Currently in a cease-fire, Armenia has been embroiled in a regional conflict that has displaced thousands of families. This is happening during a harsh winter where temperatures regularly dip below freezing in snowy conditions.
On Jan. 22, UPSers came through with a two-segment flight carrying approximately 30 metric tons of cargo containing 60,000 pieces of winter clothing donated by Gap Inc.
A partnership between USA for UNHCR and Good360 coordinated the large winter clothing donation. Together with the U.N. Refugee Agency, the groups determined where the most urgent need was. Armenia was selected as an area in critical need.
“We’re so appreciative of the UPS Foundation, UPS Airlines and other partners for their generous donation to address urgent humanitarian needs of the displaced families, among them vulnerable women and children, elderly people and persons with specific needs,” said Anna-Carin Ost, UNHCR Representative in Armenia.
For aircraft charters loadmaster Tim Richter, the move required a considerable amount of coordination with the clothing distributor. The cargo not only had to fit into the MD-11 departing from Louisville, but also fit the aircraft contour and position count of the 767 that would fly the last leg to Armenia.
“The large boxes of coats were challenging because they were difficult to build up to fit within the tight contour of the 767,” Tim said. “During the cargo build-up process we also drafted a pre-plan weight and balance to ensure our aircraft position weights and center of gravity were within limits.”
Once the MD-11 arrived in Cologne, the cargo was unloaded and moved to a UPS 767 for its final flight leg to Yerevan, Armenia. From there, the cargo was moved to staging areas. The winter clothing will be distributed to families in the coming weeks by UNHCR partners, Mission Armenia NGO and Armenian Red Cross Society.
“For more than 10 years, UPS has committed its resources and expertise to help refugees around the world. USA for UNHCR is grateful for the company’s latest act of compassion and generosity to address the urgent humanitarian needs of vulnerable families,” said Anne-Marie Grey, executive director and CEO of USA for UNHCR.
“Public-private partnerships like this create a critical foundation for getting donations distributed as quickly as possible,” said Nicole Clifton, president of The UPS Foundation. UPS was proud to deploy our air resources to assist in this effort.”
Check out a short video from UNHCR on how The UPS Foundation is moving our world forward by delivering what matters.