assist Red Crescent Societies The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is launching a preliminary appeal for 1.3 million Swiss francs (€ 846,000/1 million US$) to support the assistance programmes set up by National Red Crescent Societies for people fleeing hostilities in Lebanon. The funds will be used initially to assist some 50,000 people over the next three months and to replenish stocks of emergency items distributed to the thousands of evacuees and other affected populations, such as host families.