Are You Prepared For Disaster?

“How could we have prepared for this?” Operation Blessing’s Disaster Relief team hears these words all too often after a disaster destroys a family home. Nobody knows when disaster will strike, so it’s important to be prepared with a disaster emergency kit. Does your family know what do to in case of disaster? How prepared are you? These fun questions are designed to spark a family conversation about your specific preparation plan. Here are some suggested talking points.

  • When will you stay? When is it time to leave? Decide as a family when you will evacuate during a storm. Make sure everyone is on the same page. It’s also a good idea to decide on a meeting place before you evacuate so nobody gets left behind!
  • Evacuation route? Where will you take shelter during an evacuation? Plan out the best route to get there and have options in case roads are blocked.
  • Contact information? Who will know where you are located in case of evacuation? Give a few different people your plan. Write down important phone numbers and make sure everyone has a hard copy, in case phone batteries run out.

Emergency Kit

Making an emergency kit can be a fun family activity. Grab some plastic storage containers and fill them with basic emergency items. When you’re done, seal the bins with duct tape and store them in a central location like the garage. Here are some general guidelines for packing an emergency kit.

  • Food & Water Pack shelf-stable foods like canned soup, dried fruit, and crackers. Make sure to include one gallon of water per person, per day. And don’t forget the pet food! It is recommended to pack at least 3 days’ worth of food and water for your family.
  • Essential Supplies Pack supplies in your kit. These include things like a flashlight with extra bulbs and batteries, a can opener, hygiene supplies, a change of clothes, diapers, a map, and more.
  • Important Documents Make photocopies of any and all identifying information for everyone in your family. School transcripts and medication lists should be included, as well as insurance information and contact phone numbers.

Remember, Operation Blessing is here for you. Our disaster relief teams are ready to spring into action whenever disaster strikes. Visit ob.org/prep to learn more. You can also download our FREE Prepared Families Disaster Preparation Guide here!

Fighting the COVID-19 Crisis In Myanmar

Ko and Thida are hardworking parents living in Myanmar during COVID-19. When COVID-19 hit their country, the government ordered a shelter-in-place mandate, severely impacting their lives. Ko worked at a dam on a river near their home. The family would also chop and sell firewood to subsidize their income. But with the coronavirus spreading through Myanmar, Ko lost his job and people stopped showing up to buy wood.

Food Scarcity In Myanmar During COVID-19

Food scarcity in Myanmar during COVID-19 began to impact people like Ko and Thida. They grew desperate. They began to ration out their soap supply just to get by. In the midst of a pandemic when cleanliness is most important, washing their hands became a rare luxury.

But thanks to you, hope was just around the corner! Operation Blessing teams traveled directly to Ko and Thida’s home, delivering a package full of beans, rice, oil, shampoo, and soap. Their children can now wash their hands often, while Thida prepares meals to satisfy her family. Thank you for your heart to see families cared for in these trying times.

From the Field

You Blessed A Hungry Widow Through COVID-19

UNITED STATES – Stacie is no stranger to hard times. When COVID-19 social isolation hit the United States, Stacie made the hard choice. She decided to stay sheltered at home to protect her health. But she was not shaken. As a widow, Stacie has already endured extreme hardship, losing both her husband and son several years ago. Now Stacie faced the daunting reality of social distancing due to COVID-19. That, with the burden of having lost a husband and son, was a lot to bear. The emotional strain was compounded by the new challenge of dealing with COVID-19 social isolation. Even as the coronavirus pandemic spread through the United States, her faith kept her grounded.

The Challenge Of COVID-19 Social Isolation As A Widow

Being alone as a widow during COVID-19, Stacie did not often venture out of her home, making it difficult to access food. But thanks to YOU, and an Operation Blessing partner, Outreach for Christ, Stacie received food in her desperate time of need! Volunteers traveled to her home, delivering packages full of nourishing food items to sustain her while she shelters-in-place. Thank you for your heart to care for men and women all over the country struggling at this time with the burden of social isolation.

Hibernating and Hungry During COVID-19

When the coronavirus hit the United States, it turned Sandra’s life upside down. She suffers from many health conditions that put her at high-risk for contracting the COVID-19 virus. These conditions, combined with her age, forced Sandra to make the decision to shelter in place. Weeks turned into months and Sandra became desperate for supplies. But the risk was too great to venture out to buy them herself.

But thanks to you, Operation Blessing partner Outreach for Christ received the exact resources Sandra needed during the COVID-19 crisis! Volunteers were able to deliver food and paper products directly to her door. Staff wore masks and gloves to protect themselves and Sandra, blessing her with supplies while also safeguarding her health. Thank you for your heart to see Sandra cared for in this desperate time.

A Hospital of Hope

Solar Panels And Their Impact On Burundi Medical Care

BURUNDI – In the East African nation of Burundi, quality medical care can be hard to come by. But you made a big difference through your support of Operation Blessing partner, Kibuye Hope Hospital.

In the past, frequent power outages resulted in tragic outcomes, despite the best efforts of the staff. Incubators, oxygen machines and other life-saving equipment would simply shut down. Surgeries and medical care in Burundi would become much more dangerous without proper lighting and anesthesia. And precious blood supplies would spoil. 

Then you sent a state of the art solar power system to keep a steady stream of electricity flowing to those in need. You’ve offered life and hope to so many children and other patients since .

Feeding Program And Burundi Nutrition

You also supported a feeding program through Kibuye Hope Hospital. Too many children in their area suffered from malnutrition. But over 200 kids began receiving a high protein bowl of hot cereal twice a week, and the parents got extra to take home. When one mother first brought her baby to the program, the child was sick and underweight. Soon after, her baby began to thrive, and she’s so grateful for your help and improved nutrition!

Burundi Medical care

Life-Changing Surgeries In Burundi

Finally, through this hospital you provided life-changing surgeries for those in desperate need. When young Willy fell off a bike and broke his leg, you offered him with the surgery he needed for a speedy recovery. Whether cataracts, cleft lips, or other treatable issues, you made it possible for vulnerable individuals to get the surgeries they needed. 

Thank you again for being a source of hope to the precious people of Burundi by helping this hospital live up to its name. 

“The Hunger is Going to Kill Us”

PUNO, PERU – “They are saying the pandemic itself will not kill us, but hunger will.” These words echo the thoughts of hundreds of men and women across Peru. The shutdowns due to COVID-19 have wreaked havoc on the livelihoods of Peruvian families. 33-year-old Judit is a single mother. She worked as a cook’s assistant, but because of COVID-19, she was laid off indefinitely. Without a job, Judit was desperate to keep food on the table for her 5 children. Often, the family had to survive on nothing but boiled potatoes. For such lively children as Judit’s, this was not nearly enough sustenance. How were they to continue living their daily lives? How were they to summon the energy to play soccer, or even to finish their homework for the day? Judit despaired, and prepared to beg for scraps before she let her children go hungry.

Thank God it didn’t come to that, because YOU refused to let hunger win. Your generosity gave Operation Blessing staff in Peru the opportunity to create food packages for hundreds of families. These packages contained bag after bag of rice, along with other food items. These live-saving gifts have sustained Judit and her precious children. With a voice full of emotion, Judit told us how grateful she was for the food. This is all thanks to you and your faithful support during this global pandemic. Thank you for your heart to help the hurting.

You Fed Gladys As She Fought COVID-19

PERU – Gladys works hard while also raising her four children. A few months ago, she began to experience symptoms suspiciously similar to the COVID-19 virus. When she heard on the radio how hard the coronavirus had hit Peru, she began to suspect she’d contracted the illness at a local market. Since she was unable to work, Gladys’s resources ran low. She struggled to feed her children or purchase medicine.

But thanks to you, Operation Blessing met Gladys in her desperate hour! OB Peru travelled throughout Gladys’s community, delivering food bags and cleaning supplies to slow the spread of the virus. Gladys can now put food on the table for her family. Thank you for your heart to see men, women, and children cared for during the COVID-19 crisis.

Feeding Filipino Street Vendors During COVID-19

PHILIPPINES – Alma and Arlie live next door to each other in the Philippines. Both devoted wives and mothers, spend their days working as street vendors. But when COVID-19 hit the Philippines, it severely shook their livelihoods. Alma and Arlie could no longer depend on their regular income. They began to worry about where their next meal would come from.

But thanks to generous partners like you, Operation Blessing was able to meet Alma and Arlie’s most critical need. Your kindness provided food bags filled with rice, milk, canned goods, and clean drinking water. You also gifted these families with cleaning supplies to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Thank you for your love to see Alma and Arlie cared for in these unprecedented times!

Press Release: Fergon Iron Supplements

FEEL GOOD AND DO GOOD WITH NEW INNOVATION FROM FERGON IRON SUPPLEMENTS

Chewable Iron Tablets Answer Consumer Demand and Give Back

Edison, New Jersey; June 23, 2020 – Launched today, Fergon® Iron Restore™ meets consumer demand for an iron supplement that tastes great with a delicious orange flavor in a new chewable tablet. The innovation comes from Fergon®, a brand with strong heritage preferred by loyal customers for more than 50 years. Fergon Iron Restore now has the added benefit of helping people feel good while doing good because with every purchase, the owners of Fergon, DSE Healthcare Solutions, will donate a bottle of Fergon classic iron supplements to Operation Blessing.

Operation Blessing, a nonprofit dedicated to providing nutrients, water, medical and disaster relief to those in need, has been on the front lines supporting those impacted by COVID-19. The humanitarian organization will distribute a three-month supply of Fergon classic iron supplements containing the 27 milligrams of recommended daily iron for pregnant women through its network of healthcare professionals to benefit pregnant and postpartum women.

Fergon iron supplements is donating to Operation Blessing to help those in need.

Iron deficiency is one of the most prevalent nutrient deficiencies in the world, affecting an estimated two billion people. Young children and pregnant and postpartum women are the most commonly and severely affected because of the high iron demands of infant growth and pregnancy.1 While women in general need more iron for monthly menstruation cycles, pregnancy and menopause, both men and women, particularly endurance athletes, also often need to supplement their iron.

“We’re thrilled to introduce this innovation into the market and equally excited to help women get the essential nutrients they need through our partnership with Operation Blessing,” said Michele Muhammad, chief marketing officer of DSE Healthcare Solutions. “This is a time when a little good can go a long way and we all need to do what we can to help one another.”

“We’re committed to helping at-risk populations get the essentials they need and we’re thankful for partners including DSE Healthcare Solutions for supplying products like Fergon to help us further our mission,” said Gordon Robertson, president of Operation Blessing.

Iron levels have a big impact on overall health by aiding in healthy red blood cell production, which transports oxygen throughout the body. An iron supplement like Fergon Iron Restore can help maintain iron in the blood at healthy levels.

New Fergon Iron Restore contains the patented, non-constipating ingredient SunActive FE™ delivered in a great-tasting chewable tablet that is gentle on the stomach and easy to incorporate into daily lifestyles. The innovative chewable tablet and unique formulation offer a new solution for those who don’t like to or can’t swallow pills, or just want their daily supplements to taste good.

Purchase Fergon Iron Restore on its website or Amazon to help give back to Operation Blessing. Also, follow us on social and join the conversation online using hashtag #RestoreMoreGiving.

1.      World Health Organization; Iron Deficiency;

About DSE Healthcare Solutions

DSE Healthcare Solutions, LLC (DSE) is a privately held consumer healthcare company.  We manufacture and market a portfolio of brands primarily within the vitamin, digestive health and skincare categories. Our collection of legacy, challenger brands set us apart.  We proudly rejuvenate enduring, no-frills health and wellness brands to introduce them to new generations. Discover our nostalgic brand stories and see how authenticity, a focus on quality ingredients, and a commitment to our values still meets contemporary needs. When it comes to everyday health and wellness, we believe simpler is better – and always will. DSE is a proud member of CRN, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, and CHPA, the oldest trade association in the US focused on OTC (over the counter) products.

Food for Struggling Father In Costa Rica During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Costa Rica into a mandatory quarantine. Because of this, many businesses have closed their doors and laid off their employees. This includes Adrian, a young husband and father. Adrian used to work as a cabinet-maker, and made a good wage to support his family. Then, he got laid off without pay a week before Easter. Adrian has been without work ever since, and the family’s financial situation was starting to get dire. He tried to make what he could selling vegetables, but it wasn’t enough. The bills were piling up, and food was becoming scarce. Thankfully, Operation Blessing’s gracious friends came to the rescue just in time. Through your generosity, Operation Blessing staff in Costa Rica prepared nutritious food packages for Adrian and his family. The family received the food with joy, and Adrian expressed his thankfulness for your support.

Thank you for supporting Operation Blessing through these uncertain times. Stories like Adrian’s would be impossible without your help. To learn more about Operation Blessing’s hunger relief program, click here.