The United States Embassy delivered US$20,000 in supplies to Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) at a July 16 handover ceremony in Belmopan. U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Keith Gilges presented the food packs and hygiene kits to NEMO Director Shelton Defour. 
“It is not a question of ‘if’ Belize will suffer another natural disaster, but ‘when’,” said Chargé Gilges. “In the aftermath of such a disaster, access to food and basic hygiene is crucial to the health and well-being of survivors, and it can mean the difference between life and death. The United States has long been committed to partnering with Belize to better prepare for future calamities,” he said. “While confronting the current COVID pandemic, we must also remain vigilant to other threats.” The donations, provided through funding from U.S. Southern Command, were in response to a request from NEMO. The emergency food packs include boxes of powdered milk, potted meat, peanut butter, chopped ham, beans, soda biscuit, cheese, tea bags, granola bars, corn flakes among other items. The hygiene kits include mouth wash, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment, vapor rub, and soap.
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