More supplements needed for Katrina victims

By Jess Halliday

“Within 12 hours after the news on Hurricane Katrina broke, companies were calling us offering to help,” said Howard Schiffer, president of the Vitamin Angel Alliance, which is consolidating vitamin products and working closely with relief organizations, churches and emergency personnel to deliver them to the refugees.

Even so, Schiffer told NutraIngredients-USA.com that donations are running slower than they did during the week following the tsunami which devastated parts of Asia last December, despite the disaster hitting American on home soil. He was not yet able to provide a count on the supplements received so far but expects to release more details on the industry's efforts later this week.

The most useful products in this situation are multiple vitamins for adults and chewable vitamins for children, as well as financial contributions towards the logistics of delivering products to those who need them most.

Although the initial danger of the hurricane itself is over, those who have spent days in unsanitary conditions or have been forced to leave their homes face longer-term consequences, including the possibility of malnutrition and infection.

Vitamin Angels' warehouse is located about an hour and a half from the Astrodome, and supplements started reaching FEMA Specialty Needs Centers in Louisiana last week.

If those making donations prefer for them to be used to help affected individuals, they can be designated for the American Red Cross or Salvation Army's hurricane relief funds.

“We’re all in this together,” said Schiffer. “The only real insurance in any natural disaster is human kindness and generosity.”

Cash Donations can be sent to VAA, 1450 Orange Grove Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.

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The victims of Hurricane Katrina need as much help as possible right now. If you've thought about making a contribution but don't necessarily know how to go about it, why not contribute to Vitamin Angel Alliance or personally sponsor a person or a family who was impacted by Hurricane Katrina?