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USNS Comfort Brings Goodwill to Ecuador

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110521-03
5/21/2011

By Staff Sgt. Courtney M. Richardson, Continuing Promise 2011 Public Affairs

MANTA, Ecuador (NNS) -- Continuing Promise 2011 (CP11) personnel embarked aboard USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) held a Project Handclasp donation ceremony at Manta Port, May 18.

Project Handclasp, the U.S. Navy's worldwide outreach program, is a public-private partnership enterprise with corporations, public service organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and individuals throughout the U.S. providing donations at no cost to the government. The donations are packaged and delivered by U.S. Navy vessels to countries around the world.

Seven non-governmental organizations including Latter Day Saints charities, The Wheelchair Foundation, Project Cure, Give a Kid a Backpack, Supplies Over Seas, Bayside Medical, and Personal Energy Transportation International, provided donations for Ecuador through Project Handclasp.

"We found out about Project Handclasp two years ago, when one of our members was back East and ran into someone in the military," said Laura Young from Latter Day Saints church. "We asked what we could do to help and we became a part of it that way, and now we are a part of the whole Continuing Promise mission."

The Ecuadorian organizations will receive multiple pallets of humanitarian aid supplies for those in the most critical need of support.

"There are a lot of different medical supplies, school supplies, supplies for new babies and clothing," said Linda Sheffield, Latter Day Saints charities in Utah.

Several Ecuadorian organizations met the ship's crew at the pier to collect the goods Comfort transported thousands of miles from the United States.

"We are very happy and very thankful," said Adriana Viraeza, on behalf of Llevando Esperanza, an organization that travels to hospitals assisting underprivileged individuals in Ecuador. Viraeza explained that the donations provided will help many people all over Ecuador, especially those who need it the most.

Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (COMUSNAVSO)/Commander, U.S. 4th Fleet (C4F) supports U.S. Southern Command joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.