the many people Nick and his team assisted was Joe Mestas, who was in urgent need of heart medication before an upcoming surgery. Joe had left Barrier Island to check on his sister’s dog, Taffy, and found himself unable to return home due to impassable roads. Nick’s quick action ensured that Joe received his medication, allowing him to proceed with his surgery.

In addition to delivering essential supplies like food, water, and fuel, Nick and his team performed wellness checks on dozens of stranded residents. They responded to distress signals from an online resource called “Need Rescue Pinellas,” which listed individuals who were trapped, some on their roofs. On one of the missions, Nick and team transported a stranded individual to the hospital.

“When I heard about the storm’s impact, I knew I had to do something,” said Nick. “It wasn’t a part of my job description, but these were my neighbors, my community, and they needed help.”

Nick’s dedication didn’t go unnoticed, though he has remained humble about his efforts. “Nick came to me with the idea; it wasn’t something we asked of him. He wanted to help, and we were more than happy to support him,” said Bob Davis, founder of Pure Polymer Solutions. “But if you ask Nick, he’ll say he didn’t do anything special.”

PPS CEO Mitchell Stocki commended Nick and the team, stating, “It’s actions like these that make our Greater Tampa Bay community great. We’re proud of Nick and the selflessness he displayed, even though he seeks no recognition.”

Nick’s selfless efforts, alongside Haley Crippen and Trisha Perez, are a testament to the spirit of the Tampa Bay community and the company values of Pure Polymer Solutions. The team worked around the clock, saving lives, delivering supplies, and offering hope to those in desperate need.

Pure Polymer Solutions is honored to have employees like Nick who embody the company’s commitment to community, integrity, and service.

To learn more about Pure Polymer Solutions and the work they are doing, visit https://www.purepolymersolutions.com/awards-recognition.

About Pure Polymer Solutions:

Pure Polymer Solutions is a leader in environmental water treatment solutions, specializing in phosphate and nitrate removal. Our mission is to protect the world’s most valuable resource with integrity and provide service to our customers that is unparalleled.

For more information, visit https://www.purepolymersolutions.com/.

MULTIMEDIA:

Image link for media (Google Drive): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zNpiQUZ6yOq-ggX87dE9s4G5X8pXaFB_/view?usp=sharing

Image caption: Nick Strazzulla delivering emergency supplies by boat in Tampa Bay.

NEWS SOURCE: Pure Polymer Solutions

This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Pure Polymer Solutions), who is solely responsible for its accuracy, by Send2Press Newswire. Image, if any, was provided by the news source and not this website or the wire service. Information is believed accurate, as provided by the news source, but is not guaranteed.

To view the original story, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/pure-polymer-solutions-employee-runs-critical-supplies-to-hurricane-victims-in-pinellas/

Give A Hand Announces Relief Effort for Victims of 2024 Kenya Floods

300,000 Are Homeless, Hungry: The 'Right' Time to Help is Right Now

FRESNO, Calif., Oct. 8, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) –– In the wake of destructive flooding in Kenya and parts of Tanzania, East Africa this spring, nonprofit organization Give A Hand has issued a call for an intensive relief effort to aid impacted families. Give A Hand executives said that while a minimal amount of aid is trickling through, hundreds of thousands of flood victims remain in need.

Photo caption: Pictured: Florence Otieno Ogundo, Founder, Orongo Widows and Orphans Group working with Give A Hand to help victims of the Kenya floods.

“Raising awareness is our goal,” said Dr. Nelson Pichardo, Executive Director of Give A Hand. “The press isn’t really covering this. Nobody knows what’s going on and how many parents and their children are still homeless and starving in Kenya.”

The floods that rocked Kenya and toppled traditionally-built homes began in April and have resulted in nearly 315 deaths, at least 188 people injured, 38 still missing and nearly 300,000 homeless, according to United Nations OCHA.

“Many of these families are single-parent households: a mother and her children,” Pichardo pointed out. “They were already struggling before the flooding. These floods literally wiped houses out. Now these families have no place to go, and with a recent cholera outbreak, they need not just food and shelter but medical supplies. There’s a serious need.”

While the United Nations has allocated funds to aid the victims, “It’s not enough,” noted Pichardo. “These people have lost everything.”

MASSIVE RELIEF EFFORT IS UNDERWAY: “WE WANTED TO GIVE BACK”

Since its initial relief efforts through its portal giveahand.site, where donors are able to pledge aid, Give A Hand has raised approximately $24,000, executives noted.

“We have huge construction trucks going into the area because nothing else can get in,” Pichardo noted. The area remains impassable by other modes of transportation, he said, and families are stranded. “People don’t know where to go.”

Give A Hand, Inc. was born through generous seed money and support from World Workforce International, an international labor union, and Positiviti Lending, an international micro-lending platform that enables Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to thrive without outside assistance.

Give A Hand was created from our belief that individuals can work hard and pull themselves out of poverty. Our motto is: “We provide the opportunity; the individual creates the outcome.”

Pichardo noted, “We are creating long-term solutions to poverty through empowering, teaching skills, and lifting barriers to private entrepreneurship.”

But right now, “The people of Kenya are truly suffering,” Pichardo said. “So we organized this relief effort and are asking for help from people worldwide.”

HOW TO DONATE

With thousands of families still in need, Give A Hand is already busy delivering much-needed necessities whenever and wherever it can, company executives said.

Give A Hand currently has a goal of raising $2 million to give shelter, food and medicine to the flood victims.

“We hope to reach our final goal by Thanksgiving,” said Pichardo. “It would be a beautiful way to say ‘thank you’ to our generous donors. But we need to start right now.”

Individuals looking to help the relief effort can visit https://www.giveahand.site/landing/. Every dollar counts, and “every day that passes is critical,” according to Give A Hand executives.

GIVING THANKS: “GIVE A HAND (IS EASING) OUR BURDEN”

As a poignant testimonial to these efforts, affected families have already begun expressing their gratitude via emails to the organization.

“Managing a household of eight, the support from Give A Hand was truly a lifeline during the flood crisis,” said Jacob Omandi. The supplies provided not only sustained us, but also provided a sense of security amidst the challenges we faced.”

“With five children to look after, the flood disaster left us without basic necessities and in a state of uncertainty,” expressed Sharon Anyango. “(Give A Hand’s) generosity brought a sense of relief and gratitude to our hearts.”

And Austine Owino wrote, “Ensuring (my six children’s) wellbeing amidst the flood crisis was my top priority. The assistance from Give A Hand greatly eased our burden.”

While it’s a great start, “Every day, people are hungry and in need of medical care,” Pichardo pointed out. “The ‘right’ time to help is right now.”

ABOUT GIVE A HAND:

Based in Fresno, California, Give A Hand’s mission and vision is to ameliorate poverty by providing individuals with knowledge and access to financial services and literacy, and to overcome basic human needs that impede access to such knowledge.

Give A Hand achieves its goals by creating and delivering initiatives in different regions or countries in the world, Kenya is their first effort. These initiatives create access to microfinance services, financial literacy and the creation of micro-businesses. It also addresses basic needs such as food, water, and education because they present a barrier to successfully implement these microfinance and financial literacy interventions.

For more information or to donate visit https://www.giveahand.site/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (Vimeo) https://vimeo.com/1016193767

PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/24-1008-s2p-gah-ogundo-300dpi.jpg

Photo caption: Pictured: Florence Otieno Ogundo, Founder, Orongo Widows and Orphans Group working with Give A Hand to help victims of the Kenya floods.

NEWS SOURCE: Give A Hand

This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Give A Hand), who is solely responsible for its accuracy, by Send2Press Newswire. Image, if any, was provided by the news source and not this website or the wire service. Information is believed accurate, as provided by the news source, but is not guaranteed.

To view the original story, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/give-a-hand-announces-relief-effort-for-victims-of-2024-kenya-floods/

Random Acts, Creation Entertainment Announce Fundraiser In Response To Maui Wildfires

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- In response to the Maui Wildfires that took place in Hawai'i on August 8, 2023, Creation Entertainment is partnering with Random Acts to help raise funding for rebuilding efforts in Maui. Random Acts is announcing a fundraising goal of $25,000 USD in disaster recovery to rebuild and support. Creation Entertainment, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Misha Collins will match all donations until the $25,000 goal is reached.

"We saw the devastation in Maui and immediately wanted to help. When Creation Entertainment proposed this matching fund in partnership with Random Acts, Jared, Jensen, and I were 100% on board," said Misha Collins, President of Random Acts.

"In an era when natural catastrophes are commonplace, it's critical that we respond swiftly when disaster strikes. The Natural Disaster Recovery Fund will not only allow Random Acts to work mindfully with Hawai'ians to support Maui's recovery, but will also empower Random Acts supporters to help people impacted by future natural disasters worldwide."

Random Acts recognizes the island Mauias sacred land, and will work closely with the Maui community to determine needs in affected areas.

"Creation Entertainment joins Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and our global fan audience in support of the Maui community in the aftermath of the Lahaina disaster. We come together to offer our love and financial support at this difficult time," said Adam Malin, Co-CEO Creation Entertainment.

"The Hawaiian people are strong and resilient, and with the help of our sisters and brothers around the world we will help them rebuild their lives and homes in the spirit of aloha."

Read more or donate now. - https://give.randomacts.org/campaign/random-acts-for-maui/c513404

Random Acts' History of Disaster Recovery Efforts:

Random Acts has a strong history of responding to disasters. By harnessing the power of kindness around the world, Random Acts can reach large communities, spearhead rebuilding efforts, and provide real-time help to those in need.

About Random Acts:

Random Acts is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides grant support for Random Acts of kindness all over the world. Created by actor Misha Collins in 2010 with the mission of "Changing the world one random act of kindness at a time," Random Acts aims to create social change by facilitating and promoting acts of kindness in communities.

Learn more: https://www.randomacts.org/

Creation Entertainment:

Creation Entertainment is an entertainment company that produces fan conventions for fans of various films and television series. Creation Entertainment hosts about 20 conventions annually in various locations such as Chicago, Illinois; and Burbank, California. Creation was founded in 1971 by comic book fans Gary Berman and Adam Malin in New York City. Learn more: https://www.creationent.com/.

In response to the Maui Wildfires that took place in Hawai'i on August 8, 2023, Creation Entertainment is partnering with Random Acts to help raise funding for rebuilding efforts in Maui. Random Acts is announcing a fundraising goal of $25,000 USD in disaster recovery to rebuild and support. Creation Entertainment, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Misha Collins will match all donations until the $25,000 goal is reached.

Related link: https://www.randomacts.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Year in Review: Disaster Response Teams Reach Out With Help

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- For more than 40 years, Scientology Volunteer Ministers have responded to natural and manmade disasters. And this year was no exception. The year had no sooner started than a massive mudslide devastated Quito, Ecuador. The worst downpour in nearly two decades unleashed a torrent of water, mud, rock and debris that toppled houses, swept away motorcycles and cars, and left thousands stranded. Scientology Volunteer Ministers helped with the cleanup and provided supplies to those in need.

Volunteer Ministers responded to the refugee crisis in Eastern Europe, with more than 17 million fleeing Ukraine, most of them taking refuge in nearby countries. Working in coordination with aid organizations, volunteers from across Europe including Italy, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and Germany raised donations and collected and transported urgently needed supplies, provided transportation to temporary quarters, worked at distribution points and manned shelters.

More than 3,000 miles away in Pakistan, Volunteer Ministers mobilized to respond to catastrophic floods that left a third of the country submerged. Thousands were stranded without access to first aid or needed medical care. To help remedy this, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers organized teams of doctors and nurses who traveled to remote regions and provided care. They also brought food, water and other emergency supplies.

More than 700 Volunteer Ministers responded to the devastation of the 150-mph winds and 13-foot storm surge of Hurricane Ian. Teams cut down damaged trees, providing access to communities cut off by the storm's destruction, helped locate valuables, shored up and protected homes and worked on the arduous muck out and cleanup of homes that could be salvaged. Others manned temporary shelters, and organized and distributed water, food, hygiene and baby supplies, and other urgently needed items.

Wherever they go, Volunteer Ministers care for the emotional and spiritual needs of the victims. They help them prevail over loss and grief, regroup, and confront the future. They use Scientology assists, techniques developed by humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma. And they share the Scientology Tools for Life, a series of online films and courses that train people in skills they can use to help others overcome the difficulties they are faced with in the aftermath of disaster.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces. Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, calling on Scientologists to use what they know to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man, has inspired tremendous growth in the Volunteer Ministers movement.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

For more information on the technology used by the Volunteer Minister, watch Scientology Tools for Life on the Scientology Network at DIRECTV 320 or at www.Scientology.tv.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.org/our-help-is-yours/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

For more than 40 years, Scientology Volunteer Ministers have responded to natural and manmade disasters. And this year was no exception. The year had no sooner started than a massive mudslide devastated Quito, Ecuador.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Assist Team Brings Help to Their Country in Its Time of Need

KARACHI, Pakistan /ScoopCloud/ -- In a country as prone to cataclysm and disaster as Pakistan, some might say there is not much you can count on except bad news. But Perwaiz Hasan and the Scientology Assist Team are the exception to that rule.

The team has been providing relief in the wake of disasters for more than a decade and responded immediately to this year's floods that left a third of the country under water.

They have visited towns rarely mentioned in Western news: In Bhittai and Qasimabad, they brought food and clothing to some 500 people stranded by the flood. They brought relief to the towns of Zhob, Dadu, and Dera Ismail Khan. They have traveled across the provinces of Punjab and Sindh.

"We really felt honored to visit the most neglected province, Baluchistan," said Perwaiz Hasan, who leads Pakistan's Scientology Assist Team. The team was warned that the area was unsafe. "But it wasn't true," said Hasan. "The people in that area were very friendly and welcoming, and they were really happy we came."

With flooding comes a host of medical complications.

"Standing water is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, which are currently spreading malaria and dengue fever in Pakistan," said Richard Brennan, regional emergency director for the eastern Mediterranean region at the World Health Organization. "Respiratory illnesses are rampant. And toxic floodwaters have caused skin infections and scabies."

The Scientology Assist Team includes a corps of medical doctors and nurses who provide medical camps to care for those in need.

After addressing immediate physical needs, the Pakistan Volunteer Assist Team provides Scientology assists-techniques developed by humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma. And they share the Scientology Tools for Life, a series of online films and courses that provide skills to help people overcome difficulties and better their circumstances.

For more than a decade, Perwaiz Hasan and his team have been responding to disasters in Pakistan including monsoon-driven floods and the 7.5 earthquake of 2015. His team members have also deployed to disasters abroad, including the Nepal earthquake of 2015 and a tsunami and volcano in Jakarta in 2018.

In 2012, the International Association of Scientologists awarded Hasan the Freedom Medal, presented to Scientologists for stellar accomplishments in forwarding the dignity and freedom of all humankind, thus furthering the Church's humanitarian objectives.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces. Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, calling on Scientologists to use what they know to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man, has inspired tremendous growth in the Volunteer Ministers movement.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

For more information on the technology used by the Volunteer Minister, watch Scientology Tools for Life on the Scientology Network at DIRECTV 320 or at www.Scientology.tv.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/AhsOspn7BP4

In a country as prone to cataclysm and disaster as Pakistan, some might say there is not much you can count on except bad news. But Perwaiz Hasan and the Scientology Assist Team are the exception to that rule.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Disaster Response Team: ‘Florida Storm Victims Still Need Help’

CLEARWATER, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue their response in Southwest Florida to help those still struggling to recover from the worst storm to hit the area since 1935. When Hurricane Ian rampaged through Southwest Florida with 155 mph winds, it left devastation in its wake, killing at least 102 and creating economic havoc. As few as 9.4 percent of those living in some devastated areas are covered by flood insurance. Scientology Volunteer Ministers have been providing disaster relief since the storm passed through the region and their work is far from over.

"We came across a lot of people whose houses were demolished," said a Volunteer Minister who was among the first to arrive in the area. "They were without running water or power, so the water we handed out was super appreciated. We came up to a mobile home park that was totally demolished. As we were driving by, a woman was standing by the side of her home and we asked if she needed water. She didn't, but she desperately needed ice for her insulin or it would go bad."

The entire area was without power. The Volunteer Ministers had no idea where to get ice, so they drove around and finally found a store with enough ice to tide her over.

Volunteer Ministers equipped with chainsaws took on clearing away fallen trees and hanging branches. They cleared out streets so people could get into and out of their homes. They helped move families out of flooded areas to shelters or friends' homes.

It took another team of Volunteer Ministers many hours to clean out the debris from a woman's home and around her property. They sent her pictures of the house when they were done and she called them in tears, thanking them for their help. They cut down a tree that had fallen on another house and helped a 97-year-old veteran clear away the storm damage that covered his home.

Now two weeks later, there are still so many people in need of help, and the Volunteer Ministers continue to serve in North Port, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers and Orlando.

"We've been using the Crisis Clean-up website where people needing assistance can register for help," said one of the Volunteer Ministers. Using this site, they were directed to a trailer park. "It was heavily hit by the hurricane and several homes were severely damaged. We cleared away debris, cut down fallen trees, cleaned off roofs, and helped tarp the side of a house that had been ripped off, providing the home shelter from the elements."

Whether serving in their communities or on the other side of the world, the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Minister is "Something can be done about it." The program, created by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in the mid-1970s, is sponsored by the Church of Scientology International as a religious social service and constitutes one of the world's most significant independent relief forces.

The Volunteer Minister "helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others."

Tampa Bay Volunteer Ministers earned their reputation as "Hurricane Heroes" with an award from the Governor of Florida after their response to Hurricane Charlie in 2004: "This certificate is presented to Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Tampa Bay Hurricane Heroes, in recognition of exemplary efforts that not only benefit your local community but also lend truth to the belief that all citizens of Florida can make a difference in the lives of those they serve," it states.

They have continued to serve, responding to Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005 and every local hurricane since, most recently Irma in 2017, Michael and Florence in 2018, as well as Hurricane Harvey in Texas in 2017, Maria in Puerto Rico in 2018, and Dorian in the Bahamas in 2019.

In June 2016, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige dedicated the center for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Florida, along with a Scientology information center and six other humanitarian centers in downtown Clearwater. He said, "In times of disaster, whether affecting whole populations or a single household, our Volunteer Ministers prove on a daily basis that 'something can be done about it.' We do not discriminate. We do not judge. All we care to do is help. And, as demonstrated time and again, we deliver that help anywhere and everywhere."

For more information on the technology used by the Volunteer Minister in confronting and handling disasters, watch Scientology Tools for Life on the Scientology Network at DIRECTV 320 or at www.Scientology.tv.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.org/our-help-is-yours/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue their response in Southwest Florida to help those still struggling to recover from the worst storm to hit the area since 1935. When Hurricane Ian rampaged through Southwest Florida with 155 mph winds, it left devastation in its wake, killing at least 102 and creating economic havoc.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

31 dogs saved from a dog-meat breeding farm in China have arrived in the United States following year long CDC dog ban

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- China Rescue Dogs, a 501(c)(3) organization, committed to rescuing and saving dogs from the slaughterhouses, meat trade, abuse, and neglect in China, has rescued into the U.S. the first large shipments of dogs from China following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dog ban.

"This truly was a global effort with teams from China, Canada and the United States all coming together to save these dogs from slaughter," acknowledged Jill Stewart, President and Founder of China Rescue Dogs.

The dogs were all saved in April 2022 from a dog meat breeding farm in China. Their rescue was featured by People: https://people.com/pets/china-rescue-dogs-saving-golden-retrievers-corgis/

"To know these dogs now have a second chance at life and will experience love for the first time, makes all the time spent on a project like this worthwhile," said Brandy Cherven, Vice President of China Rescue Dogs. "They were being sent to the slaughterhouse when we stepped in and saved them."

The dogs have spent the last three weeks stationed in Vancouver, Canada waiting for the final leg of their journey." Stewart adds, "We could not have accomplished this mission without the help of David MacNeil, CEO of WeatherTech, Nordstrom's, Dog is My CoPilot, and all our supporters. Dog is My CoPilot is a nonprofit that saves dogs from high kill shelters. The flight from Canada into the U.S. was their first international transport."

There are 10 other rescue organizations that have helped find these pups their forever homes. Of the 31 survivors now in the U.S., 16 are Golden Retrievers and 15 are Frenchie's and Pugs. Other dogs from the April 2022 rescue have already been adopted in Canada.

On July 14, 2021, the CDC suspended dogs imported from 113 countries, including China, due to the potential risk of spreading the canine rabies virus variant (CRVV.) Since that time, China Rescue Dogs has been saving dogs into Canada. This flight marks the first time since the CDC Dog Ban that a large shipment of dogs were granted permission to come into the U.S.

"We have worked closely with the CDC and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to guarantee that all the dogs are healthy, properly vaccinated and tested against canine rabies," said Stewart. "We are honored that our best practices of doing what is best for the dogs was rewarded with their entry into the U.S."

If you would like more information on China Rescue Dogs, or to support their mission, please go to: https://chinarescuedogs.org/.

hina Rescue Dogs, a 501(c)(3) organization, committed to rescuing and saving dogs from the slaughterhouses, meat trade, abuse, and neglect in China, has rescued into the U.S. the first large shipments of dogs from China following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dog ban.

Related link: https://chinarescuedogs.org/

Scientology Assist Team Helps Pakistan Flood Victims in Need of Care

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- In response to unprecedented flooding in Pakistan, described by the UN as a climate catastrophe, Scientology volunteers continue providing urgently needed supplies and health care in their outreach to affected communities.

With a third of the country under water and authorities predicting it could take six months for floodwaters to recede in areas hardest hit, Scientology Volunteer Assist Teams continue providing help.

Waterborne and other diseases pose a serious threat to these communities, so the doctors hold a medical camp in each village they visit and administer care.

"We arranged a medical camp in a village in Hyderabad," said Perwaiz Hasan, who leads the Scientology Assist Teams. "No help has reached this area so far. Flood victims said we are the first ones."

They had to come through swampland to survey the damaged homes.

"Their suffering is real. The damage is real. They are in great need of help," said Hasan.

They delivered food and water, and doctors on the team set up a clinic to provide first aid and medicine.

A few days later the team arrived in another village. They came at the invitation of two local teachers who thanked them not only for the medical care, food and supplies they brought but also for giving the children balls and bats, which were a huge hit with the kids.

At another nearby village, what was most appreciated was the mosquito repellent and nets they brought.

Food, water and other urgently needed supplies have not arrived in these remote villages. The Scientology Volunteer Assist Team has been raising donations and bringing supplies to the villages they visit.

In addition to performing medical examinations and distributing needed medicine, the volunteers train villagers to help each other using simple Scientology assists-techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that speed recovery by addressing the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma. One young girl who had a stomachache didn't know what to think of the technique. But the volunteer continued to administer it and after a short while, the girl looked very surprised. The stomach pain was gone.

This was the first medical camp one of the doctors participated in. "She was very thankful to us," said Hasan. She plans to join them as they continue their outreach.

Modern technology has been of major assistance to the volunteer team. Using their Facebook and WhatsApp they have been able to collect donated items including clothes, food and water to distribute to the communities they visit.

Their van driver was so taken with the volunteers that he took one of their bright yellow T-shirts for the next time "because I want to continue working with you as a volunteer," he said.

Members of the Scientology Volunteer Assist Team of Pakistan have studied the Scientology Tools for Life, a series of 19 courses, many of which include vital skills for responding to disasters. This is the basic training for the Scientology Volunteer Minister. It increases their communication skills and enables them to bring order to the chaos of disaster sites.

For more than a decade, Perwaiz Hasan and his team have been responding to disasters in Pakistan and other countries in South Asia and beyond. His humanitarian work earned him the Freedom Medal of the International Association of Scientologists in 2012.

Scientology: Tools for Life is a filmed introduction to the basic principles and technology that comprise the training these volunteers use. These films are available on the Scientology Network. Tools for Life courses are available free of charge on the Scientology website. They include practical skills anyone may learn and use to overcome problems, live a happier life, and better the lives of those around them.

Available on DIRECTV Channel 320, the Scientology Network can also be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

In response to unprecedented flooding in Pakistan, described by the UN as a climate catastrophe, Scientology volunteers continue providing urgently needed supplies and health care in their outreach to affected communities.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Assist Team Provides Help and Medical Care to Pakistan Flood Victims

KARACHI, Pakistan /ScoopCloud/ -- Responding to catastrophic floods that have left a third of the country submerged, a team of Scientology volunteers including doctors and other medical personnel are providing relief.

Since June, heavy monsoon rains and melting glaciers have inundated Pakistan in one of the worst disasters in the country's history. Millions are stranded. More than 1,200 have died. Nearly a third of the casualties are children. Volunteers from Pakistan's Scientology Volunteer Assist Team are bringing relief and medical care to those in need.

Lead volunteer Perwaiz Hasan mobilized his team to deliver food, water and clothing to flood survivors in shelters in Karachi.

There has been an outbreak of waterborne disease that can cause serious illness or death, and those who suffered injuries also need medical care. Doctors and other trained medical professionals on the team set up medical stations at the shelters where they examine those affected and administer needed care.

Children are often the hardest hit by disasters like these. So in addition to caring for the physical needs of those displaced by the floods, team members engage the children in extroverting activities to orient them in their current environment and bring them relief from the stress they have experienced.

Members of the team have studied the Scientology Tools for Life, a series of 19 courses, many of which include vital skills for responding to disasters. This training increases their communication skills and enables them to bring order to the chaos of disaster sites. The volunteers provide assists - techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma.

For more than a decade, Perwaiz Hasan and his team have been responding to disasters in Pakistan and other countries in South Asia and beyond. His humanitarian work earned him the Freedom Medal of the International Association of Scientologists in 2012.

The Scientology Network Scientology: Tools for Life is a filmed introduction to the basic principles and technology that comprise the training these volunteers use. Tools for Life courses are available free of charge on the Scientology website. They include practical skills anyone may learn and use to overcome problems, live a happier life, and better the lives of those around them.

Available on DIRECTV Channel 320, the Scientology Network can also be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

Responding to catastrophic floods that have left a third of the country submerged, a team of Scientology volunteers including doctors and other medical personnel are providing relief.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Mobile Truck Mounted Medical POD to Aid Sick and Wounded Ukrainian Civilians Hand Off Event to United Help Ukraine

WASHINGTON, D.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- Pacific Engineering Inc. (PEI) has joined forces with United Help Ukraine (UHU), Gaithersburg, MD to take a small, but critical step to provide much-needed care to Kharkiv's sick and wounded. PEI is honored to make a contribution to UHU by donating a truck-mounted Rapid On Demand - Portable Medical Platform (ROD-PMP™) to provide emergency medical assistance in Ukraine.

This is an urgent need as thousands of sick and wounded civilians and refugees urgently need medical care. The dire need for medical care is felt especially in "de-occupied territories in the beleaguered Kharkiv region," said Maryna Baydyuk, President of UHU.

UHU & PEI are conducting a handoff event in front of the Holodomor Memorial, Washington, DC on June 21, 2022, at 3 p.m. ET.

The memorial is located near the U.S. Capitol at the intersection of North Capitol St. and Massachusetts Ave. This location was chosen due to the historical significance of the Holodomor Memorial to five plus million Victims of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide during 1932-33. This memorial has become a rallying point for US-Ukraine popular opposition against the Russian/Ukraine war. PEI's PODs can be a game changer for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, reaching large numbers of people in a short amount of time.

PEI, in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, first transformed the unique, lightweight, sandwich-composite technology, originally built for other purposes developed by using Navy Small Business Innovative Research initiatives, into safe and transportable COVID-19 testing PODS in 2020. The mobile PODS were deployed and used in Washington DC, Baltimore, MD Virginia Beach, VA and Omaha and Lincoln, NE during the height of the pandemic. Rear Admiral Osie V. Combs, Jr., USN (Ret.), President of PEI stressed the truck-mounted unit is part of a series of mobile units, including trailer-mounted and portable units that can be repurposed and provided to UHU for rapid deployment to Ukraine.

UHU was started in 2014 by a small group of people who had a personal connection to Ukraine in Washington, DC. UHU has been actively providing aid through services such as medical supplies (first aid kits and hospital equipment), personal protection equipment for medical and survival needs, portable surgical lighting, and armored ambulances.

In all, approximately 45 tons of supplies have been shipped to Ukraine with the continued assistance and hard work of UHU members and supporters. UHU provides medical aid and humanitarian relief to brave Ukrainians defending themselves. Its dozens of volunteers have prepared and shipped more than 7,000 medical kits for Ukrainian soldiers and collected thousands of pounds of food and medical supplies for civilians.

"When the Russian invasion began, we were appalled by the deliberate devastation of Ukrainian medical facilities. We immediately began to consider how we could apply our experience from developing COVID-19 PODS, expertise, and technology to help Ukrainians treat their wounded and sick civilians," Combs added.

PEI's mobile PODs can be available to communities, hospitals, agencies, NGO's and humanitarian organizations throughout the United States. The truck-mounted POD is outfitted with two clinic-type treatment areas as well as ample cabinet storage for medical supplies. Its extreme mobility allows the POD to move to numerous locations easily, quickly, and efficiently. Our design and manufacturing facility stands ready to provide POD systems within weeks of order placement.

All POD units utilize composite materials which have excellent properties that are lightweight, corrosion resistant, and easy to maintain. These units are deployable in all seasons, environments and are designed to be used for portable hospitals. PEI has designed the truck-mounted POD that can be customized to meet specific user needs and a focus to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

ABOUT PEI:

Pacific Engineering, Inc. (PEI), is a high-tech small business located outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. Since 1998, PEI has been a leading designer and manufacturer of advanced composite structures.

Learn more https://www.peipods.com

Pacific Engineering Inc. (PEI) has joined forces with United Help Ukraine (UHU), Gaithersburg, MD to take a small, but critical step to provide much-needed care to Kharkiv's sick and wounded. PEI is honored to make a contribution to UHU by donating a truck-mounted Rapid On Demand - Portable Medical Platform (ROD-PMP™) to provide emergency medical assistance in Ukraine.

Related link: https://www.pacificengineeringinc.com/

How a Scientology Volunteer Minister from Nepal Brought Help to His Nation

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Seven years ago this month, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal. A Scientology Volunteer Minister led rescue workers, Scouts and volunteers who arrived from across the world on a mission to save lives.

Within 24 hours of the earthquake that rocked Nepal on April 25, 2015, killing some 8,800, Scientology Volunteer Minister Binod Sharma mobilized an emergency response team in Kathmandu. He led his volunteers as they combed through the rubble of his ravaged city for survivors. And he went on to lead an international team of rescue workers and volunteers to help his people. His story is documented in an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.

Sharma acted as interpreter for Los Topos, the famous Mexican search and rescue team, and Colombia's National Circle of Aid Technicians (CINAT), who were brought to Nepal by Volunteer Ministers international headquarters in Los Angeles. And he coordinated their activities with the work of Volunteer Ministers arriving from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and as far away as Australia, Denmark and America.

Among those arriving were EMTs, nurses and doctors, and Sharma's team helped them provide needed medical care and first aid to those injured by the quake in Kathmandu. And the Volunteer Ministers went with them to remote towns and villages cut off by rubble and the remains of destroyed vehicles that blocked the roads through treacherous mountain passes.

They provided food and temporary shelter and helped rebuild homes and schools.

Sharma led his teams across forgotten villages and districts hit by disaster, ultimately bringing help to 4 million Nepalese. And to bring permanent help, he established a Volunteer Minister headquarters in Kathmandu training more than 150 Volunteer Minister groups across his nation.

In recognition of Sharnma's humanitarian work, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige presented him with the International Association of Scientologists Freedom Medal in 2017.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/binod-sharma.html

Seven years ago this month, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal. A Scientology Volunteer Minister led rescue workers, Scouts and volunteers who arrived from across the world on a mission to save lives. Sharma acted as interpreter for Los Topos, the famous Mexican search and rescue team.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

How a Scientology Volunteer Minister and a Christian Priest Worked Together to Help Uganda

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- At an open house at the Church of Scientology Amsterdam earlier this month, held in commemoration of World Civil Defense Day, Volunteer Minister Jan-Maarten Kruijt introduced those attending to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program. He shared how he and a Christian priest worked together to help Uganda communities overcome challenges and increase sustainability.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service founded in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Kruijt recently went to Uganda to help Rev. Samuel Richard Sembuya establish and train a new Volunteer Ministers group.

Last year, Rev. Sembuya came across the Scientology website on the Internet and enrolled on one of its free online Tools for Life courses.

On completing the first course, Sembuya felt so empowered with what he learned, he continued taking one after another and rapidly learned all 19 subjects.

The priest formed a local Volunteer Ministers group and reached out to the international headquarters of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers whose website offers on-site seminars.

Rev. Sembuya and his team confront many challenges. UNICEF estimates that 55 percent of children in Uganda age 0-4 live in poverty and 24 percent in extreme poverty. Some 20,000 people are crowded into eight slum areas around Jinja.

"A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence," wrote Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in announcing the Volunteer Ministers program. "Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

The courses Rev. Sembuya completed are the backbone of this training.

Jan-Maarten Kruijt always wanted to use his Volunteer Minister skills in Africa. So when he learned from a friend about Rev. Sembuya's request, he volunteered to go.

Kruijt told those gathered for the Civil Defense Day open house of his adventures in Uganda, where Sembuya had booked three weeks of daily seminars and meetings for his new friend. First Kruijt trained the priest's new disaster response group in each chapter of the Scientology Handbook, the textbook of the Volunteer Minister. There was plenty of practical experience in each of the skills they learned.

Kruijt went out with the group to supervise them as they used these tools in their community outreach until they were confident in the application of the technology and able to train others in its use.

The Jinja fire and police departments worked closely with the new Volunteer Ministers group, calling on them to help at fires and traffic accidents.

Kruijt also provided a seminar to teachers at a school where he trained them on the Technology of Study developed by Mr. Hubbard.

"In Uganda, I saw a lot of conflict among different religious and political groups," says Kruijt. "People are looking for something that can connect them across these lines - something they can believe in, regardless of what else they believe. More and more people are finding this now in the technology of Scientology."

The Church of Scientology Amsterdam provides open house events and other programs where community leaders, officials, nonprofits and other religious groups can work together to overcome challenges and provide service to the greater community.

The Church of Scientology Amsterdam is an Ideal Scientology Organization, configured to provide ideal facilities to service Scientologists on their ascent to greater states of spiritual freedom and to serve as a home for the entire community and a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift people of all denominations. The new Church was dedicated by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in October 2017.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.volunteerministers.org/solutions/

https://www.scientology-amsterdam.org/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

At an open house at the Church of Scientology Amsterdam earlier this month, held in commemoration of World Civil Defense Day, Volunteer Minister Jan-Maarten Kruijt introduced those attending to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program. He shared how he and a Christian priest worked together to help Uganda communities overcome challenges and increase sustainability.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Disaster Response Team Helps Quito Dig Out After Devastating Landslide

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Ecuador are working with rescue workers and cleanup crews to help the city recover.

The worst downpour in nearly two decades unleashed a landslide on Quito's La Gasca and La Comuna neighborhoods January 31 to February 1. A torrent of water, mud, rock and debris crashed down the slopes of Pichincha Volcano, toppling houses and killing 24. Waves of mud lifted motorcycles and cars and swept them away.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers coordinated with officials, disaster response specialists Los Topos Azteca, and other emergency personnel who are working to help those affected by the disaster.

With the whole area engulfed in mud, Volunteer Ministers in their bright yellow T-shirts grabbed shovels and worked with cleanup crews to clear the roads.

They distributed clothing donated by a local factory to families who lost their possessions in the disaster. They brought donated food and supplies to victims and rescue crews.

The Volunteer Ministers of Ecuador headquarters is the Church of Scientology Mission of Quito.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is, no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

RELATED LINKS:

http://www.quito.scientologymissions.org/

https://www.volunteerministers.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Ecuador are working with rescue workers and cleanup crews to help the city recover. The worst downpour in nearly two decades unleashed a landslide on Quito's La Gasca and La Comuna neighborhoods January 31 to February 1.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientologists Support Human Fraternity This Week and Throughout the Year

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Churches are active and committed supporters of interfaith action and the right of all people to practice their own religious beliefs. This week is World Interfaith Harmony Week and the 2nd anniversary of International Day of Human Fraternity. These are concepts central to the Scientology religion. In the Creed of the Church of Scientology, Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, "We of the Church Believe...That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance."

These interfaith activities take many forms, but the common theme is the importance of working together for the good of all.

Whether it's hosting a Day of Peace for the city's Interfaith Council at the Church of Scientology Sacramento, an interfaith human rights conference at the Church of Scientology Melbourne, or taking part in a virtual interfaith gathering in Nashville or Pasadena, the message is clear: working together, religions are a powerful and needed force in society today.

From Kansas City, Los Angeles and Orlando, to Milan, Budapest and Tel Aviv, through the darkest days of the pandemic, Scientologists worked with other faiths on food drives and to provide prescriptions and other essential supplies to those in need.

When the pandemic struck, the Church of Scientology International encouraged people of all faiths or none to understand and apply the most effective protocols to prevent the spread of the virus by setting up the How to Stay Well Prevention Resource Center. Educational booklets and dozens of videos in 21 languages make it easy to understand how to protect oneself, friends and families. Scientology Volunteer Ministers distributed more than 10 million copies of these booklets in their communities.

Volunteer Ministers from England to Panama and Germany to

Mexico helped houses of worship protect their parishioners by sanitizing churches, mosques and gurdwaras. And protecting people of all faiths and cultures, the Volunteer Ministers of South Africa have sanitized more than 68,000 buildings including government offices, army bases, municipal buildings, clinics, hospitals, orphanages, shelters, churches, and some 1.2 million taxis, buses, ambulances and fire trucks throughout all levels of lockdown.

"Religion is the first sense of community," wrote Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in an article titled "Religious Influence in Society," in which he announced the creation of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program in the mid-1970s. He described the Volunteer Minister as "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others."

"If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it," he wrote, and he provided tools to help anyone do so through 19 brief courses based on his research into the mind, spirit and life.

These courses are available free of charge in 18 languages through the Scientology website. Called Scientology "Tools for Life," they are introduced by a series of videos also available through the Scientology Network.

For more information, visit the Scientology website - https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Churches are active and committed supporters of interfaith action and the right of all people to practice their own religious beliefs. This week is World Interfaith Harmony Week and the 2nd anniversary of International Day of Human Fraternity.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

China Rescue Dogs, A Non-Profit Organization, Leads Fight to Save Dogs from Chinese Meat Trade in the face of CDC Import Ban

VASS, N.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- China Rescue Dogs, a leading American 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue, has been recognized for its efforts to save dogs from the Chinese meat trade. Over the past year, China Rescue Dogs has been rescuing and rehabilitating dogs from China and providing them with loving homes in the United States and Canada.

"Working with trusted rescues and shelters in China, our mission is to remove the dogs from imminent harm, treat the physical and psychological injuries from severe abuse and neglect, and socialize the dogs so that they can be integrated into loving family environments," remarked Jill Stewart, President, and Founder of China Rescue Dogs. "We also shine a light on the dog meat trade in China and other countries and, thereby, encourage others to advocate for the end of the dog meat trade and speak up for those who have no voice."

China Rescue Dogs' efforts were recently hampered by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention import ban, which effectively halted the imports of all dogs from 113 countries, including China. Issued without input from dog rescue groups, the ban has hurt the missions of international non-profit rescues, including the dogs they serve and forced dogs recused from China to be redirected to Canada. This has had a chilling effect on tens of thousands of animals, which only continues to grow as the ban remains in effect.

"Since the import ban, our rescue is among many others that have had to find a new normal," remarked Jill. "Our choices were limited and grim, but China Rescue Dogs has remained committed to saving dogs from China regardless of how we got it done. While rerouting dogs to Canada is the logical choice, costs have been exuberant," she added.

The growing international cargo crisis has tripled the cost of transporting dogs on cargo airplanes, which has increased China Rescue Dogs' reliance on donations from the international community. Without community support, funding shortages require organizations to make difficult choices and leave some dogs behind.

"Our shelters in China are reaching their maximum capacity, which means we will not be able to move the dogs out of China which will lead to the brutal slaughter of helpless dogs. Moreover, with the Yulin Dog Meat Festival beginning June 21st and CDC ban still in place, tens of thousands of dogs will be slaughtered. Thinking about this is gut-wrenching," said Jill.

Canada is providing immense support to this mission by opening its borders and assisting us in finding homes for these dogs. They support the organization and other U.S. rescue groups until the CDC ban is lifted or another resolution is found. "After I looked into the eyes of our dogs in China shelters, that is when we decided to reach out to our Canadian friends. Fortunately for the dogs and us, our rescue has been received with welcoming kindness," said Jill.

The past two years have been challenging for everyone around the globe. The world has seen pandemic challenges no one could have predicted. U.S. International dog rescue nonprofits have experienced extreme obstacles in carrying out their missions within the past six months.

"What these past six months have personally taught is never to give up! Although we have had to deal with many obstacles, our dogs are being saved - thanks to our Canadian friends and neighbors. For that, we will always be grateful." Jill added. "I have strong faith in our mission, and I know we will continue to find ways to rescue these dogs. The path may be rocky at times, but it is worth the journey. For us, it was and is the least we can do for our China rescue dogs."

The passion for rescuing dogs from the slaughterhouses and finding them loving forever homes in North America, where they can live out the rest of their lives without fear, remains steadfast.

To learn more, please visit https://chinarescuedogs.org/.

About China Rescue Dogs

China Rescue Dogs is a 501(c)(3) organization founded by Jill Stewart, an ardent advocate of animal rights worldwide, and especially in China. Their global mission is to rescue and rehabilitate dogs from China and provide them with loving forever homes in North America. There are over a dozen other U.S. dog rescue organizations that are working with China Rescue Dogs on these rescues.

China Rescue Dogs, 769 Youngs Rd., Vass, NC 28394 USA.

China Rescue Dogs, a leading American 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue, has been recognized for its efforts to save dogs from the Chinese meat trade. Over the past year, China Rescue Dogs has been rescuing and rehabilitating dogs from China and providing them with loving homes in the United States and Canada.

Related link: https://chinarescuedogs.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Share What It Was Like to Help in Mayfield on Christmas Day

MAYFIELD, Ky. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers came from across the country to help a town destroyed by the 10 December tornado celebrate the holiday. "Thank you for bringing some happiness," an elderly couple called out to a Volunteer Minister as they walked up to the bright yellow tent in Mayfield, Kentucky, on Christmas Day.

Santa, who drove to Mayfield from the Church of Scientology of Nashville, was not prepared for the kind of reactions he got.

"Dozens of children came by today," said Santa. Some kids were too shy to come up to him, but others were eager to see what he had for them. "I think the parents were even more excited than the kids."

He would keep pulling things out of his bag until he got the reaction he was looking for.

"For one little boy, about 3 feet tall, I pulled out a stuffed horse. No interest. I pulled out this two-foot plush octopus half the size that he was, and he was elated."

For the boy's sister, Santa found a giant tie-dyed frog. "She gave it a huge hug as soon as it came out of the bag."

Sometimes, standing in the street, he'd see people driving by looking so downcast. "I'd wave at them and say 'Ho Ho Ho!' and they couldn't help but smile."

A retired Marine donated hundreds of toys for the children's table in the Volunteer Ministers tent "so the kids would have Christmas."

"It's like everybody is helping everybody," he said, wiping tears from his eyes. "It's the best Christmas I've ever had. In the state of the world these days, out of all this chaos, to see what people are doing to help each other instead of stepping on each other, there's hope for mankind yet. It's been an experience. I hope I never see anything like this again, but to live through it and to see what it has done to people, and people helping each other - there's more good coming out of it than bad. It's been a Christmas like no other. It ain't about the toys, it ain't about the stuff you get. It is about what you can do. It's been fulfilling."

In addition to the toys and serving a special dinner for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the Volunteer Ministers, working with other charities, have served more than 30,000 meals to local residents and volunteer workers.

More trained Volunteer Ministers are needed. Anyone who can join the disaster response should contact the Volunteer Minister hotline at (800) HELP-4-YU or (323) 960-1949.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Learn more:

- https://www.scientology-ccnashville.org/

- https://www.volunteerministers.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers came from across the country to help a town destroyed by the 10 December tornado celebrate the holiday. Santa, who drove to Mayfield from the Church of Scientology of Nashville, was not prepared for the kind of reactions he got.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Disaster Response: Help to Victims in Towns Destroyed by Last Week’s Tornadoes

MAYFIELD, Ky. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers headquarters in Los Angeles encourages trained Volunteer Ministers to respond to one of the most devastating U.S. tornado outbreaks on record. Entire towns were all but wiped off the map leaving thousands homeless.

A U-Haul filled with 100 generators, heaters and propane tanks pulled up to the bright yellow tent at the corner of 8th and Walnut in Mayfield, Kentucky. Volunteer Ministers helped unload the truck's precious contents, all of which found homes that day along with the 2,900 hot meals the volunteers handed out.

Volunteer Ministers (VMs) have arrived from the Scientology Churches in Nashville, Tennessee; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Twin Cities, Minnesota. And VMs pulled in to Mayfield from Austin, Texas, on Saturday with 4,000 donated items.

Joava Good of Draper, Utah, came out from the Church of Scientology in Salt Lake City. Good, who represents the Church of Scientology with VOAD (National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) has been an active Volunteer Minister, responding to disasters since 1978.

The rain that brought the tornado outbreak has continued for most of the past week. To lift people's spirits, Good decided to make hot coffee and cocoa available and when she arrived at the checkout to pay for two coffee pots, 13 pounds of coffee and hot chocolate, Walmart paid the tab.

"It's been like that since we arrived," she says. "The generosity and outpouring of help is heartwarming."

One of the Volunteer Ministers helped a woman who was devastated that the town she has lived in for 30 years had just been destroyed. Using a simple Scientology assist, a technique developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to relieve distress through addressing the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma, he was able to bring her from grief to laughter in just a few minutes.

At the request of a pastor whose church was destroyed by the tornado, VMs cleared out the yard around the church so he can put up tents for parishioners in need of shelter. And whenever there is a lull in the rain, volunteers rush out to lay tarps on the roofs of houses that were damaged but not destroyed.

In addition to their work in Mayfield, Kentucky, the town hardest hit by the outbreak, Volunteer Ministers are also serving 70 miles away in Dawson Springs and in Bowling Green.

Trained Volunteer Ministers who can join the disaster response should contact the Volunteer Minister hotline at (800) HELP-4-YU or (323) 960-1949.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Learn more: https://www.volunteerministers.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers headquarters in Los Angeles encourages trained Volunteer Ministers to respond to one of the most devastating U.S. tornado outbreaks on record. Entire towns were all but wiped off the map leaving thousands homeless.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Foster Volunteers Needed for Tornado Displaced Pets in Kentucky

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. /ScoopCloud/ -- 911fosterpets, a peer-to-peer online pet fostering platform, is seeking volunteers who can foster pets displaced by the recent monster tornado. In the aftermath of natural disasters, as people begin to piece their life back together, they often find their temporary relocation options don't include their beloved pets. Some progressive shelters have foster volunteer programs; but for many communities, relying upon the kindness of friends, family, neighbors and even strangers is the only option.

Pet foster parents can help by caring for these displaced pets while their families get back on their feet. Fostering a pet for a short time may help ensure that an important family member doesn't have to be relinquished to an overwhelmed animal shelter. Fosterers reunite pets with their family once stability returns, often in just a few weeks.

Pet parents who need temporary care for their pet can post photos and descriptions on 911fosterpets.com. Their pet will be matched with foster families that are compatible. After reviewing potential matches, pet parents and foster parents are encouraged to fill out a free Pet Foster Care Agreement to specify details of the arrangement, for instance, who to call in an emergency and the expected length of fostering.

"Our top priority is asking folks to raise their hand if they have space in their heart and home for a neighbor's beloved family member," says Betsy Banks Saul, the co-founder of 911fosterpets and Petfinder, who cites lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina regarding the importance of keeping families together, especially in crises.

Visitors to the site are encouraged to browse pet profiles and sign up to be notified when a pet in need is posted on 911fosterpets.com. While there is often great need after natural disasters, other pets posted on the site are victims of housing insecurity brought on by the pandemic or a temporary need for relocation due to the hospitalization of their pet parent. In some cases, a rescued pet needs a safe place to crash while the person or shelter who currently cares for it finds a suitable adopter.

About 911FosterPets

911FosterPets is an all-volunteer project on a mission to help save pets by seamlessly connecting animal shelters, rescue groups, and individual pet owners with local homes willing to foster a pet in need. Co-founded by Petfinder's Betsy Banks, pioneer of online animal adoption, 911FosterPets connects foster heroes with pets in need before it's too late.

For more information, visit https://911fosterpets.com/.

911fosterpets, a peer-to-peer online pet fostering platform, is seeking volunteers who can foster pets displaced by the recent monster tornado. In the aftermath of natural disasters, as people begin to piece their life back together, they often find their temporary relocation options don't include their beloved pets.

Related link: https://911fosterpets.com/

Celebrate Human Rights Day as The Scientology Network Features Human Rights Heroes

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- In celebration of Human Rights Day 2021, the Church of Scientology International shares the story of brother and sister team Sandra and Felipe Poveda who inspired a culture of human rights in one of the most violent regions on Earth. Their story unfolds on "Voices for Humanity," featured on the Scientology Network.

More than five decades of guerilla warfare left its mark on every level of Colombian society with some 220,000 dead and atrocities reported on both sides.

It was 2009 when a scandal broke implicating the Colombian military with generating what was euphemistically called "false positives." This was the practice of executing civilians, dressing them as guerillas, reporting them as casualties and collecting a bounty.

Sandra Poveda, founder of Youth for Human Rights Colombia, and her brother Felipe, the group's president, approached the Minister of Defense who was trying to deal with this by creating a human rights school for the army. After the Povedas ran a pilot using the Youth for Human Rights educational materials and seeing their impact on the troops, he decided to implement the campaign across the country.

The Povedas enlisted the help of entertainment and sports celebrities, organized concerts, gave TV interviews and arranged for the Youth for Human Rights public service announcements to air on hundreds of stations throughout the country.

They traveled to war zones where they educated troops on the basics of human rights, all based on the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whose 73rd anniversary is celebrated December 10. Through practical examples of the application of these materials, they got through to soldiers that article 3, the Right to Life, applies to everyone-even to the lives of guerrillas.

The result was unprecedented. In a letter to the Foundation, the director of the Colombian military's human rights school in Bogotá stated that the Foundation's campaigns had contributed to a 96-percent decrease in civilian reports of armed forces' human rights violations.

Their story is documented in an episode of "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network.

In 1948 the United Nations called upon all member countries to publicize the text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories." Youth for Human Rights International materials help people of all ages understand the 30 rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Creating a world where human rights are known and protected starts with effective educational programs that reach across all cultural and geographic boundaries.

Inspired by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard's words that "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream," the Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Youth for Human Rights and make its educational materials available free of charge. Watch a documentary on the history and activities of Youth for Human Rights International on "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

In celebration of Human Rights Day 2021, the Church of Scientology International shares the story of brother and sister team Sandra and Felipe Poveda who inspired a culture of human rights in one of the most violent regions on Earth. Their story unfolds on "Voices for Humanity," featured on the Scientology Network.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

How the Need to Reach Youth with the Truth About Drugs Inspires a Movement

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Misinformation and ignorance open the door to abuse and addiction according to the United Nations World Drug Report. A drug prevention champion featured on Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network safeguards youth of the Czech Republic with the Truth About Drugs, an initiative supported by Scientologists and the Church of Scientology International.

This year's World Drug Report emphasizes the urgency of reaching youth with the truth about drugs. This is what drives the outreach of the Czech chapter of Foundation for a Drug-Free World whose work is featured on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV channel 320, streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

The report found that over the past 24 years, while cannabis potency "increased by as much as four times in parts of the world...the percentage of adolescents who perceived the drug as harmful fell by as much as 40 percent." In releasing the annual report, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, wrote of the crucial role of drug education:

"Lower perception of drug use risks has been linked to higher rates of drug use, and the findings of UNODC's 2021 World Drug Report highlight the need to close the gap between perception and reality to educate young people and safeguard public health."

This is borne out by the annual report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction Report that states "not only is a wider variety of people now personally experiencing drug problems, but drug problems are impacting on our communities in a wider variety of ways."

In an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network, Vlastimil Špalek, chairman of the Czech Foundation for a Drug-Free World, says "What drives me and my team is one purpose: A drug-free Czech Republic."

Špalek adopted The Truth About Drugs initiative because it works. He saw that when youth read the Truth About Drugs booklets on the 14 most commonly abused drugs, it empowers them with what they need to make the firm, self-determined decision to live drug-free.

An athlete, Špalek turned his love of sports into a way to reach the youth of his country with the annual Czech "Cyclo-Run" Against Drugs. Drug prevention advocates cycle from city to city where they are joined by crowds of school children and sports enthusiasts who run with them through the town, promoting drug-free living. Wherever they go, athletes deliver drug education lectures and meet with officials to urge their adoption of the campaign.

Although the pandemic cut across the Cyclo-Run for the past two years, planning is underway to relaunch it in 2022. Meantime, volunteers carry on with activities. Špalek and his team of drug educators give drug-prevention lectures in schools and volunteers reach out to families in their cities with Truth About Drugs booklets. In the town of Pilsen, a team of moms has adopted the program and shares booklets with parents and children to provide this vital information.

"I knew this program had the potential of saving countless lives," says Špalek in his Voices for Humanity episode. "It has. And that's why I've never given up my fight against drugs."

Drug education and prevention work. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime states, "Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence working with families, schools, and communities can ensure that children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age. For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs."

To enable anyone to take effective action against drug abuse and addiction, Scientology Churches schedule drug prevention open houses where anyone may learn how to use this campaign, receive booklets and videos, and request training on how to deliver the program.

The Church of Scientology provides Truth About Drugs resources free of charge to educators, parents, school resource officers, nonprofits and community leaders.

The Truth About Drugs initiative

* Is available in 20 languages in 96 countries.

* Its public service announcements and The Truth About Drugs-Real People, Real Stories documentary have aired on 850 TV stations.

* More than 395,000 people have enrolled on the free online drug education eCourse on the Foundation for a Drug-Free World website at www.drugfreeworld.org.

* The Foundation has reached some 13 million students through more than 30,000 schools, institutions and groups that use the Truth About Drugs curriculum.

In his research into the devastating impact of drugs on society, author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, "Research has demonstrated that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs." This galvanized the Church and Scientologists to initiate the Truth About Drugs, a secular program through which they have worked for two decades to empower millions with the truth about drugs.

To learn more about Vlastimil Špalek and the Foundation for a Drug-Free Czech Republic, watch Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network. For more information on the Truth About Drugs initiative, visit the website of Foundation for a Drug-Free World or contact your nearest Scientology Church or Mission.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/vlastimil-spalek.html

https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/news/2021/2/lessons-to-be-learnt-from-the-european-drug-report-2021_en

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/prevention/prevention-standards.html

Misinformation and ignorance open the door to abuse and addiction according to the United Nations World Drug Report. A drug prevention champion featured on Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network safeguards youth of the Czech Republic with the Truth About Drugs, an initiative supported by Scientologists and the Church of Scientology International.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers: 9/11 Inspired an Unshakable Commitment to Serve

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- The sheer scope and inhumanity of the World Trade Center attack united Scientologists around the world to do everything in their power to create a better world, beginning that very day with New York Scientologists in their signature bright yellow Volunteer Ministers T-shirts immediately heading downtown.

The Church of Scientology International honors the rescue workers who responded to 9/11: Of the 2,977 killed in the September 11 attacks, 412 were emergency workers who rushed to the scene to save lives.

Within hours of hijackers crashing American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, New York's Volunteer Ministers had clearance to be at the disaster site to provide support to emergency personnel and help bring order to the chaos.

For first responders, there was no respite. This was a race against time with thousands of personnel frantically tearing through a mountain of debris - exhausted, dazed, distraught, and running on nothing but adrenalin.

"I was on the site 10 minutes after the second tower collapsed, and it was a ghost town," said a lieutenant of the New York Fire Department, since retired. "And it just proceeded to get more and more chaotic, because guys were arriving, there was no order. And when the Scientologists arrived, an air of order entered in."

The Volunteer Ministers immediately set up a place where first responders could regroup, grab a cold drink and a hot meal. Rescue teams soon began calling the makeshift service center "Freedom Café."

"At any time, well over 100 Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology mill around the remains of the World Trade Center," wrote The New York Times. "On the day of the attack, they took in food to workers....When rescue workers stagger from the wreckage, the ministers, identified by their T-shirts, try to focus the workers' minds and revive their bodies."

Volunteer Ministers are trained to deliver Scientology assists, simple procedures developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that provide relief by addressing the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma. For exhausted rescue workers, physically and emotionally drained, Scientology assists relieved the tension, lightened their spirits, and allowed them to unwind enough to grab a few hours of sleep.

Scientologists continued arriving from across the United States and abroad. Some 800 Volunteer Ministers served, providing relief 24/7 to rescue and cleanup teams. And they continued to serve until the entire project was completed more than eight months later.

"There's a lot of very highly stressed, worn out, exhausted rescue people here," said the head of one rescue team, "and your contribution to helping them to deal with their problems and deal with their upset emotions, and to have some tranquility and rest has been a very, very productive and very worthwhile effort."

"The Volunteer Ministers worked with great energy and great compassion at Ground Zero, helping to ease the physical burdens and mental strains of the rescue workers," wrote a New York Police Chief in thanks. "The organization, the caring, and the dedication of your Volunteer Ministers were exceptional, very much appreciated, and will long be remembered by those who received their help."

On September 11, 2001, Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, called on Scientologists around the world to view what occurred that day as a "wake-up call." "No one can afford to turn a blind eye to what just happened," he wrote.

This appeal immediately inspired astonishing growth within the Volunteer Minister program. As of September 11, 2001, there were 6,000 Volunteer Ministers worldwide. Today, they are among the world's most widely recognized independent relief organizations, with over 200,000 Volunteer Ministers on call internationally.

For more information, visit the Scientology Newsroom or watch Destination: New York on the Scientology Network, available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and streaming at scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

MULTIMEDIA:

*PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0911s2p-cos-911-300dpi.jpg

*Caption: More than 800 Volunteer Ministers from across the U.S. and abroad served at Ground Zero in New York.

The sheer scope and inhumanity of the World Trade Center attack united Scientologists around the world to do everything in their power to create a better world, beginning that very day with New York Scientologists in their signature bright yellow Volunteer Ministers T-shirts immediately heading downtown.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Church of Scientology Reaches Out to Help Turn the Tide on Overdose Awareness Day

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- With the CDC reporting overdose deaths up 30 percent in 2020, the Church of Scientology International reaches out with vital information anyone may use to take effective action at home and in their communities. Effective drug education is more urgent now than ever. Because the best time to end drug abuse is before it begins.

Scientology Churches around the world are marking International Overdose Awareness Day, August 31, by providing one of the most important deterrents to drug abuse, addiction and overdose: The Truth.

"We have been in the forefront of drug education for more than three decades," says Fabio Amicarelli, Director of Humanitarian Programs of the Church of Scientology International. "The results of the Truth About Drugs campaign of Foundation for a Drug-Free World confirm that when young people are presented with the unvarnished facts about what drugs are and what drugs do they are far more likely to reject them on their own."

Drug education and prevention work. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime states, "Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence working with families, schools, and communities can ensure that children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age. For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs."

To empower anyone wishing to take effective action to help reverse this devastating crisis, Scientology Churches are scheduling drug prevention open houses where anyone may learn how to use this campaign, receive booklets and videos, and request training on how to deliver the entire program. The Church of Scientology provides its award-winning Truth About Drugs resources free of charge to educators, parents, school resource officers, nonprofits and community leaders.

The Truth About Drugs initiative:

* Is available in 20 languages in 96 countries.

* Its public service announcements and The Truth About Drugs-Real People, Real Stories documentary have aired on 850 TV stations.

* More than 395,000 people have enrolled on the free online drug education eCourse on the Foundation for a Drug-Free World website at www.drugfreeworld.org.

* The Foundation has reached some 13 million students through more than 30,000 schools, institutions and groups that use the Truth About Drugs curriculum.

Scientology Network will mark International Overdose Awareness Day with a full day of relevant programming-a marathon dedicated to raising awareness on the true dangers of drugs to reverse the rising tide of drug overdoses. This will include episodes of the original series Voices for Humanity illustrating how dedicated activists use the Truth About Drugs campaign to create a sea change in their communities.

To make these materials available to anyone wishing to tackle the drug crisis, the Church of Scientology International Dissemination and Distribution Center in Los Angeles, California, produces and ships out Truth About Drugs booklets, DVDs and education packages free of charge to parents, educators, law enforcement, community groups and nonprofits.

For more information, contact the nearest Church of Scientology. To access all Truth About Drugs materials and enroll on free eCourses available in 20 languages, visit the Foundation for Drug-Free World website. And tune in August 31 to the Scientology Network for a full day of drug prevention programming, available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

The Founder of Scientology is L. Ron Hubbard and Mr. David Miscavige is the religion's ecclesiastical leader.

MULTIMEDIA:

*PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0826s2p-cos-truth-nyc-300dpi.jpg

*Caption: Truth About Drugs initiative at Times Square, New York.

With the CDC reporting overdose deaths up 30 percent in 2020, the Church of Scientology International reaches out with vital information anyone may use to take effective action at home and in their communities. Effective drug education is more urgent now than ever. Because the best time to end drug abuse is before it begins.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

On World Humanitarian Day, Scientology Salutes Those Who Help in Times of Need

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- World Humanitarian Day, August 19, "recognizes the efforts of aid workers who put their lives on the line to help affected people during times of global crisis." With the number and severity of natural disasters escalating and a pandemic that continues to surge, World Humanitarian Day takes on entirely new dimensions. The past 18 months have truly put the dedication and resources of humanitarians to the test. The Church of Scientology International extends thanks to:

* Healthcare workers who have put their own and their families' lives at risk to save the lives of others

* Firefighters battling the worst fire season on record in Turkey, Greece, Siberia and across the Western United States

* Organizations and individuals who tackle food insecurity in COVID-19 hot spots and disaster zones across the globe

* And the millions of men and women who reach out to those in need with personal service, acts of kindness, and who donate the funds that support victims and first responders.

"We salute the many organizations and groups our Volunteer Ministers partner with to bring indiscriminate help to those in need," says Olivia McDuff from the Public Affairs Office of the Church of Scientology International.

Traditionally, World Humanitarian Day is a time when Scientology Churches honor Volunteer Ministers who serve in their communities in times of disaster and throughout the year. And this has been an unprecedented era of help. Since the pandemic began, Scientology Volunteer Ministers teams responded to tornados in the Czech Republic and Nashville, Tennessee; earthquakes in Croatia, Pakistan and most recently Haiti; hurricanes in Costa Rica and Guatemala; fires in Greece, Sardinia, Oregon and Northern California; floods in Germany, Belgium and Greece; an oil spill in Israel, and a volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

But the main thrust of Volunteer Ministers has been helping their communities get through the pandemic safe and well.

On March 13, 2020, the birthday of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, reminded Scientologists of a maxim coined by Mr. Hubbard: "An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure..." Mr. Miscavige set the tone of the Church's response to the pandemic: "Well, how about a ton of prevention so as not to require an ounce of cure?"

To protect Scientology Churches, staff, parishioners and their communities, the Church researched and compiled authoritative and effective guidelines for dealing with such an outbreak and distilled them into a series of illustrated booklets written in simple, direct language anyone can understand.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers distributed more than 7.5 million copies of these booklets in 189 cities on six continents. They provided these booklets to essential businesses for their customers and to neighbors throughout their communities to ensure they understand how to protect themselves and their families.

Scientologists set up and manned helplines in Milan, Italy; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Sacramento, California. In cities across the world, Scientology Volunteer Ministers worked with other nonprofits to provide needed medical equipment, food, prescriptions and clothing to the vulnerable in their communities. They set up and contributed to food distribution drives, and helped at COVID-19 testing and vaccination stations.

The Church also researched and implemented the most effective decontaminant system available and provided training in its use to Scientology Churches worldwide. In addition to using this to protect their own Churches, Scientologists reached out in their communities with help:

* In Aruba, the Freewinds Scientology religious retreat, in coordination with the Aruba Fire Brigade, sanitized churches, public facilities and every school in the country. They were recognized for contributing to Aruba's being able to reopen its borders to tourism.

* The Freewinds also worked with Volunteer Ministers in Mexico, where a team of Scientologists was honored for sanitizing churches including the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the most visited Catholic pilgrimage destination in the world.

* The Volunteer Ministers from the ship trained teams from Scientology Churches and Missions in Colombia, Ecuador and Panama, who took on sanitizing houses of worship in their communities.

* Scientologists in Birmingham, England, also worked with the city's religious community to ensure the safety of parishioners, as did Scientologists in so many other locations, including Padua, Italy; Sydney, Australia; and Stuttgart, Germany.

But nowhere was the contribution of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers more vital and appreciated than in South Africa. Their work is documented in a series of videos on the Scientology website. To date, South African Volunteer Ministers have sanitized 2.9 million square feet of healthcare centers, orphanages, police and fire stations, transportation hubs, buses, and minibus taxis. They have distributed 1 million Stay Well booklets in English, Zulu, Xhosa and Sotho. They have trained some 12,000 people on Scientology Volunteer Ministers courses. In all, they have contributed more than a million volunteer hours to help their country through these challenging times.

In creating the program in the mid-1970s, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote that a Volunteer Minister "helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others... A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

With the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige called on Scientologists to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man. He issued a directive entitled "The Wake-Up Call," which has inspired exponential growth within the Volunteer Minister movement.

MULTIMEDIA:

*PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0819s2p-cos-humanitarian-300dpi.jpg

*Caption: South African Scientology Volunteer Ministers work with local fire departments, sanitizing ambulances to ensure the safety of first responders and patients.

World Humanitarian Day, August 19, "recognizes the efforts of aid workers who put their lives on the line to help affected people during times of global crisis." With the number and severity of natural disasters escalating and a pandemic that continues to surge, World Humanitarian Day takes on entirely new dimensions. The Church of Scientology International extends thanks to numerous orgs.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Extending the Broad Reach of Scientology-Sponsored Humanitarian Initiatives

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Church of Scientology has long sponsored programs for the betterment of their communities and the world at large. These focus on eradicating social ills: from drug abuse and addiction to rampant violation of human rights and the lack of a moral compass that breeds corruption and crime. The Church of Scientology International Dissemination and Distribution Center is the engine behind the broad reach of these humanitarian campaigns, including the Church's international response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A 185,000-square-foot facility, the Scientology Dissemination and Distribution Center houses manufacturing, distribution and administration and is entirely operated by Church staff.

The Center generates materials for the more than 11,000 Scientology Churches, Missions and affiliated groups worldwide, enabling these organizations to meet the growing demand for Scientology services and programs. Here, Church magazines are printed in 17 languages on a custom-built 121-ton web press that automatically switches print jobs from one language to another without stopping or even slowing down.

A string of industry awards attests to the quality of its products, including 11 print excellence Awards for 2020-2021 from the PIASC, the largest printing industry association in America.

The Center produces all educational materials for Church-sponsored humanitarian programs and provides these free of charge to schools, civic groups, governments, law enforcement and institutions in the private sector. The in-house cost to produce materials is about 10 percent of what the Church previously paid commercial printers. All of this is made possible by the generous donations of Scientologists from across the world.

In March 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center became essential to the Church's international response.

In a message two days after the pandemic was declared, on March 13, 2020, the birthday of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, Mr. David Miscavige ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, reminded Scientologists of a maxim coined by Mr. Hubbard: "An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure." And he set the tone of the Church's response to the pandemic: "Well, how about a ton of prevention so as not to require an ounce of cure?"

To protect Scientology Churches, staff, parishioners and their communities, the Church compiled the most authoritative and effective guidelines for dealing with such an outbreak and distilled them into a series of illustrated booklets written in simple, direct language anyone can understand.

The booklets and dozens of informational videos were published on the Scientology How to Stay Well Prevention Resource Center, where they can be viewed or downloaded free of charge.

Meanwhile, the Church of Scientology International Dissemination and Distribution Center fired up its presses, running them 24/7, and produced 17,500 booklets an hour in 21 languages.

The plan was for Volunteer Ministers from every Scientology Church and Mission to distribute these booklets in their communities. To ensure they could do so safely, the Dissemination and Distribution Center produced more than 35,000 pieces of Volunteer Minister protective gear and shipped these out with the booklets.

Then Volunteer Ministers carried out this educational campaign in their communities to help neighbors understand how to stay well. They handed out more than 7.5 million booklets to essential businesses for their customers and door-to-door in their neighborhoods.

The Center is featured in an episode of Inside Scientology on the Scientology Network. Inside the Church of Scientology International Dissemination and Distribution Center shows how the Church fused cutting-edge technology with its own organizational policy to bring purpose and dedication to manufacturing, creating a massive, modern, state-of-the-art phenomenon of printing, publishing and manufacturing technology.

This episode is available on the Scientology Network at DIRECTV 320. It can also be streamed at Scientology.tv and through satellite television, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Media Queries: mediarelations@churchofscientology.net

MULTIMEDUIA:

PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0812s2p-cos-dissem-300dpi.jpg

Caption: Church of Scientology International Dissemination and Distribution Center.

The Church of Scientology has long sponsored programs for the betterment of their communities and the world at large. These focus on eradicating social ills: from drug abuse and addiction to rampant violation of human rights and the lack of a moral compass that breeds corruption and crime.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Honored for Their Help at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mexico Scientologists and their families were honored for their service to Catholic church officials and parishioners with a special Mass at the Iglesia Santa Maria de Guadalupe Capuchinas, part of the complex of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

According to the Church of Scientology International, as Mexico began to open up, these volunteers took on the task of sanitizing and decontaminating places of worship so those wishing to practice their faith could do so in safety.

Most years, some 20 million pilgrims visit the Basilica, most of them in December to celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico. The Basilica is one of the most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world. But in December 2020, with Mexico's mounting cases of COVID-19 and one of the highest rates of coronavirus casualties internationally, the church took the unprecedented step of shutting the doors of the Basilica to prevent the spread of the virus.

To Mexico's Scientology Volunteer Ministers, veterans of disaster response missions at home and abroad, the pandemic was a completely different kind of catastrophe to those they were used to dealing with-one requiring prevention. Nonetheless, because of the insight of Church leadership, they were well prepared to help.

Even before the pandemic was declared, thanks to the foresight of ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, and in keeping with the maxim of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that "an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure," the Church researched the most effective prevention methods and distilled them into a series of illustrated booklets and public service announcements presented in simple, direct language anyone can understand. These were made available in 21 languages on the Scientology.org Stay Well Prevention Resource Center. The Church also researched the best methods of sanitization and made these available to Scientology Churches, Missions and Scientology Volunteer Ministers around the world.

Catholic and evangelical religious leaders who have worked on interfaith programs with The Freewinds, the Scientology religious retreat in the Caribbean, reached out to the ship for help to make their churches safe. The Freewinds arranged for trained Scientology Volunteer Ministers in Mexico City to respond to their needs. The Volunteer Ministers took on sanitizing the Basilica and other Mexican churches to ensure that parishioners could worship in safety.

At the special Mass, a representative of the cardinal attended in appreciation of the Church of Scientology and the work of the Volunteer Ministers in sanitizing the Basilica and churches throughout the city and the State of Mexico. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers trained church representatives in how to sanitize the chapel, and after the Mass, they presented the priest with a full kit containing all the equipment and materials needed to continue the sanitizing of the church.

An interactive timeline on the Scientology website, 20/21: A Look Behind & A Look Ahead, presents an overview of the work of Scientology Churches, staff and parishioners who helped their communities and entire countries deal with the pandemic.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

The Founder of the Scientology religion is L. Ron Hubbard and Mr. David Miscavige is the religion's ecclesiastical leader.

For more information, visit the Scientology website - https://www.scientology.org/ - or the Scientology TV network - https://www.scientology.tv/.

MULTIMEDIA:

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[2] PHOTO: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0623s2p-cos-mass-2-300dpi.jpg

Caption: Scientology Volunteer Ministers were honored with a special Mass in the chapel of the former convent of the Capuchinas, part of the complex of churches and facilities in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Mexico Scientologists and their families were honored for their service to Catholic church officials and parishioners with a special Mass at the Iglesia Santa Maria de Guadalupe Capuchinas, part of the complex of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers: Help to an Island in Need

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- For 16 days, a team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Florida, arranged by the Freewinds, the Church of Scientology religious retreat, came to the aid of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers St. Vincent Disaster Response, now completed, brought relief to thousands of residents in need of help, announces the Church of Scientology International.

When La Soufrière Volcano erupted, engulfing the island with pyroclastic flows, volcanic ash and rock, it created a humanitarian crisis. Upwards of 16,000 residents who evacuated and thousands more who remained in the red and orange zones were without fresh water, power, and food.

"It's like a desert, it's desolate, it's apocalyptic," said Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Unable to cope with the humanitarian effort needed without substantial assistance, he reached out for help, saying, "We are really at the midnight hour of need."

The Freewinds, the Church of Scientology religious retreat and humanitarian ship in the Caribbean, immediately responded to the call for help. The ship sent a 40-foot container to Kingstown, the capital, chief port, and main commercial center of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. And to help ensure these and other urgently needed supplies reached those in need, the Freewinds arranged a team of volunteers.

Smoke continued to billow from the summit of La Soufrière as the team of Florida-based Scientology Volunteer Ministers landed in St. Vincent. Everything was grey: The sky, the streets, the hillsides. Ash overwhelmed the islands.

On arriving, these Scientologists, veterans of numerous disaster response missions, immediately coordinated their activities with other nonprofits.

"Working with the Red Cross, we brought support to the leeward side of the island-the first relief they received since the eruptions," said the leader of the La Soufrière Scientology Volunteer Ministers Response Team. That day, they handed out six pallets of water in gallon jugs, 36 tool kits that included shovels, hammers and crowbars, 300 hygiene kits, blankets, and some 600 masks.

Coordinating with the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), the Scientology Volunteer Ministers found that although supplies were pouring in to the island, they had to be organized for distribution. The Scientologists worked in the warehouse, making it possible for four tons of supplies to reach those who needed them.

The Scientologists were surprised to find that despite the warm weather of the island, one of the most needed items was blankets. "Their mattresses were so covered with ash that clean blankets were the only way to have something to sleep on," said the lead Volunteer Minister.

To reach the north of the island, the Scientology team rented a motorboat. In the towns of Owia and Fancy, the Volunteer Ministers distributed water and supplies to the residents who had stayed. The towns were not only blanketed in ash, they had also been battered by rocks of all sizes from pebbles to boulders that collapsed roofs and tore up the roads.

In Georgetown, residents told the Scientology Volunteer Ministers that in the month since the volcano erupted, theirs was the first aid to reach them.

In all, the volunteers distributed more than 22 tons of supplies including enough food for 7,000 meals. And they let the Vincentians know that they had not been forgotten.

"They have a special hand signal here," said the lead Scientology Volunteer Minister. "It's a closed fist with the thumb out to the side. It means 'respect.' Pretty much everywhere we drove, people were making this sign for us, shouting 'thank you for what you are doing, thank you for being here.'" The Scientology Volunteer Ministers want to share that thanks to those who made it all possible by donating goods and funds to help the island recover.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. Learn more: https://www.volunteerministers.org/.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

L. Ron Hubbard is the Founder of the Scientology Religion and Mr. David Miscavige is the religion's ecclesiastical leader.

MULTIMEDIA:
[1] https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0615s2p-cos-stvincent1-300dpi.jpg

[2] https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0615s2p-cos-stvincent2-300dpi.jpg

PHOTO CAPTION: Scientology Volunteer Ministers distribute urgently needed supplies to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

For 16 days, a team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Florida, arranged by the Freewinds, the Church of Scientology religious retreat, came to the aid of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

AMI Expeditionary Healthcare Deploys to St Maarten to Assist COVID-19 Victims

RESTON, Va. /ScoopCloud/ -- A 30-member medical team from Virginia-based AMI Expeditionary Healthcare LLC is en route to the Caribbean island of St. Maarten to assist coronavirus victims at the urgent request of the Dutch government. AMI is airlifting 6 ICU physicians, 6 nurses, 6 certified nursing assistants, 2 respiratory therapists, 3 paramedics, 3 case workers and 2 project managers. They are due to arrive on Wednesday.

AMI's effort will staff a mobile ICU and medical equipment arriving from the Netherlands including ICU beds, ventilators, test kits and pharmaceutical drugs. As of Monday, St. Maarten has recorded 37 positive cases with another 441 showing symptoms. The island has a population of 41,000. In addition to St. Maarten, the intention is to possibly provide medical assistance to sister Dutch Caribbean islands.

"We are honored that the Kingdom of the Netherlands has trusted us with this mercy mission, and we look forward to providing this life saving capacity to the island," said Dr Andrew Walker, Executive Chairman of AMI Expeditionary Healthcare.

Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs thanked the Netherlands and AMI for the outpouring of assistance. "We wish each and every citizen of the kingdom and the world much strength as we band together to beat back this monster," he said.

About AMI:

AMI Expeditionary Healthcare LLC (formerly Aspen Medical International), physician owned and physician led, has provided medical personnel and services for 14+ years to some of the most remote and challenging environments in the world. Since their inception, they have delivered over 5,000 medical personnel and countless healthcare solutions to over 70 clinical and hospital settings on four continents.

Providing medical services to international aid organizations, humanitarian concerns, the private sector and government agencies in a wide range of remote and challenging environments, is what we do.

For more information, visit https://ami.health/

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Dr. Andrew Walker, Founder and Executive Chairman
+1-703-996-6821 (mobile)‬, 571-375-8366 (office) or email andrew.walker@ami.health

If you would like to learn more about AMI and their services, connect at:

Web: https://ami.health/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aspenmedicalint/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspenmedicalint

Twitter https://twitter.com/aspenmedicalint

Instagram https://instagram/ami.health

Image links for media:
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[2] https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/20-0409s2p-ami-st.martin-covid19-02-300dpi.jpg
Photo caption: AMI Expeditionary Healthcare emergency response team boarding a flight to St. Maarten to assist coronavirus victims at the urgent request of the Dutch government.

A 30-member medical team from Virginia-based AMI Expeditionary Healthcare LLC is en route to the Caribbean island of St. Maarten to assist coronavirus victims at the urgent request of the Dutch government.

Related link: https://ami.health/

Urgent Need On The Frontlines of The Corona Virus Pandemic: Be A Part of AMI and This Historic Response

RESTON, Va. /ScoopCloud/ -- AMI Expeditionary Healthcare LLC. (formerly Aspen Medical International) is on the front lines of the Coronavirus response providing critical services to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services all over the United States. Around the globe, they are working with international organizations and sovereign governments to combat the virus. AMI is in need of doctors, nurses, technicians, logisticians, case workers and many others to support the COVID-19 emergency response.

Teams composed of physicians (Urgent Care, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine), PAs, NPs, RNs and Paramedics are being put together to relieve the Emergency response teams that have been in Kirkland, Washington, Central California and other sites. More medical professionals are needed. Response will be a minimum of 14 workdays followed by a 14-day self-quarantine post-project.

This is an emergency response effort, deployment for this response effort will take place on short notice. Hourly compensation, accommodation and travel will be provided.

If you want to be a part of this epic response contact Arianna Furr at careers@ami.health.

Dr. Thomas Crabtree, AMI Group Medical Director, is available to the media for commentary.

About AMI:

AMI Expeditionary Healthcare LLC. (formerly Aspen Medical International) physician owned and physician led, has provided medical personnel and services for 14+ years to some of the most remote and challenging environments in the world. Since their inception, they have delivered over 5,000 medical personnel and countless healthcare solutions to over 70 clinical and hospital settings on four continents.

Providing medical services to international aid organizations, humanitarian concerns, the private sector and government agencies in a wide range of remote and challenging environments, is what we do. For more information, visit https://ami.health/

MEDIA CONTACT INFORMATION:

Dr. Thomas Crabtree, Group Medical Director, at 1-808-255-7314 (mobile), 571-375-8366 (office) or tom.crabtree@ami.health

MORE INFORMATION ON AMI:

If you would like to learn more about AMI and their services, connect at:

Web: https://ami.health/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aspenmedicalint/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspenmedicalint

Twitter https://twitter.com/aspenmedicalint

*LOGO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/20-0316s2p-ami-logo-300dpi.jpg

AMI Expeditionary Healthcare LLC. (formerly Aspen Medical International) is on the front lines of the Coronavirus response providing critical services to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services all over the United States. Around the globe, they are working with international organizations and sovereign governments to combat the virus. AMI is in need of doctors, nurses, technicians, logisticians, case workers and many others to support the COVID-19 emergency response.

Related link: https://ami.health/

Dayna’s iCare Foundation Partners with Amish Builder to Send Shippable Homes to Bahamas Hurricane Victims

WEST CHESTER, Pa. /ScoopCloud/ -- When Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas, it destroyed thousands of lives and over 13,000 homes were lost. The region continues to be in the midst of a humanitarian crisis and thousands from Great Abaco are still displaced and struggling for shelter. Dayna's iCare Foundation, a 501(c)(3), is working to help solve the housing problem with its partner, TinyLux Homes.

Armed only with a concept and a dream, Dayna Spence, founder, Dayna's iCare Foundation (DIF), approached TinyLux Homes, an Amish Builder, with an idea she had for building shippable homes. What they came up with even surpassed her dreams and is now a reality.

TinyLux Homes is creating not-so-tiny, full, partially built, three-bedroom, 900-square foot homes that are weather tight with hurricane resistant windows. They're able to quickly be built on any existing foundation. The first DIF Home is about to ship and be constructed in the Bahamas.

DIF homes ship in 40-foot containers and when they arrive in the Bahamas, DIF has arranged for a local builder to construct the homes.

"He told us to send extra nails when we ship because even getting basic supplies like that is still something they need to depend on other regions for," Spence says.

DIF hopes to donate at least 10 homes to families with children, but can ship an unlimited amount of homes to the devastated area. Spence is currently seeking corporate partners and sponsors willing to donate homes to help families who lost everything. "Ten, five, even one donated or sponsored home would make a world of difference for an entire community. It's time for us to help our Caribbean neighbors rebuild," Spence says.

"The possibilities for these DIF homes is really endless. Once the word gets out about these shippable homes, it could be a real game changer for disaster victims around the world. These homes can also take the burden off crisis shelters in the U.S.," Spence says.

Hurricane Dorian victims who had homeowners' insurance may purchase DIF Homes "at cost" for $23,048 plus shipping. Interior packages are available and include things like flooring, kitchen and bathroom amenities, trim, ceiling fans and more.

"This is such an exciting time for us," Spence says. "TinyLux has gone above and beyond what my initial concept was and their expertise and skilled craftsmanship really shines through. We're more than just partners now - we're forever friends. I sense we're on the verge of something really great here."

Watch a news story about the project: https://youtu.be/m9M7x4_LTZY

For more information about Dayna's iCare: http://www.daynasicarefoundation.com/

For more information about TinyLux: https://www.tinyluxhomes.net/

*PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/19-1220s2p-daynas-team-300dpi.jpg
Photo Caption: Sylvia Washington, DIF Volunteer; Grace Aranha, 1st DIF Home Recipient; Rev Dayna Spence, DIF Founder; and Dan Allgyer, TinyLux Homes

When Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas, it destroyed thousands of lives and over 13,000 homes were lost. The region continues to be in the midst of a humanitarian crisis and thousands from Great Abaco are still displaced and struggling for shelter. Dayna's iCare Foundation, a 501(c)(3), is working to help solve the housing problem with its partner, TinyLux Homes.

Related link: http://www.daynasicarefoundation.com/

Brent Grablachoff donates $500 to Hurricane Dorian Relief in the Bahamas

AUSTIN, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Kicking World owner Brent Grablachoff contributed $500 to the Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund in the Bahamas, set up by the large crowdsourced funding platform GlobalGiving.

Hurricane Dorian's devastating impact caused catastrophic losses throughout the Caribbean nation of the Bahamas, particularly the small islands of The Abacos and Grand Bahama.

"I've been very fortunate to visit various islands of the Bahamas over the years and its beautiful, clear turquoise water always draws me in. It's hard to fathom the destruction that took place, with some parts of the Abaco Islands completely decimated. My thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by this terrible hurricane in the Bahamas and beyond," said Brent Grablachoff, owner of Kicking World.

The GlobalGiving Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund states that all donations will exclusively support relief and recovery efforts in areas impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Initially, the fund will help first responders meet survivors' immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, hygiene products, and shelter. The fund will transition to support longer-term recovery efforts run by local, vetted organizations in The Bahamas, the United States and the Caribbean.

See a chilling aerial video and an article on the aftermath in the Abacos: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1051251

Make a Donation:
Your charitable contribution to the Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund will support people impacted by the storm system in the form of emergency supplies like food, water, and medicine, in addition to longer-term recovery assistance to help residents recover and rebuild.

At the time of donation, the campaign had raised $897,500 from its 8,0929 donations, with a projected goal of $2 Million.

Learn more at: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/hurricane-dorian-relief-fund/

About Kicking World

Kicking World (https://www.kickingworld.com/) is the leading football kicking, punting & snapping instruction provider in the world. The Company, based in Austin, Texas and head up by owner Brent Grablachoff holds over 50 national kicking camps in 34 major cities in 20 states training over 1,500 students a season.

Media Relations
Brent Grablachoff
Owner & Coach
Kicking World
512-817-1333
https://www.kickingworld.com/press-kit

Kicking World owner Brent Grablachoff contributed $500 to the Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund in the Bahamas, set up by the large crowdsourced funding platform GlobalGiving.

Related link: https://www.kickingworld.com/

Charity Anthology Features Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Many More – ‘DARK TIDES: A Charity Anthology’

VIRGINIA BEACH, N.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- Gestalt Media is honored to announce "Dark Tides: A Charity Horror Anthology" (ISBN: 978-1733735537) featuring 31 of today's leading authors in the genre with 100% of the proceeds donated to the victims of the May 31, 2019 Virginia Beach shooting attack.

Virginia Beach has long been a place that people associate with beaches, nightlife, and a retreat from the stressors of the world; where the sun can shine down on you, and your cares are washed away briefly by the ocean waves.

On May 31, 2019 those waves ceased with the tragic shooting of 12 innocent people & wounding 4 more; turning a place known for relaxation and family fun - Dark.

"This book is to honor those who lost their lives in this tragedy," said John Questore, editor.

"We all talk about making a difference. This is what we can do to be that difference," said Jason Stokes, Founder Gestalt Media.

100% of net proceeds will be donated to the Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund c/o United Way South Hampton Roads.

"Dark Tides" features stories by: Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Richard and Billy Chizmar, Chad Lutzke, Andrew Lennon, Brian James Freeman, Elizabeth Massie, Lisa Morton, F. Paul Wilson, Gene O'Neill, John Boden, Kevin J. Kennedy, Hanson Oak, Jason Stokes, John R. Little, Mark Allan Gunnells, John Palisano, John Skipp, Kelli Owen, Justin M. Woodward, Kenneth W. Cain, Matthew Brockmeyer, Ray Garton, Mark Matthews, Paul Kane, Somer Canon, Taylor Grant, William F. Aicher, Todd Keisling and Tony Bertauski.

Pre-order will run on IndieGoGo from August 30, 2019 to Oct. 1, 2019. The anthology will release on Amazon, BN.com and local bookstores on Oct. 1, 2019.

Campaign link: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dark-tides-a-charity-anthology/

A full release about this anthology can be found on our website at the Gestalt Media Website: http://gestalt-media.com/blog/announcing-dark-tides-a-charity-anthology

About Gestalt Media:
Gestalt Media is an indie publisher based in Burnsville, N.C. We pride ourselves on honoring the literary traditions of the past while bringing fresh ideas to a new generation of leaders and thinkers. Learn more: http://gestalt-media.com/

Gestalt Media, 507 Ray Farm Rd., Burnsville, NC 28714.

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Twitter: @media_gestalt #VBStrong #Charity #gunsense #guncontrol #shooting #VABeach #Virginia

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/Xyg7jTggsZA

Gestalt Media is honored to announce "Dark Tides: A Charity Horror Anthology" (ISBN: 978-1733735537) featuring 31 of today's leading authors in the genre with 100% of the proceeds donated to the victims of the May 31, 2019 Virginia Beach shooting attack.

Related link: http://gestalt-media.com/

The Everest Foundation Supports Puerto Rico’s Teaching Hospitals Post-Hurricane Maria

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- It's been nearly two years since the deadly impact of Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm that devastated Puerto Rico, Dominica and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A vital part of the region's infrastructure, medical facilities, were among the hardest hit. The Everest Foundation was one of the only non-profit, private foundations focused on helping Puerto Rico's main University Teaching Hospital get back on its feet.

"There was a time right after Maria hit when weeks would pass and we couldn't get a hold of anyone at the hospital to even offer assistance," Greg Heffernan, Professor and Vice President of Foundation Relations at Everest Foundation, says. "Their communication infrastructure was decimated - cell phones and all."

Earlier that year, prior to Hurricane Maria, The Everest Foundation had sent an envoy to determine if the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine was a fit for its Everest Scholars and funding parameters.

"We had just come to an agreement with this institution, but Mother Nature hit," Heffernan says.

Soon after the one-two punch of Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma, medical students and graduates were fleeing the island and making their way to the mainland. The Everest Foundation quickly learned that medical school leadership was in dire need of volunteers to help take care of the population. It offered support - both professionally and financially. The Everest Foundation prepared its Everest Scholars to help the university-affiliated, Puerto Rico Children's Hospital, with material and practical support which were within the foundation's mission parameters and sphere of influence.

While the Red Cross and other non-governmental organizations worked hard to help, they could only do so much. Puerto Rico teaching hospitals needed doctors that were committed to staying and helping. The staff at hospitals throughout the U.S. Territory were overworked, living in tough conditions with little or no electricity, and getting by with the basics while the infrastructure was rebuilt.

Dr. Sanah Ruhullah, one of The Everest Foundation Scholars who was sent, went on to accept a medical residency in Pediatrics where she has been part of helping the vulnerable population of Puerto Rico's children.

"It takes a special type of young doctor to leave the luxuries of home to help those in need," Heffernan says.

While choosing who to send, The Everest Foundation also had to take into consideration the need for bi-lingual doctors as Spanish is the region's primary language. There was only a very specific demographic that could go to assist. Dr. Ruhallah was one of the first Everest Foundation Scholars who volunteered her time and then was invited to interview for a residency spot.

Things are slowly getting back to normal in Puerto Rico, however, the doctor shortage is getting many times worse. Many young medical students, after graduating medical school, can't resist the temptation to find a medical residency in the lower 48. As a result, Puerto Rico needs individuals who want to train in Puerto Rico, and residents who, after training, will stay and build their practices and help the local economy and patient base.

The Everest Foundation continues to help Puerto Rico rebuild its Graduate Medical Education infrastructure, its teaching hospitals and is dedicated to doing so for many hurricane seasons to come.

About The Everest Foundation:

The Everest Foundation supports medical schools and teaching hospitals, globally, by funding their initiatives and providing recipients and partners with Everest Foundation Scholars. The foundation's goal is to create tomorrow's doctors with an emphasis on academic medicine. More information: https://www.theeverestfoundation.org/

It's been nearly two years since the deadly impact of Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm that devastated Puerto Rico, Dominica and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A vital part of the region's infrastructure, medical facilities, were among the hardest hit. The Everest Foundation was one of the only non-profit, private foundations focused on helping Puerto Rico's main University Teaching Hospital get back on its feet.

Related link: https://theeverestfoundation.org/

NGO seeks solutions for UN’s Goals by Awarding Everyday Heroes – and those who find them

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Global Action Network (GAN), an organization formed by activists, students, and researchers who seek new ways to reach the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, has announced a new program which awards those who develop cutting edge solutions - and honors the finders by naming a prize after them.

"The whole idea is to accelerate progress towards the Goals," says Soani Gunawan, VP of Logistics for GAN. "The probability that you or I will win a Nobel Prize is tiny. But it's not hard for me to name a Prize AFTER you - if you build awareness of your chosen goal by highlighting those who are doing the best work in the field. And the fact that you can ALSO name another Prize after your friends and colleagues makes it quite likely you will stay involved."

The Network uses the UN's sub-classification of 230 Indicators, or sub-goals, which include specific things like improving education in the developing world, curing neglected tropical diseases, and reducing gender inequality.

Those who join GAN, many of whom are students and researchers from Oxford, Berkeley, Yale, Cambridge, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford, are assigned one of the goals, usually one that matches one or more of their professional, academic, or personal interests or passions. Their basic duty is to set up several social media sites publicizing the latest developments within their chosen niche, and announce awards (named after themselves) to those who have demonstrated excellence.

The general expectation is that projects take an initial 3-4 hours to set up, followed by 15-30 minutes of monthly maintenance, which consists of updating social media sites and naming Award winners. In many cases Award namesakes submit their own work.

In addition to the crowdsourced prizes, there are also Awards for supreme achievement named after Einstein (Science), Florence Nightingale (Health), Frida Kahlo (Art and Culture), Mother Teresa (Compassion), Gandhi (Significance), Nelson Mandela (Justice), and Sojourner Truth (Freedom).

GAN founders were motivated by dissatisfaction with Governments, NGOs, Non-profits, and Corporations, which in their view have not done enough to reach the Goals.

"We want to inspire grass roots action, from the ground up," says GAN's Happiness Coordinator Amy Chang. "When people receive continuous gratification for their work, they tend to stay involved."

The idea of building simple to set up projects based on free web tools and smart phone apps was inherited from GAN's parent organization, The World Mind Network, which has six Nobel Laureates on its Board.

Participants can also initiate online think tanks, disaster relief projects, Fair Trade programs, and crowdsourced group psychology experiments within the platform.

"There's something special about the conversations we have," says Co-Founder and Program Director John Toomey. "We have fun, but we're part of a worldwide planetary improvement movement, so there's this inspirational undercurrent associated with being part of a mission."

Adds Chang, "It's hard, in this day and age, to cultivate heroes of the old type - those who rescue a village from a typhoon, or leave their normal lives to found an orphanage in Africa. But it's not difficult to empower people to become 'mini-Heroes' - individuals who can develop their humanitarian instincts by creating a project on their smart phone that has the potential to help the planet in a measurable and replicable way. And once someone gets a taste of this easily accessible heroism, it's not hard for them to see that there is little they cannot accomplish."

For information on the Global Action Network contact savithripateldds@gmail.com, or visit the website at http://globalactionnetwork.net/

The Global Action Network (GAN), an organization formed by activists, students, and researchers who seek new ways to reach the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, has announced a new program which awards those who develop cutting edge solutions - and honors the finders by naming a prize after them.

Related link: http://globalactionnetwork.net/

Attorney Brian Sutter Recognized for Supporting New Clean Drinking Water Project In Haiti

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- Attorney Brian O. Sutter of All Injuries Law Firm has been recognized for his contributions to building new wells for clean drinking water in Haiti.

Located in the town of Jacemel on the southern coast of Haiti, the project organized and carried out by Food For The Poor Inc., was part of the charitable organizations's wider effort to improve the lives of the most vulnerable communities the Caribbean and Latin America. Haiti is especially vulnerable to problems associated with a lack of clean drinking water as one-fifth of children suffer from malnutrition, and 70 of every 1,000 children die before their 5th birthday. Additionally, the literacy rate is just 60.7 percent, in part because of a lack of basic essentials such as clean drinking water.

Food For The Poor Inc., began working in Haiti to improve the lives of the impoverished in 1986, and since has become one Haiti's largest provider of emergency relief and sustainable development projects.

Attorney Brian O. Sutter had this comment about the project, "While clean water is taken for granted in the United States, the reality is many people around the world are suffering because their community does not have access to this basic essential resource. A lack of clean drinking water that is easily accessible negatively effects a community in a variety of ways.

"For example: rather than being able to attend school or other activities that can improve the quality of life many children are forced to spend hours each day collecting water for their families use. Over time this reduces the ability for a community to advance and improve over time, as well as exposing thousands to the dangers of unclean drinking water. Food For The Poor has been working to help people in Haiti and around the Caribbean for more than 20 years and we feel proud to support their life-saving efforts, and encourage others to do so as well."

About Food For The Poor Inc.:

Food For The Poor Inc., works to improve the lives of others by providing lifesaving food, secure housing, clean water, healthcare, emergency relief, micro-enterprise projects and education opportunities, to give the poor a chance at a better future in 17 countries throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

About Attorney Brian O. Sutter:

Attorney Brian Sutter practices personal injury, wrongful death, automobile accidents, workers' compensation and Social Security Disability law from his office in Port Charlotte, Florida.

He is a member of the Charlotte County Bar Association, the Lee County Bar Association, the Litigation Section of the Florida Bar, the American Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association, the Florida Justice Association, the American Justice Association and the Workplace Injury Litigation Group. As a board member of the Florida Workers' Advocates, he has actively lobbied on behalf of injured workers for several years and has served as its president.

He has been Board Certified in Florida Workers' Compensation since 1990 and re-certified in 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. He is a member of the Executive Council of the Workers' Compensation section of the Florida Bar Association. He enjoys an AV(r) rating, the highest possible from Martindale-Hubbell(r).

Learn more: http://www.allinjurieslawfirm.com/.

All Injuries Law Firm
941-625-4878
2340 Tamiami Trail,
Port Charlotte, FL 33952.

Attorney Brian O. Sutter of All Injuries Law Firm has been recognized for his contributions to building new wells for clean drinking water in Haiti. Located in the town of Jacemel on the southern coast of Haiti, the project organized and carried out by Food For The Poor Inc., was part of the charitable organizations's wider effort.

Related link: http://www.allinjurieslawfirm.com/