Community & Disaster Relief

A Look Back: The Top 10 Shipments of 2008

By Matt Ceniceros on January 7, 2009
 
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The FedEx network delivers over 7.5 million packages a day. While every package is important, we’ve complied a list of 10 of our most unusual and noteworthy shipments of 2008.

  1. Through our relationship with the American Red Cross, FedEx donated shipments totaling more than 823,000 pounds in 2008.
  2. After the massive earthquake that hit China on May 12, FedEx and Heart to Heart delivered the first private airlift of relief supplies to China on May 26.  A FedEx MD11 cargo plane delivered 70 tons of humanitarian aid valued at $1.5 million (US).
  3. FedEx charitable support of the United Service Organization (USO) provided for the delivery of 1.5 million care packages in support of our troops.
  4. FedEx Express delivered Deano, the California sea lion, to the Houston Zoo in late May.  Tipping the scales at nearly 600 pounds, Deano made a transpacific flight from Hawaii to Houston.
  5. Through our relationship with Operation Warm, FedEx delivered 126,000 new children’s winter coats to nonprofit agencies for distribution to local children in need.
  6. The FedEx Express Indianapolis hub provided logistics and shipping for Operation Walk, which provides free surgical treatment for patients in developing countries with no access to life improving care.  A total of 69 surgeries were performed in Nicaragua on the 2008 mission.
  7. The FedEx Express ramp in Austin, TX, in conjunction with the Charles de Gaulle Hub in Paris, coordinated the movement of two drop tanks from the “Lost Battalion” of WWII for the Texas Military Forces Museum. The tanks were dropped during WWII with supplies for the survival needs of soldiers and were intact for the museum display.
  8. FedEx Express delivered 7 whales and 4 dolphins from Shedd Aquarium in Chicago to the Mystic Aquarium in CT for a temporary relocation during a major overhaul of Shedd’s Oceanarium. FedEx Charters coordinated all logistics, including 129 ramp and handler employees involved in the flights
  9. FedEx Express provided the transportation of two orphaned grizzly cubs from Anchorage to Indianapolis Zoo.  The cubs were orphaned in mid-August and were turned over to the Alaska Zoo until they were found a home.  The cubs flew on FedEx scheduled service with a warm welcome by our Indy Hub employees before heading off to their new residence at the Indianapolis Zoo.
  10. FedEx Freight and FedEx Express continued the support for the Trees for Troops program in 2008.  More than 400 donated Christmas trees were sent to US troops serving in Iraq while more than 16,000 trees were provided for families stationed at military bases in the United States.



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That is pretty cool. The most

Submitted by Julia on 01/21/09 - 11:15 am
That is pretty cool. The most interesting thing we shipped here in Pittsburgh was Tufani a gorilla from the Pittsburgh zoo. I think it was going to Houston

Great story! It feels great

Submitted by Sergio on 01/21/09 - 11:09 am
Great story! It feels great to be part of a company that goes the extra miles. I found the whale shipment really interesting!

I loved reading what all this

Submitted by Siena on 01/16/09 - 10:51 am
I loved reading what all this company does in the way of giving. That's what keeps it going: The priciple of what goes around comes around, sowing and reaping, planting and growing, however you word it...way to go! Wish more of this could be on the news instead of all the bad incidents.

Great article to share with

Submitted by Valerie D'Oyen on 01/12/09 - 2:28 pm
Great article to share with the team

These are the stories that

Submitted by Scott on 01/11/09 - 5:20 pm
These are the stories that need to be told. During this time of economic crisis, stop being so humble FedEx! Use these stories in your commercials. The public needs to know that we are not the typical "Corporate America".

The top "11"

Submitted by Barbara McGovern on 01/09/09 - 1:59 pm
The top "11" shipments.... With reference to the most important shipments, I wanted to finally (overdue) take a moment to thank FedEx for the shipments of relief supplies during Hurricane Ike in the Houston,TX area for affected employees. Even if you didn't live in Galveston that sustained the most damage, most people throughout Houston and it's suburbs were without electricity for weeks. Trees were down and many roofs and homes were damaged. It was near impossible to get gasoline for your car or generators (if you were lucky enough to have or find one) due to stations not having the power to turn their pumps on. Most stores and supermarkets were closed too. FedEx came through by sending in generators for employees free use; loaning power saws, tarps, ladders and other items. They supplied water, ice and food care packages for us all along with gasoline. I am a 25 year employee and I was never so proud to work for this company. FedEx really cares for their people in times of need! Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

It is truly a pleasure to

Submitted by Ruby Landy on 01/09/09 - 1:55 pm
It is truly a pleasure to work for a first class company that cares, it is not every day that a company will give back to the community as FEDEX does, May God continue Bless The Fedex Family.

All of these great things are

Submitted by Robyne Ingram on 01/09/09 - 1:06 pm
All of these great things are why I work for this company. I would have accepted a 10% pay cut.

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