A shipment from a medical company in Thorold is bound for Lebanon, where residents are struggling to survive after the devastating blast in Beirut on August 4 displaced 300,000 people and left thousands more injured, and with their homes in shards.
Norgen Biotek sales rep Michelle Stopher learned of the devastating situation facing many civilians in the country in the wake of recent events through her many Lebanese friends and felt the call to action.
After making rounds collecting non-perishable food, medical supplies, and cleaning equipment from friends and family who donated, her employer decided to join in the effort to collect items sorely needed on the ground in the country, that also is struck by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Basically, this became bigger than I thought," said Stopher to Thorold News, crediting the work of Norgen's marketing team who promoted the campaign on social media.
What would become a total of 17 boxes started filling up with stuff as staff came together to either drop off items or provided cash for essential goods to be bought and added to the shipment distributed via Lebanon Strong, a Toronto-based campaign that has partnered with Global Logistics Management, who will be transporting the containers to Beirut.
"My hope is that the items provide support to the people who need it the most. Lebanon has gone through so much with the economic crisis."
Norgen CEO, Dr. Youssef Haj-Ahmad, himself with roots in the Middle East, told Thorold News that it is in Norgen's culture to lend a helping hand and that he was happy to be able to contribute.
"We just encourage people to do good for the community and be good citizens," Haj-Ahmad said.
He keeps a keen eye on the developments in the part of the world that used to be his home, currently struggling under a long-standing and brutal civil war.
"The problem is that their governments do not act in the best interest of the people. Their interest is to stay in power. Power is for the highest bidder in Syria. It is the same in Lebanon."
The containers will go by rail to Halifax, then by sea to Europe and from Europe connect to Lebanon.
The campaign's goal is to send 30 containers in 3 months to go to various NGO’s to be distributed to those in need.
Involved from the marketing team were Ben Milnes, Chloe Maxwell, Haylee Spiller, Asad Akhtar, and Serena Atallah.
