National Air Cargo Teams Up With Admiral Jeremiah Denton Foundation To Send School Supplies To Iraq

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – On August 7, 2009 National Air Cargo provided charitable air transport to deliver more than 2,200 pounds of school supplies to schoolchildren in Iraq on behalf of the Admiral Jeremiah Denton Foundation. The supplies were picked up by truck and delivered to Chicago and loaded on air transport for delivery to Iraq, which arrived in the Diyala Province on Saturday, August 15. The Admiral Jeremiah Denton Foundation, based in Mobile, AL, in conjunction with Operation Schoolhouse collected paper, pencils, backpacks and other school related materials to assist in the education of children in the Diyala Province.

“While the military component of our activities in Iraq is vital to the United States military operation in Iraq there also is a humanitarian component to our efforts as the Iraqi people continue to rebuild their country,” Ted Pendleton, vice president sales, National Air Cargo said. “This is an extremely complex transport mission as we must comply with very strict rules and regulations as it pertains to the delivery of materials to the Middle East. Because National Air Cargo is an industry leader in obtaining the proper documentation and licenses to air transport cargo to the Middle East we knew we could fulfill this important shipment to the needy children of Iraq in the quickest and most seamless transport possible.”

Captain Drew Maney who is stationed in Diyala Province, sent a request to his family in Ft. Walton Beach to collect school supplies for two new schools in Iraq.

After hearing his request and learning about the condition of life for children in Diyala Province, Captain Maney’s 12 year old sister began Operation Schoolhouse to collect school supplies. After months of tirelessly collecting donated school supplies both the Admiral Jeremiah Denton Foundation and Operation Schoolhouse had one obstacle left, the transport of the donation, which National Air Cargo eagerly agreed to provide immediately after hearing of the humanitarian relief effort.

“It is amazing how the spirit of a 12 year old young lady can change the lives of hundreds of young children in an impoverished country thousands of miles away,” Pendleton continued. “Her actions are a testament to the human spirit and we are honored to be able to help her and the Admiral Jeremiah Denton Foundation deliver these much needed school supplies.”

In addition to providing air transport of the donated school supplies, National Air Cargo arranged for truck transport to deliver the school supplies to the Diyala Province once the plane landed in Iraq.