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Bridge Foundation in Afghanistan
Thursday, 06 November 2003

New Canaan, CT - Bridge Foundation accompanied New York City firefighters and police officers just days before Christmas to Afghanistan on a humanitarian airlift that brought over 45 tons of relief supplies to that country's neediest victims of war.

Two New Canaan residents accompanied New York City firefighters and police officers just days before Christmas to Afghanistan on a humanitarian airlift that brought over 45 tons of relief supplies to that country's neediest victims of war.

 

Drew Hannah and Stephen Skakel, both of New Canaan with the firefighters and police officers, also visited troops from the U.S. Special Forces and the 10th Mountain Division at Bagram Airbase. They then delivered food and other supplies to over 800 children at an orphanage in the war-torn capital city of Kabul. The airlift was sponsored by the Guinness UDV Spirit of America Fund which was established by the employees of the company following the terror attacks on September 11. Hannah and Skakel laid out the planning and logistics for the arduous journey that took the crew from New York to Ostende, Belgium, through Baku, Azerbijian and into Afghanistan.

Hannah and Skakel and the rest of the crew delivered the much-needed cooking oil, rice, blankets, and other foodstuffs and medical supplies via a Russian cargo jet to Bagram Airbase 40 miles north of Kabul on December 21. The materials were then consigned to the World Food Program for the Tahiya Maskanorphanage and other orphanages in Kabul and central Afghanistan.

Over 800 children at the Tahiya Maskan home warmly welcomed the group, where the FDNY and NYPD officers handed out toys and candy to throngs of Afghan children orphaned during the years of Taliban rule.

Also aboard was Greenwich resident, Guy L. Smith, executive vice president of Guinness UDV, who directed the company's involvement. Smith designated the "Ground Zero to Ground Zero" airlift in commemoration of the events of September 11.

"Our company wanted to make a genuine difference," Smith said. "By starting from Ground Zero in New York and taking these relief materials to Ground Zero in Afghanistan, we wanted to deliver a message that America cares about their suffering and hardship." Additionally, all the firefighters and police officers that participated have been involved in the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero since September 11th.


Bridge Foundation was founded in 2002 and has provided emergency aid to Afghanistan, Iraq, Congo, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Indonesia, Jamaica and Lebanon. Bridge Foundation has also assisted domestically in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana and West Virginia.   Bridge Foundation is an IRS registered 501©(3) tax exempt organization.

MEDIA RELEASE / ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jon K. Fagan
888.962.9467 ext 81 - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
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BRIDGE FOUNDATION
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