AmeriCares Responds with Relief Efforts in South Asia

Every year, man-made conflicts and natural disasters such as the tsunami in South Asia leave innocent victims behind.  A fleeing refugee in Kosovo, an Ethiopian child who has contracted malaria or a farmer from El Salvador whose livelihood has been shattered by flash floods -- they all need humanitarian assistance. Whether it is short-term relief, rehabilitation from damage or a spur for long-term self-sustainability, human and material resources need to be mobilized rapidly and efficiently to end innocent suffering and prevent future crises.

AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization providing immediate response to emergency medial needs, as well as supporting long-term humanitarian assistance programs, for all people around the world, regardless of race, creed or political persuasion.  AmeriCares solicits donations of medicines, medical supplies and other relief materials from U.S. and international manufacturers, and delivers them quickly and efficiently to indigenous health care and welfare professionals around the world.

For more than two decades, the success of AmeriCares has been characterized by timely response, meaningful impact, high integrity and intense passion for the work.  To deliver medicine, relief supplies and health care to the needy, AmeriCares has developed a platform based on strategic partnerships including its long-standing relationship with Northwest Airlines, high-efficiency and tight auditing procedures.

Two warehouses in the United States and one in Europe serve as assembly centers for inventory. On the ground, AmeriCares works with international and local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), hospitals, health networks and government ministries of long-standing effectiveness such as the Order of Malta, Mother Theresa's Sisters of Charity, Adventist Development and Relief Agency International, HOPE Worldwide, Project Mercy, Centres pour le Developpement et la Sante and Help The Afghan Children.

"We are truly appreciative of Northwest Airlines' generosity at this critical time," says Curtis R. Welling, president and CEO of AmeriCares. "We have a long-standing relationship with Northwest, which has been helping us for the past 10 years in times of disasters. Their critical transportation assistance has enabled our medical relief supplies to reach the earthquake and tsunami survivors in Asia as quickly as possible."

Since its founding, AmeriCares has provided more than $4 billion of aid in more than 137 countries. Visit AmeriCares online at www.americares.org.

Northwest Supports Relief Efforts in South Asia

In response to the recent devastation in South Asia, Northwest is supporting the relief efforts of organizations such as AmeriCares and other partner charity organizations that specialize in disaster relief such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and UNICEF, through its AirCares charitable assistance program. Each of these organizations may receive WorldPerks mileage and/or monetary donations.

Customers who wish to make monetary donations to a Northwest AirCares charity partner should contact the charity directly.  Members making a monetary donation of at least $50 to a Northwest AirCares charity partner are eligible to receive 500 WorldPerks Bonus Miles if they mention the AirCares program and advise the charity of their WorldPerks account number at the time of donation.  To ensure members are credited with miles for their monetary donations to the American Red Cross they need to donate via the AirCares partner link on nwa.com.

To make a mileage donation, simply call 1-800-327-2881.  Through April 30, 2005, the minimum donation for disaster relief efforts is 1,000 miles; larger donations may be made in 1,000-mile increments. All donations are final.