News | 31 October 2022
ISTAT Foundation Hits Goal of $1M for Ukraine Relief Fund
The International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) Foundation is proud to announce that – thanks to the generosity of the ISTAT membership – it has achieved the goal of the matching campaign and raised a total of US$1 million to support the significant humanitarian relief efforts for Ukraine.
“The success of this fundraising campaign demonstrates the ISTAT community and greater aviation industry’s ability to mobilize around a global crisis,” said Dean Gerber, President of ISTAT, which contributed $300,000 through a matching campaign. “I am grateful to our ISTAT members for stepping up to this challenge and helping support the critical efforts in Ukraine.”
The Ukraine Relief Fund launched in March 2022 with an initial contribution of $300,000 from the ISTAT Foundation. It aimed to provide substantial, immediate financial support for the efforts of Airlink, Inc. – a long-time partner of the ISTAT Foundation – and other aviation-focused non-governmental organization partners in delivering direct humanitarian aid, response teams and supplies to Ukraine.
With the support of the Ukraine Relief Fund, Airlink has been able to deliver over 825 tons of relief supplies, deploy 600+ responders, and assist more than 40 NGOs/relief organizations between February and October 2022 in Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.
“Airlink is committed to a long-term response through a sustainable and consistent air bridge that ensures the cost of transportation and logistics is not a barrier to our relief partners responding. We appreciate the ISTAT Foundation’s leadership, its generosity and that of ISTAT and its members, along with donated flight support from our airline partners. Together, we are helping ensure critical aid reaches people across Ukraine and the region through the hardships ahead,” said Steve Smith, President and CEO of the humanitarian logistics and disaster response organization.
More than $35,000 in relief funding was also awarded Flying Angels, a non-profit organization specializing in transport for seriously ill children.
“Thank you to the generosity of our many donors, including the Air Lease Corporation and Pratt & Whitney, who provided early commitments to the campaign,” said ISTAT Foundation Chair Peter Huijbers.