WASHINGTON, June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Friends of the World Food Program today welcomed a $500,000 contribution made possible through the efforts of Explore and the Annenberg Foundation. The grant will provide critical support to helicopter operations in Darfur, which are part of the United Nations World Food Program's (WFP) Humanitarian Air Service (HAS) in Sudan.

"We welcome the Annenberg Foundation's quick response to WFP's urgent call for donations to maintain Humanitarian Air Service in Sudan," said Karen Sendelback, President and CEO of Friends of WFP. "This generous grant will allow relief workers to continue to rely on helicopters to provide lifesaving assistance to so many vulnerable people in Darfur."

On June 10, WFP announced reductions to air service for aid workers in Sudan due to lack of funding and aimed at reducing WFP-HAS’s monthly spending from $6.2 million to $5.2 million.

The agency relies on helicopters to transport staff to southern Sudan and remote parts of Darfur, where travel by road is impossible due to insecurity, banditry or poor road conditions. WFP-HAS serves some 180,000 passengers from 200 different agencies using a fleet of 21 aircrafts including five helicopters based in Darfur and 16 fixed-wing aircraft. About 8,000 relief workers in Darfur, who provide essential food assistance, water and healthcare services, use WFP helicopters each month.

Annenberg Foundation Trustee and Founder of the philanthropic multimedia project Explore Charles Annenberg Weingarten traveled to Darfur in April.

"WFP-HAS has been essential in enabling me and others to bring increased awareness to the grave situation in Darfur, where the daily struggle for survival is dire and relief efforts are greatly challenged. It is my hope that people will be inspired by the invaluable impact WFP-HAS makes on this region and lend support to those in need," said Charles Annenberg Weingarten.

More than half of WFP-HAS passengers work for non-governmental organizations and charities, while others work for UN humanitarian agencies such as WFP, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization. Some humanitarian cargo is also carried on WFP-HAS, although the majority of supplies arrive by truck.

Established in 1989 by Walter H. Annenberg, the Annenberg Foundation provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations in the United States and globally through its headquarters in Radnor, Pennsylvania and offices in Los Angeles, California. The Annenberg Foundation exists to advance the public well-being through improved communication. For additional information visit www.annenbergfoundation.org, www.explore.org.

Friends of the World Food Program (Friends of WFP) is a US-based non-profit organization that unites companies, foundations, and individuals committed to solving world hunger. The World Food Program (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization and the United Nations’ frontline agency for addressing urgent hunger needs. In 2008, WFP plans to feed more than 70 million in around 80 countries. For more information, visit www.friendsofwfp.org.

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