Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 19:44:59 -0600 (CST)
From: owner-rapid-response@casa-alianza.org
Subject: [rapid-response] OPERATION BEARLIFT UNDERWAY...

November 14th, 1998

CASA ALIANZA INITIATES "OPERATION BEARLIFT" TO 
CENTRAL AMERICA

There are few smiles on the faces of the more than 10,000 street 
children in Honduras. Or on the 85,000 children under the age of 
five in numerous emergency shelters scattered throughout this 
Central American country after it has been battered and broken by 
Hurricane Mitch. In Nicaragua the situation is equally devastating 
with thousands of homes having been destroyed.

"We are extremely concerned for the long-term mental health of  
these traumatised children," stated Bruce Harris, the Latin 
American Director of "Casa Alianza", a part of Covenant House in 
North America. "It has been proven, many times around the world, 
that after a crisis situation a teddy bear reduces the levels of 
mental anguish that a child suffers," he added.

Casa Alianza is launching a drive for 100,000 teddy bears to be 
distributed throughout Honduras and Nicaragua. The teddies will be 
collected in Covenant House Florida in Fort Lauderdale and the 
child welfare agency is looking for someone to sponsor shipping 
down to Central America as soon as possible.

"In a limited manner in the past we have given teddy bears to street
children in our programs in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and 
Nicaragua, and the first thing the children do is hug it. You can tell 
your innermost fears and secrets to a teddy, and it does not tell 
you to 'shut up'. You can hug teddy and it does not reject you. You 
can hug teddy as you go to sleep, and you feel safe," related 
Harris.

After the immediate needs of food and shelter, Casa Alianza feels 
that the mental health of the children is the next priority. As 
families try and dig themselves out of the tons of mud and 
destruction left by Hurricane Mitch, the children's faces are glazed 
over with shock and bewilderment. They cannot cope with such a 
major crisis. Worse still if they have lost family members amongst 
the more than 7,000 dead and 13,000 missing. 

"After such a major tragedy, the least we can give the children is a
teddy. They need to feel safe". The "Operation Bear Lift" is 
underway. 

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Please send teddy bears to:

Operation Bear Lift
Covenant House Florida
733 Breakers Avenue
Ft. Lauderdale FL 33304-4196  USA

Tel: (954) 568-7913

Important Points to Remember:

1.- That the teddy be in a good and clean condition please

2.- Please attach a small piece of card to teddy with a rubber band 
and write a short note (preferably in Spanish) for the child

3.- Please try and include a check to help towards the cost of 
shipping and distribution. Please make the check payable to 
"Covenant House".

4.- Please ship the teddies AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and no later 
than December 15th, 1998

5.- If you do not have a teddy bear and would like us to purchase 
one for you in your name, please send the message for the child 
and a check to cover the cost of the teddy to Covenant House at 
the address above.

6.- At the present time it is only pragmatic for North Americans to 
physically send bears. If people from outside N. America would like 
to help, please send a cheque to the Covenant House address or 
else you will spend more in postage than the cost of a bear. If 
anyone in Europe would like to undertake the collection of bears for 
a "European Bear Lift", please let me know.

7.- We are still needing financial support for other areas of the 
program, so please continue to send you support for ongoing 
expenses for food, medicine and clothing.

If you would like more information about Casa Alianza's operations 
in Central America, please visit our webpage at 
www.casa-alianza.org

We will post continual updates regarding the campaign on our 
website and will include photos of the delivery of the teddy bears as 
"Operation Bearlift" starts. If you would like any further information, 
please contact bearlift@casa-alianza.org.

Thank you for your solidarity with the children of Central America. 
You may never meet them face to face, but your love will be felt 
with the first hug of your teddy.

Bruce Harris
Executive Director
Latin American Programs
Casa Alianza/Covenant House Latin America
--------------------------------------------
Casa Alianza/Covenant House Latin America
SJO 1039
PO Box 025216, Miami FL 33102-5216  USA
Tel. in Costa Rica: +506-253-5439 or 253-6338
Fax in Costa Rica:  +506-224-5689
Home page address: http://www.casa-alianza.org
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"In their little worlds in which children have their existence, 
there is nothing so finely perceived and so finely felt, 
as injustice...."

Charles Dickens, "Great Expectations"
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