Claflin Sends Aid to Haiti
When the employees at Claflin heard about the disaster in Haiti, like most of the country and the world they were stunned. Soon though they began to think about how a distributor of medical equipment and supplies might be able to help out with the relief effort. Quickly, the team set about identifying the types of materials that might be needed there while other volunteers started to contact the relief organizations the company normally works with in making donations. Claflin looked for appropriate items where our inventory levels were sufficient, or could be replenished rapidly enough, to spare some portion without affecting our existing customers. The team identified a relief order worth over $350,000 and soon had the supplies segregated, shrink wrapped on pallets and ready for shipment. Unfortunately, the logistics of getting the supplies to Haiti proved more difficult. The airspace and other infrastructure there made shipments of even critically needed materials very difficult at the outset, and even established agencies like the American Red Cross were only accepting cash contributions. 
Through a contact at one of our hospital customers we were put in touch with the President of a local Rotary Club, who had access to a small private plane and was transporting a medical team and also looking for supply donations. Within hours Mr. Luciano Cozzi was at the Claflin warehouse selecting items for their first voyage. Because of the type of aircraft, his mission was able to use an alternate airfield where he had coordinated with a local hospital to pick up the desperately needed supplies. In contact via e-mail, Cozzi kept his Claflin partners advised of his progress, and upon arrival in Haiti he notified our team of the items identified by the hospital there as most needed. We then segregated a second order which Cozzi had picked up immediately upon his return. He is again off on his adventure of mercy, but his capacity is quite limited by the small plane and the need there is great and increasing.
Then Claflin heard back from the (former President) Clinton Foundation, a very active relief effort focused on the Haitian disaster. They had arranged transportation donated by UPS to an embarkation point in Florida with air transport to the stricken island. UPS picked up the remainder of Claflins donation in a dedicated tractor trailer within hours. .png) We are all grateful for the dramatic efforts of Luciano Cozzi and his small band of heroes, and to all of those who enabled Claflin to be part of the rescue and recovery effort in our neighboring nation of Haiti. We are please to be able to share these photos of the mission, sent back to us by Cozzi and his team.
Ted Almon
President, CEO
The Claflin Company
|
