Airport trade association ACI EUROPE has launched a\nfundraising campaign amongst its 500+ members and their business partners and\nstaff in aid of the relief efforts triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine\nand subsequent humanitarian crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Ukraine Crisis Airport Response is a joint initiative\nbetween ACI EUROPE and Airlink, the not-for-profit humanitarian logistics\norganization, and is the first time that the association has partnered with\nAirlink on this type of disaster response fundraising exercise. Airlink provides\nfree and heavily subsidized airlift for a partnership of over 120 NGOs ensuring\nthat the costs of air travel are not a bar to organizations responding to\ndisasters. Last year, Airlink moved over 1000 responders, shipped 10 million\nitems of PPE, and delivered humanitarian aid that directly helped more than 7.8\nmillion people \u2013 equivalent to the population of London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, said: \u201cThe\nscale of humanitarian need we are seeing unfolding in the region is\nunimaginable. We are shocked, saddened, and appalled to see the distress and\nsuffering not only in Ukraine but rippling through Europe as the diaspora of\nrefugees seeks safety, aid, and shelter. We all of us want to do what we can \u2013\nand our partnership with Airlink will enable airports and their wider business\ncommunities to channel transport resources and support where they are most\nneeded. I am grateful for the amazing work Airlink is doing and for the\nopportunity to partner with them and engage our airport community in their\nactions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed\nforces almost three weeks ago, Airlink has delivered over 108,000lbs of\nhumanitarian aid, including medical supplies, blankets, tarps, and solar\ngenerators. Airlink has also delivered 87 responders all on behalf of 16\ndifferent NGOs. These early teams included medical personnel as well as\nassessment and scouting teams that enable NGOs to set up warehousing and\ndistribution networks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are delighted to have the support of ACI EUROPE and its\nmembership. We are very proud to be a part of the aviation family which again\nhas shown how willing it is to support vulnerable communities in crisis\u201d, said\nSteve Smith, Airlink President, and CEO. \u201cThe funds that ACI EUROPE and its\nmembers raise will make a material difference to the lives of thousands of\nUkrainian refugees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Airlink anticipates that the needs of Ukrainian refugees\nwill exist long after any hostilities have abated, requiring a sustained\nresponse from NGOs for a number of years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n