April 23rd, 1995. It’s a date etched in the history of Heart to Heart International (HHI) and in the story of a powerful partnership. On that day, a FedEx aircraft made history as the first commercial American aircraft to land in Vietnam since the end of the conflict. The plane was carrying tons of medicines and medical supplies as a sign of friendship and goodwill between the two countries.
Twenty years after the Vietnam War concluded, this monumental delivery of 45 tons of aid reached clinics, hospitals, and critical care facilities across Vietnam. Heart to Heart International focused its efforts on providing essential care to underserved women and children in rural and impoverished urban areas.
The groundbreaking flight, facilitated with the support of many government officials, symbolized a pivotal moment in the relations between the United States and Vietnam As Le Van Bang, the Charge d’Affaires from the Vietnam Embassy, noted, “We believe that the April airlift of $7 million in medicines was instrumental in influencing the President of your country to normalize relations with our country.”
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Beyond its immediate impact, this airlift served as the launchpad for a remarkable 30-year collaboration between Heart to Heart International and FedEx, a partnership that has since touched millions of lives with essential aid and support.
Since that historic airlift in 1995, FedEx has consistently gone above and beyond in supporting our work, including participating in numerous airlifts to Vietnam, India and China. In fact, in 2000, the President of FedEx, David Bronczek, was presented HHI’s Heart for Humanity award honoring his extraordinary leadership during these airlifts.
Building upon the foundation of those early airlifts, FedEx has continued as a vital partner in our disaster response work. Their reliable logistics have been instrumental in delivering vital medicines and supplies to communities impacted by disasters around the world. This partnership extends to the dedication of their team members have cheerfully contributed their time and energy to assemble hygiene kits, including during FedEx’s 50th anniversary in 2023 when employees assembled hygiene kits with HHI in Memphis, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
During the 2020 pandemic, FedEx played a critical role in shipping desperately needed PPE across the United States. Their innovative support even extended to the PGA Tour FedEx Cup, where they designed a golf shoe with the HHI logo to bolster our efforts.
Looking beyond immediate crises, FedEx has invested in our long-term preparedness. Their support of our disaster response training program ensures that our teams are ready to deploy quickly and effectively when crises strike. Furthermore, their partnership has been instrumental in the success of our Mobile Medical Unit and Mobile Medical Van, enabling us to bring essential healthcare directly to those most in need.
“FedEx is invaluable to our global health efforts,” said Kim Carroll, HHI CEO. “Their consistent and reliable support is essential – we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them. From disaster relief to ongoing needs, they are instrumental in delivering vital medicines and supplies to communities worldwide.”
As we celebrate this remarkable milestone, we extend our deepest thanks to FedEx for their dedication and commitment to our shared mission of delivering hope and health around the world. We look forward to many more years of collaboration, working together to deliver for good.