LANCASTER – The Ebola Response Team of the Antelope Valley will be collecting items this Saturday to ship to West Africa. They are also receiving cash that will be sent immediately to help African communities affected by the devastating plague.
“While the news has moved on and the situation is better, there are still people dying in West Africa from Ebola,” stated Pastor Terry Van Hook of Lancaster United Methodist Church.
The drop-off location for donations this Saturday, Dec. 13, will be Lancaster United Methodist Church, located at 918 West Avenue J in Lancaster. The drop-off time will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
To assist with this effort, please purchase and donate the following:
- Surgical gloves & industrial gloves
- Masks – face shields and surgical nose masks
- Hand sanitizers and dispensers
- Soap
- Chlorine bleach and wipes
- Chlorine tables – drinkable
- Plastic overall jump suits
- High rubber boots (rain boots)
- Small metal buckets
There is also a growing need for gently-used clothing, children’s books (for use during quarantine) and non-perishable items (canned food, rice, etc.)
Arrangements have been made to assure proper delivery and distribution of all donations through the Anglican Bishop of Sierra Leone, according to local organizers.
Organizers are also accepting cash and checks to help cover the costs of shipping donated items to West African. Checks for shipping can be made payable to: Lancaster UMC, Ebola Shipping.
Immediate financial donations to West Africa can be made online at www.umcor.org, the website for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) – Ebola Response. UMCOR is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to alleviating human suffering around the globe. Funds given to UMCOR for Ebola response will be used for treatment, prevention, communication and public education. No overhead or administration is taken out.
For more information on the local effort to fight Ebola in West African, contact Rev. Terry Van Hook 661-942-0419 or Sierra Leone natives Desmond and Mary John at 661-942-0419.
For stories and videos about how people and groups are responding to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, visit www.bit.ly/LUMC-Ebola-Response.
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