“This expansion reflects Direct Relief’s commitment to addressing urgent health needs wherever they arise,” said Amy Weaver, CEO of Direct Relief. “Establishing a presence in Europe enables greater collaboration and helps ensure that critical medical resources reach the people and places that need them most—quickly and reliably.”

The new European headquarters, based in Frankfurt and legally registered in Germany as Direct Relief gGmbH, will serve as a logistics and partnership hub, building on long-standing collaborations with European pharmaceutical and medical product manufacturers.

“Frankfurt is proud to welcome Direct Relief as part of our international community,” said Eileen O’Sullivan, Deputy Mayor for International Affairs of the City of Frankfurt. “Establishing their European headquarters here strengthens Frankfurt’s role as a global hub for collaboration and humanitarian engagement and contributes to strengthening democracy through international solidarity.”

Over the past decade, Direct Relief has delivered more than $16 billion USD in medical aid throughout Europe and around the world. Roughly a quarter of the medicines Direct Relief delivers worldwide originate in Europe, supported by partnerships with leading European companies.

“We’re grateful to Direct Relief for their longstanding partnership and look forward to supporting and working with them as they expand their important work,” said Bayer AG Chief Executive Officer Bill Anderson. “Bayer’s mission is Health for all, Hunger for none. And we see organizations like Direct Relief as vital partners in achieving that mission.”

As health systems face mounting pressure from conflict, climate-related disasters, and economic instability, the ability to deliver targeted, high-impact humanitarian medical aid has become increasingly vital.

“Promoting health equity is at the heart of our sustainability efforts,” said Shashank Deshpande, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors at Boehringer Ingelheim. “Direct Relief’s expansion in Europe strengthens global health systems and ensures critical care reaches underserved communities worldwide. We are proud to support their mission and to help deliver sustainable health solutions where they are needed most.”

Europe has been integral to Direct Relief’s humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, which has surpassed $2 billion USD in medical aid since the war began in 2022.

“Direct Relief has been consistently supporting Ukraine’s healthcare system throughout the war,” said Viktor Liashko, Ukraine’s Minister of Health. “This assistance is coordinated with the Ministry of Health, ensuring that resources are directed where they are needed most. We highly value this partnership, which saves Ukrainian lives and strengthens the resilience of healthcare services. In the most challenging moments — when hospitals operate under shelling, when the power goes out but doctors continue treating patients — the support of Direct Relief is especially tangible. It stands as an example of effective international solidarity, embodied in concrete results: modern equipment, medicines, backup power systems, and the development of rehabilitation and mental health services.”

The post Direct Relief Expands Global Humanitarian Operations with Opening of European Headquarters in Frankfurt appeared first on Direct Relief.

In addition to the $2 billion in aid, Direct Relief has committed more than $60 million in financial support to local healthcare providers and organizations providing care in Ukraine and other countries, including Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, that have opened their doors to Ukrainian refugees.

From the first airlifts of trauma kits in February 2022 to the installation of battery-backup systems in hospitals during winter blackouts, Direct Relief has worked in continuous collaboration with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, regional authorities, and local healthcare providers.

“Surpassing the $2 billion mark is not just a measure of what has been delivered. It’s a reflection of the trust placed in Direct Relief by donors and the resolve of Ukraine’s health providers, who have held their system together under extraordinary strain,” said Amy Weaver, CEO of Direct Relief. “This milestone underscores what can be achieved when private philanthropy and mission-driven partners act decisively together. As the war continues, our focus remains on ensuring consistent access to care, from medicines and rehabilitation to resilient power, mental health support, and essential medical services for displaced and vulnerable populations.”

In partnership with the Ministry of Health, Direct Relief has aligned its support with Ukraine’s national recovery priorities — supporting health facilities serving internally displaced people, rehabilitating critical infrastructure, expanding access to advanced therapies for chronic and rare diseases, and funding organizations providing psychosocial and trauma recovery programs. This sustained engagement reflects a transition from crisis response to long-term support, ensuring that aid continues to deliver impact well beyond the immediate emergency.

“Direct Relief has been consistently supporting Ukraine’s healthcare system throughout the war. This assistance is coordinated with the Ministry of Health, ensuring that resources are directed where they are needed most. We highly value this partnership, which saves Ukrainian lives and strengthens the resilience of healthcare services. In the most challenging moments — when hospitals operate under shelling, when the power goes out but doctors continue treating patients — the support of Direct Relief is especially tangible,” said Viktor Liashko, Ukraine’s Minister of Health.

“It stands as an example of effective international solidarity, embodied in concrete results: modern equipment, medicines, backup power systems, and the development of rehabilitation and mental health services. We are deeply grateful to the Direct Relief team and to everyone helping to reinforce Ukraine’s healthcare system, ensuring it remains effective, strong, and resilient.”

Essential Medicines and Supplies

At the center of Direct Relief’s work is the provision of critical medicines and supplies. To date, the organization has delivered more than $2,046,000,000 in wholesale value, including more than 449 million defined daily doses of essential medicines used for trauma care, chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer, and maternal and child health. These shipments are directed by real-time requests from the Ministry of Health and local providers to ensure every delivery meets urgent and specific clinical needs.

Rehabilitation & Prosthetics: Restoring Lives, Rebuilding Futures

As Ukraine’s health system continues to absorb the human cost of war, thousands of civilians and service members have lost limbs and now face long paths to recovery. Direct Relief’s support for rehabilitation and prosthetics has focused on strengthening national institutions and independent organizations working to restore mobility and rebuild lives.

Among them is the Unbroken National Rehabilitation Center in Lviv, now a national hub for advanced rehabilitative care. With support from Direct Relief and others, Unbroken has transformed a seven-story building into a fully equipped center where patients living with limb loss and other injuries relearn daily routines.

Direct Relief also supports the Protez Foundation, a U.S.- and Ukraine-based nonprofit that manufactures and fits custom prosthetics for civilians and soldiers injured in the conflict. The foundation has expanded its workshops and training programs with help from Direct Relief, enabling hundreds of amputees to receive modern prosthetic limbs and specialized therapy, free of charge.

A growing number of those receiving care are also joining the workforce to help others. At U+ System in Kyiv, a Direct Relief–supported organization, veterans who once depended on prosthetics now produce and fit them for new patients — part of an emerging trend of amputees becoming prosthetists. “When a technician is an amputee himself, it’s easier to share this experience and help patients realize how they can recover after such a trauma,” said surgeon Oleksandra Mostepan.

Protez has launched a similar initiative, employing veterans and equipping workstations for people with disabilities. “We already have two veterans working — Danyl and Mykola — and we’re preparing more,” said Yury Aroshidze, the foundation’s CEO.

Together, these programs are redefining rehabilitation in Ukraine, shifting it from a story only defined by loss to one that includes leadership, skill-building, and community resilience.

Expanding Access to Health Services Across Ukraine

As millions of people have been displaced internally, and many communities continue to experience intense conditions, Direct Relief supports medical outreach programs that expand access to both primary and specialized healthcare for residents and internally displaced persons throughout Ukraine. These programs strengthen local health capacity by equipping healthcare facilities, mobile teams, and regional networks to deliver consistent, high-quality care to people who have lost access to regular medical services.

Through these efforts, Direct Relief helps health providers respond to the evolving needs of their communities. This includes managing chronic conditions and prenatal care, as well as providing essential consultations, medicines, and diagnostics in areas hosting displaced populations.

By reinforcing healthcare delivery networks nationwide, Direct Relief ensures that people affected by conflict and displacement can access safe, reliable care close to where they live. This work sustains the continuity of Ukraine’s health system through unprecedented challenges.

Power Resilience for Health Facilities: Keeping the Lights on in Crisis

Electric grid attacks have become a recurrent tactic in Ukraine, severing power to homes and health facilities alike. To address power outages at critical facilities, Direct Relief supported the purchase and installation of battery-backup systems under its Power for Health initiative, donating more than 2,000 battery storage units to hospitals and health facilities across the country.

This critical infrastructure powers surgical suites, neonatal incubators, oxygen concentrators, and electronic health records systems during blackouts. At Kharkiv Regional Hospital alone, the battery units help the facility operate autonomously, absorbing grid outages and enabling continuous care.

Ukraine’s Minister of Health, Viktor Liashko, noted that each attack on the energy grid directly threatens patients’ lives, saying, “Every day, our medical facilities are subjected to targeted attacks … Ensuring uninterrupted medical care under any conditions … is our main task in the realities of war.”

In one harrowing case, doctors performed a critical surgery during a blackout by switching to battery power mid-procedure, an operation that would have otherwise been interrupted. Such incidents underscore the life-saving role of backup power in wartime.

By investing in resilient energy systems, Direct Relief helps preserve the backbone of Ukraine’s health infrastructure — allowing doctors to save lives even when the grid goes dark.

Healing the Invisible Wounds of War: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

Beyond physical devastation, the war has inflicted deep psychological wounds on the people of Ukraine. Daily threats of violence, displacement, and loss have left millions facing anxiety, depression, and trauma. In response, Direct Relief has made mental health and psychosocial support a central element of its ongoing humanitarian work, supporting organizations that are building national psychosocial support networks and expanding the availability of trained counselors and clinical psychologists.

In addition, Direct Relief is supporting an effort to train mental health professionals and civil defense first responders to assist people in the immediate aftermath of attacks, flooding, and other crises. The model is designed to help communities stabilize quickly and recover.

Sustained Commitment

Since February 2022, more than 2,300 medical facilities in Ukraine have been damaged, including 305 fully destroyed, according to the Ministry of Health. The World Bank and European Union estimate that the country’s health sector faces $19.4 billion in recovery needs — a scale of loss that underscores both the urgency and the importance of sustained private humanitarian engagement.

Direct Relief accepts no government funding, relying solely on private donations and in-kind contributions to maintain the speed and flexibility required in crisis response. The organization will continue to support the country’s health system — from medicine deliveries and rehabilitation programs to expanded healthcare access, resilient power, and mental health — to ensure care remains available into the future.

The post Direct Relief Surpasses $2 Billion in Aid to Ukraine appeared first on Direct Relief.

Amy Weaver, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Relief, said, “I couldn’t be more thrilled for Jennifer to join the team at Direct Relief. She is a dynamic, visionary leader with unrivalled experience mobilizing people, partners, and organizations to drive change. Her unique ability to meld strategy and creativity with rapid execution will be a huge boost to our organization as we seek to meet the rising need for medical aid amid growing conflict, climate impacts, and public health emergencies.”

This appointment marks the first major leadership addition by Amy Weaver since assuming the role of President and Chief Executive Officer earlier this year.  Previously, Lotito served as President and Chief Operating Officer at (RED), the organization founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to fight AIDS and the injustices that enable pandemics to thrive.

Prior to becoming (RED) President and COO in 2020, Jennifer led the organization’s partnerships team for 11 years, playing a pivotal role in fostering innovative partnerships with companies including Apple, Bank of America, FIAT, Jeep, RAM, and Salesforce, as well as Snapdragon and Manchester United, among others.

She went on to lead the organization’s growth in developing a portfolio of life science partners, including Roche, Merck, and ViiV, while heralding new collaborations in the fashion space, ranging from Louis Vuitton to La DoubleJ.  Today, (RED) and its partners have delivered more than $800M to the Global Fund. Jennifer has traveled extensively in Africa, leading delegations that have included CEOs, media, and celebrities.

Speaking on her appointment, Lotito said, “It’s hugely exciting to be joining an organization as well respected and impactful as Direct Relief. I’ve known Amy for many years, and the opportunity to work together on such an exciting, game-changing endeavor to impact millions of people is thrilling. After nearly two wonderful decades with (RED), it’s the perfect time to take on new challenges and help Direct Relief expand its reach.”

Before joining (RED), Lotito was a Senior Partner at Ogilvy Worldwide, leading international accounts for IBM and American Express. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she began her career in advertising in Boston. 

Lotito is also Co-Founder and President of the JML Hope Foundation, which focuses on mentorship for emerging leaders. She serves on the Goals House Advisory Board, the National and Tri-State Advisory Boards of Defy Ventures, and the Board of Oido, and is a Forbes.com contributor on leadership, global health, and corporate responsibility. 

Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, Direct Relief provides large-scale medical assistance to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty, disaster, and conflict. Recognized by Forbes as one of the Top Five Largest Charities in America, honored with the 2025 Seoul Peace Prize, and recipient of 15 consecutive four-star ratings from Charity Navigator, Direct Relief is known for its logistics-driven humanitarian operations and longstanding commitment to transparency and trust. 

The post Jennifer Lotito Joins Direct Relief as Chief External Affairs Officer  appeared first on Direct Relief.

Winds of more than 100 miles per hour ripped homes from their foundations, and record tidal surges inundated communities in the western part of the state on Sunday. At least one person has died as a result of the floods, and two remain missing, according to state agencies. Many people are sheltering in local schools or community centers, and critical infrastructure has been damaged.

The storm’s impacts were most significant in low-lying areas of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region in western Alaska, including the communities of Kwigillingok, Kipnuk, and Napakiak. The remote area has limited road access, making emergency response and aid distribution challenging. Many communities can only be reached by boat or plane, and a critical airport in the community of Kipnuk has sustained damage. 

Direct Relief’s Response

Direct Relief has been in communication with local healthcare providers and tribal organizations across the state about ongoing medical requests.

On Wednesday, the organization shipped emergency medical aid requested by the Alaska Native Heritage Center, or ANHC, located in Anchorage. A part of a statewide coalition of organizations, ANHC is working to coordinate relief provisions to directly impacted individuals. The organization is coordinating material aid to areas of greatest need, providing financial assistance to displaced families, and coordinating transportation of supplies to Southwest Alaska. In the past, ANHC provided donations to those impacted by Typhoon Merbok in 2022 and community preparedness while monitoring volcanic activity from Mount Spurr earlier this year.

The shipment to ANHC included field medic packs, which contain first aid essentials for triage care outside of clinic walls and are used by healthcare providers and first responders in disaster settings, including basic medical needs in shelters.

Direct Relief is also preparing to ship requested personal care items, including soap, shampoo, and dental hygiene products for people who have been displaced by the storm. ANHC will also receive $50,000 to support emergency response costs.

Direct Relief has provided more than $5 million in medical and financial support to organizations across the state since 2008, and has provided support after other extreme weather events in the region, including 2022’s Typhoon Merbok, which impacted western Alaska.

The organization continues to reach out and offer assistance to organizations supporting the impacted region and will continue to respond to immediate and long-term needs as they become known.

The post Direct Relief Dispatches Medical Aid, $50,000 in Emergency Funds for Typhoon-Devastated Communities in Alaska appeared first on Direct Relief.

The grant recipients include:

• TEXSAR (Texas Search and Rescue) – $50,000 to support volunteer-based flood and swiftwater rescue operations, including equipment and training needs.

• Texas EquuSearch – $50,000 to offset volunteer lodging and deployment costs during ongoing search and recovery missions.

• Center Point Volunteer Fire Department – $50,000 to support the purchase of a swiftwater rescue boat and to replace other supplies and equipment lost due to the fire station flooding.

• La Esperanza Clinic – $50,000 to expand mobile medical outreach and public health efforts for flood-affected communities in San Angelo and the Concho Valley.

• Frontera Healthcare Network – $50,000 to cover healthcare costs for flood survivors, provide mental health and other wraparound services to first responders, and give emergency cash assistance to health center staff experiencing serious financial impacts, enabling them to continue their work.

These grants are part of Direct Relief’s emergency response and ongoing work in Texas, which has included the delivery of more than $1 million in medical aid to clinics, health centers, and shelters across the state since July 4.

Medical Support for Texas

Direct Relief, a long-standing supporter of Texas’ healthcare safety net, has provided more than $300 million in medical aid and funding to the state over the past two decades.

In the immediate aftermath of the July flooding, Direct Relief delivered 8,890 lbs. of essential medical aid to communities across Texas, including:

• Insulin and other diabetes medications

• Antibiotics and infection treatments

• Thyroid and cardiovascular medications

• Respiratory support (inhalers, asthma meds)

• Mental health medications

• Pain relievers, allergy relief, infant formula, and personal care items

Direct Relief has worked closely with a wide network of partners to ensure aid reaches those most affected. This includes the Texas Association of Community Health Centers, which represents more than 650 sites across the state; the Texas Association of Charitable Clinics; the National Association of Community Health Centers; the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics; and the Mobile Healthcare Association. Direct Relief is also coordinating with clinics in Kerr, Travis, and other counties currently under the state’s disaster declaration.

Direct Relief’s response focuses on making sure people with ongoing health needs—including chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease—can keep getting their medications and care, even during times of disaster. The organization’s licensed medical distribution system helps quickly and safely deliver prescription medicines, including those that need refrigeration, directly to local health providers who know and serve their communities best.

As long-term recovery continues in Texas Hill Country, Direct Relief remains committed to supporting community-led efforts and ensuring healthcare remains accessible to those most affected—now and in the months ahead.

The post Direct Relief Awards $250,000 to Texas Organizations Responding to Catastrophic Flooding appeared first on Direct Relief.

SANTIAGO DE LOS CABALLEROS, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús, Inc. and Direct Relief celebrated the inauguration of a new medical logistics center in the Dominican Republic on Saturday, July 26.

Divino Niño Solidarity Collection Center, located in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, will optimize the distribution of medicines, medical equipment, and supplies for vulnerable communities throughout the region. With efficient access to both rural and urban communities, the center will increase medical capacity and transport, reducing the hurdles that prevent access to treatment.

From this space, donations of medicines, medical equipment, emergency kits, consumable materials and other essential supplies will be channeled to impact thousands of people through institutions such as the National Health Service in the North Cibao region, religious communities, hospices, and charitable programs.

Three stories of medical infrastructure include specialized areas for storing medicines at precise temperatures, rooms outfitted for cold-chain storage and staging, administrative offices, and logistics spaces designed to optimize the reception, organization, and distribution of donations. 

The construction of the center took approximately one year and was made possible thanks to the collaboration of multiple funding sources, including $540,000 in financial support from Direct Relief. 

The inauguration marks an important milestone in the collaboration between Direct Relief and Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús, an alliance that has remained solid for more than 12 years.

“The inauguration of this center not only represents a modern infrastructure, but also a concrete expression of the commitment we share with the Divino Niño Jesús Foundation to strengthen access to health and essential services in the region,” said Erick Molina, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean at Direct Relief. “For more than a decade we have walked together, and today we celebrate a fulfilled goal that will have a transformative impact on thousands of lives.” 

Direct Relief’s mission is to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies, working in all 50 U.S. states and in more than 80 countries around the world. A fundamental component of this mission is strengthening community-based organizations like Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús.

These organizations play a vital role in increasing health locally and worldwide: They intimately know the needs of their communities, have the trust of the local population, and remain present when crises occur. Direct Relief recognizes that true lasting change arises from the communities themselves, which is why it invests in local capacity development and building strategic alliances that generate sustainable long-term impact. 

“For 16 years, our foundation has been a bridge between international generosity and local needs,” said Father Eduardo Núñez, president of Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús. “This center represents great progress in our mission. We will no longer have to face the high operational costs of distant facilities. Now we have our own space, modern and strategically located, that will allow us to better serve thousands of people and strengthen our work as intermediaries for Direct Relief with other institutions in the country.” 

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Metropolitan Archbishop, priests, religious sisters, institution directors, beneficiaries, health authorities, Direct Relief representatives, the foundation team, and special guests. The opening of the center symbolizes the continued commitment to the shared humanitarian values of both organizations.

The post A New Medical Logistics Center Will Increase Access to Treatment Across the Dominican Republic appeared first on Direct Relief.

SANTIAGO DE LOS CABALLEROS, REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA— La Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús, Inc. y Direct Relief, organización humanitaria global líder en asistencia médica de emergencia, celebraron la inauguración y bendición del Centro de Acopio Solidario Divino Niño, una moderna instalación logística que optimizará la distribución de medicamentos, equipos médicos y suministros de salud para comunidades vulnerables en toda la región.

El nuevo centro, que cuenta con tres niveles, servirá como un hub logístico fundamental para fortalecer las acciones sociales y caritativas tanto de la Fundación como de la Arquidiócesis de Santiago de los Caballeros. Desde este espacio se canalizarán donaciones de medicamentos, equipos médicos, kits de emergencia, materiales gastables y otros insumos esenciales que impactarán a miles de personas a través de instituciones como el Servicio Nacional de Salud en la región de Cibao Norte, comunidades religiosas, hospicios, Cáritas y programas de pastoral social. La infraestructura incluye áreas especializadas para almacenamiento de medicamentos con control de temperatura, cuartos refrigerados, oficinas administrativas y espacios logísticos modernos diseñados para optimizar la recepción, organización y distribución de donaciones.

La inauguración marca un hito importante en la colaboración entre Direct Relief y la Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús, una alianza que se ha mantenido sólida durante más de 12 años. Durante este tiempo, la fundación ha crecido significativamente, llegando a miles de personas con donaciones de medicamentos, materiales médicos y diversos proyectos de salud.

“La inauguración de este centro no solo representa una infraestructura moderna, sino también una expresión concreta del compromiso que compartimos con la Fundación del Divino Niño Jesús para fortalecer el acceso a salud y servicios esenciales en la región,” expresó Erick Molina, director regional para América Latina y el Caribe de Direct Relief. “Durante más de una década hemos caminado juntos, y hoy celebramos una meta cumplida que tendrá un impacto transformador en miles de vidas.”

Direct Relief tiene como misión mejorar la salud y las vidas de las personas afectadas por la pobreza o las emergencias, trabajando en los 50 estados de Estados Unidos y en más de 80 países alrededor del mundo. Un componente fundamental de esta misión es el fortalecimiento de organizaciones de base comunitaria como la Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús. Estas organizaciones son el alma de la transformación social, ya que conocen íntimamente las necesidades de sus comunidades, tienen la confianza de la población local y permanecen presentes cuando las crisis ocurren. Direct Relief reconoce que el verdadero cambio duradero surge desde las propias comunidades, por lo que invierte en el desarrollo de capacidades locales y en la construcción de alianzas estratégicas que generen impacto sostenible a largo plazo.

“Durante 16 años, nuestra fundación ha sido un puente entre la generosidad internacional y las necesidades locales,” expresó el Padre Eduardo Núñez, presidente de la Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús. “Este centro representa un gran progreso en nuestra misión. Ya no tendremos que enfrentar los altos costos operativos de instalaciones distantes. Ahora contamos con un espacio propio, moderno y estratégicamente ubicado que nos permitirá servir mejor a miles de personas y fortalecer nuestra labor como intermediarios de Direct Relief con otras instituciones del país.”

La ceremonia de inauguración contó con la presencia del Arzobispo Metropolitano, sacerdotes, religiosas, directores de instituciones, beneficiarios, autoridades de salud, representantes de Direct Relief, el equipo de la fundación e invitados especiales. La bendición del centro simboliza el compromiso continuo con los valores de solidaridad y caridad cristiana que guían esta iniciativa.

La construcción del centro tomó aproximadamente un año y ha sido posible gracias a la colaboración de múltiples actores, incluyendo la exoneración de impuestos (ITBIS) facilitada por el Arzobispado, el fondo patrimonial de la Fundación y una significativa subvención de $540,000 otorgada por Direct Relief.

El nuevo Centro de Acopio está estratégicamente ubicado sobre la Avenida Circunvalación Sur de Santiago de los Caballeros, garantizando acceso eficiente tanto a zonas urbanas como rurales. Además, se contempla la posibilidad de futuras expansiones para continuar ampliando el alcance de los servicios sociales y de salud.

The post La Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús y Direct Relief Inauguran Moderno Centro de Acopio Solidario en Santiago de los Caballeros appeared first on Direct Relief.

“Direct Relief is deeply honored to receive the Partners in Development Award from the International Council of Nurses,” said Dr. Byron Scott, Direct Relief President and COO. “Nurses are the backbone of health systems worldwide and are especially critical during times of conflict and crisis. Supporting their safety, well-being, and ability to serve is fundamental to effective humanitarian action.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Direct Relief for this generous donation and for their ongoing partnership. This support comes at a time when nurses in conflict zones are experiencing unprecedented challenges,” said Howard Catton, ICN Chief Executive Officer. “Direct Relief’s commitment is not only a recognition of their courage, but a concrete action that will help sustain critical care in areas where it is most desperately needed.”

The acknowledgment was met with Direct Relief’s announcement of a new $100,000 commitment to ICN’s Nurses for Peace program, which supports national nursing associations in conflict-affected countries. The program helps ensure that nurses working in dangerous, unstable environments have the resources and backing needed to continue providing essential care to those in need.

“Through the Nurses for Peace program, ICN is providing a lifeline for nurses working in the most difficult environments imaginable,” said Dan Hovey, Vice President of Emergency Response. “Direct Relief is committed to standing with them and to investing in the leadership, resilience, and care that nurses bring to communities in crisis.”

Direct Relief’s support for the Nurses for Peace program aligns with its core emergency response strategy: working through local health providers to ensure that aid is fast, appropriate, and effective. Nurses’ local insight and clinical expertise are essential to achieving that goal.

Direct Relief’s President and COO Dr. Byron Scott, Chief Pharmacy Officer Alycia Clark, and Vice President of Emergency Response Dan Hovey represented the organization at the Congress, which brought together more than 6,500 nurses from around the world. During their visit, the delegation met with ICN leadership and representatives from national nursing associations to explore future collaboration opportunities focused on emergency response and frontline support.

This latest support builds on the partnership established in 2023 between Direct Relief and ICN, designed to strengthen humanitarian response through local nursing expertise. That collaboration included the appointment of an ICN Humanitarian Liaison Officer tasked with connecting ICN’s expansive global network of national nursing associations with Direct Relief’s logistics and supply operations.

The post Direct Relief Receives Global Honor from International Council of Nurses and Commits $100,000 to Support Nurses in Conflict Zones appeared first on Direct Relief.

While continuing its decades-long practice of prepositioning donated medicines ahead of hurricanes and delivering urgently needed medical supplies after disasters, Direct Relief is intensifying efforts to make vulnerable communities more resilient. This includes addressing the broad, long-term effects of disasters, such as disrupted access to healthcare, prolonged displacement, and mental health crises, and committing to recoveries that can span years, long after global attention has faded.

In its expansion, Direct Relief remains true to its long-standing principles of efficiency and lean operations. While selectively expanding its team in regions especially vulnerable to disasters, the organization continues to work primarily through local partners—those with deep community ties and insight into local needs.

Direct Relief is also deepening cooperation with regional multilateral organizations in the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia, equipping regional hubs for distributing disaster aid and for helping individual nations coordinate their preparation and response.

With the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season beginning on June 1, Direct Relief is involved in dozens of hurricane-related projects in the Caribbean’s vulnerable island nations and along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. In addition to caching medicine and supplies ahead of the storms, the work includes providing health-related infrastructure like pharmaceutical refrigerators, medical oxygen, and resilient power supplies, as well as grants to backstop local partners in the immediate aftermath of disasters.

Direct Relief is also increasingly working with partners beyond direct providers of medical care, supporting search and rescue teams, community health workers, crisis-related mental health groups, community resiliency hubs, and more.

“It’s important to take a step back and look at what we’re doing from a preparedness perspective beyond our prepositioning programs,” said Dan Hovey, Direct Relief’s VP of Emergency Response. “Direct Relief’s preparedness programs are active all year round, all working towards the goal of strengthening the response capacity of our local healthcare partners.”

Because Direct Relief does not accept any government funding, the organization’s capacity is unhindered by government budget cuts across the non-profit sector this year, although many of its local partners have lost funding.

An Active 2025 Hurricane Season Expected

Climate change continues to increase the threat of stronger and more damaging hurricanes. The 2025 hurricane season in the Atlantic basin is forecast to have above-normal activity, according to the annual hurricane outlook from Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science.

Sea surface temperatures across the eastern and central Atlantic are warmer than normal, although not as warm as they were last year at this time, the group said. It is forecasting 17 named storms this season, compared to an average of 14.4 between 1991 and 2020.

Pre-positioning Aid for 2025 Hurricane Season

Direct Relief is prepositioning hurricane prep packs, or HPPs—large caches of the medicines and medical supplies most commonly needed in the aftermath of hurricanes—with community health clinics and regional partners in areas most vulnerable to the storms. The HPPs include medicine for chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, inhalers for breathing problems, antibiotics, antifungal treatments, epinephrine and other treatments for allergic reactions, wound care supplies, and much more.

This year in the United States, Direct Relief is prepositioning 70 HPPs along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and in Puerto Rico, each of which is intended to provide support for 350 patients for 30 days.

Outside of the U.S., Direct Relief is prepositioning 13 HPPs in the Caribbean and Central America—including in the Dominican Republic, Panama and Honduras, and one in Florida stored securely in case it is needed in Haiti—along with two in the South Pacific, in Vanuatu and Fiji. The international-sized HPPs are intended to provide enough supplies to support 1,000 patients for 30 days.

These HPPs give local healthcare providers quick access to medicine to respond to an emergency, said Luis David Rodríguez, Direct Relief’s Emergency Response Manager, Caribbean & Latin America, who is based in Puerto Rico. “We bypass the shipping and customs clearance process that can take weeks in some countries in the region,” he said.

In Houston, the San José Clinic opened its HPP after last June’s Category 5 Hurricane Beryl knocked out electricity for four days, spoiling its refrigerated insulin and vaccines, said Adlia M. Ebeid, Chief Clinical Officer of the free and charitable clinic. In addition to the HPP, Direct Relief offered emergency medicine shipments to partners affected by hurricanes. “Both of those coupled together get us through some really hard times,” she said.

San José Clinic also participates in Direct Relief’s year-round medicine replenishment program, “so we’re able to get brand-name medications that are otherwise very expensive for our patients but render optimal outcomes, at no cost to the patients,” Ebeid noted.

In North Carolina, Cape Fear juts eastward into the Atlantic, putting it squarely in the path of hurricanes barreling up the East Coast. Cape Fear Clinic, which provides healthcare to 1,300 low-income and uninsured patients across four counties, has received HPPs and other Direct Relief aid for many years.

“The medications and supplies included in the hurricane prep packs allow us to respond immediately to urgent needs, such as managing chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, treating infections, and addressing life-threatening allergic reactions,” said Jennifer Buxton, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Pharmacy Officer at the Cape Fear Clinic.

“During hurricanes, access to healthcare is often disrupted, and our clinic becomes a lifeline for the community. These resources ensure continuity of care for our vulnerable populations, minimizing the long-term health impacts of disasters.”

2018’s Hurricane Florence caused extensive power outages along North Carolina’s coast, and Cape Fear Clinic lost its supplies of insulin and vaccines. “Direct Relief was integral in getting us gas-powered generators so that we don’t have to go through the refrigeration outages again,” Buxton said.

Recovery from 2024’s Hurricanes Helene and Milton

The sharpest hurricane-related shock last season was the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Helene upon western North Carolina, far from coastal areas that typically bear the brunt of hurricanes.

“Prolonged lack of access to power, water, and internet impacted residents for quite some time and really hampered health centers’ ability to serve their communities,” said Annie Vu, Direct Relief’s Associate Director, U.S. Emergency Response. “Health center staff faced challenges in providing care to those who need it most, deployed mobile units, and went door-to-door in hard-hit neighborhoods. The storm impacted not just health, but also schools, mental health services, even getting to neighborhoods in more rural areas that were cut off.”

Immediately after Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck the Southeast in rapid succession, Direct Relief provided or committed $700,000 in emergency grant funding to 28 health care organizations in Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee, to help cover the cost of urgently needed supplies, staffing, repairs, and other necessities. Since landfall, Direct Relief has provided more than $32 million in assistance to health providers across the hardest-hit states, including $27 million in medical aid and $5.8 million in financial support.

Local communities will be dealing with the storms’ aftermath for years, and Direct Relief will be there with them. Direct Relief has awarded over $5 million in grant funding for organizations helping people recover from the storms.

In North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Direct Relief granted $85,000 to the Swannanoa Valley Housing Stabilization Project, run by Swannanoa Communities Together. The project is working to help people whose homes were destroyed or damaged by the storm to stay in the community, providing rental assistance, housing navigation, and wellness services to disaster-impacted residents, prioritizing those at risk of displacement.

In nearby Asheville, Resources for Resilience received a $90,000 grant for programs delivering trauma-informed resilience training to frontline workers, caregivers, youth, and other residents across western North Carolina, addressing stress and burnout following Hurricane Helene. Between October 2024 and April 2025, more than 1,700 area residents attended its workshops, weekly listening circles, and facilitator trainings, with live events in 10 counties.

“We hear a lot about home damage, loss of land, and loss of loved ones,” said Ashley Putnam, Director of Programs & Partnerships at Resources for Resilience. “The landscape here is forever changed, and that’s often coming up as a hard thing for individuals.”

Meghan Corneal joined Direct Relief earlier this year as its Asheville-based emergency response team member for the Southeast region. She focuses on building trusted relationships and deepening collaboration to strengthen community-based health systems, support locally led disaster recovery and resilience, and ensure resources are directed by and toward those most impacted.

While community health centers and free clinics remain a central set of partners, “we’re looking holistically at the landscape and seeing how we can resource and connect some of those community-based actors to federally qualified health centers and free clinics,” Corneal said. There is a strong need to “focus on preparedness and resilience work in this region, because we will continue to face climate crises.”

Regional Disaster Hubs and Response Coordination

In the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia, Direct Relief has been working closely with regional and multilateral organizations to set up regional hubs for storing and distributing disaster aid and for helping individual nations coordinate their preparation and response. In advance of the 2025 hurricane season, Direct Relief is supplying regional emergency medical stockpiles in Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Panama, Malaysia, and Mexico.

In Barbados, Direct Relief is helping equip a new disaster response hub that the UN World Food Programme and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, or CDEMA, are setting up. In mid-April, Direct Relief donated and delivered a room-sized pharmaceutical refrigerator to store temperature-sensitive medications like insulin, large enough to hold 11 shipping pallets of medicine, Rodriguez said.

The pharmaceutical refrigerator “will play a critical role in building awareness of the national disaster management agencies on temperature-sensitive logistics,” said Andrew Jackson, Head of Supply Chain for the WFP’s Caribbean Multi-Country Office in Barbados. “This is a key gap that needs to be addressed.”

In mid-2024, Direct Relief made a $3 million grant to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and nine of its members. From that grant, Direct Relief has procured and donated to St. Lucia equipment including oxygen concentrators, nebulizers, and BiPap machines for breathing assistance; a mobile medical unit and solar-powered pharmaceutical cold storage unit for Montserrat; and a centralized medical oxygen system for Princess Margaret Hospital in Anguilla.

Across the globe in Malaysia, Direct Relief is prepositioning 200 emergency response backpacks at the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management, or AHA Center, which coordinates emergency response among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Funds on Hand for Rapid Response and Recovery

In addition to a $15 million emergency stockpile of medicines and supplies, Direct Relief also keeps over $1 million in reserved funds on hand so it can immediately aid frontline groups like search and rescue teams, without having to wait for new donations to come in specifically for that response, Hovey said.

“Maybe the power is down and there is a need to purchase a generator or other supplies to re-open the local health center,” Hovey said. “We maintain an emergency reserve fund to provide rapid and flexible support to storm-impacted communities.”

The post As 2025 Hurricane Season Nears, Direct Relief Expands Disaster Response Strategy appeared first on Direct Relief.

The Global Humanitarian Kidney Support Initiative—a collaboration among Direct Relief, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), the European Renal Association (ERA), and the International Society of Nephrology (ISN)—aims to ensure continuity of care for people with serious kidney conditions during disasters, conflicts, and in regions where access to essential health services is limited.

The initiative brings together global clinical expertise in nephrology with on-the-ground experience in humanitarian logistics to help sustain kidney care when health systems are disrupted or overwhelmed.

Kidney patients—particularly those receiving dialysis or post-transplant care requiring essential medications—are especially vulnerable in emergencies. Regular access to treatment is essential for survival, and any interruption can quickly become life-threatening. The initiative seeks to address that risk through coordinated action, including emergency support for clinics and hospitals, provision of essential medicines and supplies, and training for healthcare workers operating under strained conditions.

“Kidney patients rely on consistent, life-sustaining treatment, which can be difficult to maintain when disaster strikes,” said Alycia Clark, Chief Pharmacist at Direct Relief. “This collaboration helps ensure continuity of care by equipping health facilities with the products, training, and coordination required to deliver treatment safely and effectively—even under the most challenging conditions.”

The partner organizations have previously worked together during major emergencies in the United States, Ukraine, Sudan, and other countries. The launch of this initiative builds on those efforts and establishes a formal structure to improve speed, coordination, and scale in future responses.

“This initiative reflects how much more can be accomplished when organizations combine strengths with a shared commitment to meeting urgent medical needs,” said Amy Weaver, CEO of Direct Relief. “By uniting nephrology leaders with expertise in humanitarian operations, this collaboration creates a clear path for delivering kidney care where it’s most at risk of falling through the cracks.”

In addition to emergency response, the Global Humanitarian Kidney Support Initiative aims to contribute to long-term improvements in care by strengthening infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries, expanding clinical education, and advancing patient awareness and disease prevention strategies. Direct Relief will manage medical supply logistics and operational support, while ASN, ERA, and ISN will lead regional efforts through their professional networks and national society partners.

“ASN is thrilled to be part of this new collaboration with ERA, ISN, and Direct Relief. Together, we will be able to provide support to patients and their caregivers in regions impacted by both natural and human-influenced events and stretch each organization’s resources further. The support of corporate and foundation sponsors will be instrumental in ensuring that people living with kidney diseases have the best chance to thrive even in extreme circumstances”, said Jeffrey Silberzweig, MD, Chair, ASN’s Humanitarian Kidney Support Program

“Patients with kidney diseases represent one of the most vulnerable groups in disaster settings since their survival depends on functional infrastructure, access to advanced technology, and experienced personnel within days (if not hours),” said Professor Mehmet Şükrü Sever, Chair of ERA’s Kidney Relief in Disasters Task Force. The Global Humanitarian Kidney Support Initiative can contribute to life-saving efforts by promoting clinical education, enhancing patient awareness and disease prevention strategies, and delivering material support when most needed.

“Kidney patients in many parts of the world already have fragile access to care. When disaster strikes, the risk of interruption or disruption of needed care becomes rapidly acute. This initiative strengthens collaboration between professional renal societies and humanitarian organizations, allowing the ISN to contribute its expertise and help connect local providers with urgently needed support”, stated Prof. Ali Abu-Alfa, Chair, ISN Renal Disaster Preparedness Working Group.

Looking ahead, the initiative aims to expand its reach and impact by engaging pharmaceutical and medical device companies, philanthropic foundations, and global health partners to close critical gaps in care and strengthen long-term support for people living with kidney disease, especially in regions where treatment access remains fragile.

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Weaver joins Direct Relief from Salesforce, where she served since 2020 as President and Chief Financial Officer. Over her nearly 12-year tenure at the Fortune 500 company, she also led the global legal and corporate affairs team as Chief Legal Officer and oversaw a wide range of functions, including Global Communications, Real Estate and Workplace Services, Corporate Development, Accessibility, Government Affairs, Audit, and Ethics & Compliance. She has also served on the boards of Habitat for Humanity International and McDonald’s and previously held executive and legal positions at Univar Solutions and Expedia Group.

“Amy brings precisely the leadership strengths Direct Relief needs at this pivotal moment,” said Mark Linehan, Chair of the Board of Directors. “She combines strategic thinking with operational discipline and has shown throughout her career that she’s a deeply deliberate thinker who puts people first. Her experience managing complex, high-growth organizations, coupled with her commitment to humanitarian causes, makes her ideally suited to lead Direct Relief as it faces the accelerating scale of humanitarian challenges.”

“It’s an extraordinary honor to lead Direct Relief—an organization widely trusted for its ability to deliver life-saving assistance with speed, precision, and compassion,” Weaver said. “I’m excited to build on its remarkable legacy and help ensure that people facing the most urgent challenges—whether from disasters, poverty, or conflict—receive the care and support they need.”

Weaver succeeds Thomas Tighe, who served as CEO of Direct Relief for 24 years and led the organization’s expansion into the fifth-largest charity in the United States and one of the largest providers of charitable medications globally.

Weaver’s appointment also comes just days after Direct Relief was named the 2025 Seoul Peace Prize laureate—a global honor recognizing individuals and organizations that advance peace and human welfare.

Dr. Byron Scott, who has served as CEO on an interim basis since January 2025, accepted the award on behalf of the organization at a ceremony in Seoul on April 28. “This prize is a reminder that peace begins in the most fundamental way—in supporting the health and well-being of every person,” he said during his remarks. “This is the peace we aim to foster every day.”

Dr. Scott will now transition back into the role of Chief Operating Officer and President.

“Under Amy Weaver’s leadership, I’m confident that Direct Relief will continue to expand its impact for people affected by increasingly severe disasters, ongoing conflict, and persistent barriers to healthcare,” Dr. Scott said. “I look forward to working alongside her to continue advancing the vital work of Direct Relief.”

The post From Fortune 500 Executive to Global Humanitarian Leadership, Amy Weaver Takes the Helm as CEO of Direct Relief appeared first on Direct Relief.

Funds for this critical initiative were raised in part by MusiCares during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards® telecast in February.

Immediate Response and Expanded Healthcare

The wildfires caused significant disruptions, leading to widespread evacuations and severely straining healthcare infrastructure across the region. Thousands of residents, particularly those uninsured or underinsured, face increased health challenges due to disruptions in housing, nutrition, and essential community services.

The initiative will support 15 community health centers and charitable clinics throughout Los Angeles, enabling them to:

• Expand healthcare services and extend operating hours to meet heightened demand.
• Provide critical care for chronic illnesses, mental health, and respiratory conditions exacerbated by wildfire smoke.
• Deliver preventive care and educational outreach in neighborhoods frequently underserved by traditional healthcare systems.
• Address housing instability, food insecurity, and emotional trauma recovery.

Comprehensive Support for Long-term Recovery

“Recovery from wildfires involves more than rebuilding physical infrastructure—it requires addressing complex social challenges such as housing instability, food insecurity, and healthcare disparities,” said Dr. Byron Scott, CEO at Direct Relief. “Community health centers and free and charitable clinics serve as vital anchors, providing not just medical care but comprehensive support including mental health counseling, housing assistance, and nutritional services. MusiCares’ generous funding will empower safety-net providers to continue delivering the holistic care that Los Angeles communities urgently need.”

Healthcare providers serving vulnerable populations have seen a dramatic surge in demand following wildfire-related displacement and health issues intensified by smoke exposure. This initiative specifically targets the health inequities amplified by the disaster, enhancing care for chronic conditions, mental health concerns, and respiratory health.

“As a community-focused health care leader, AltaMed understands that in times of crisis, it is vital to address the needs of the most vulnerable populations. We quickly mobilized to offer relief to individuals at the Pasadena evacuation center, providing medical care, behavioral health services, and social service support,” said Sharlene Risdon Jackson, Vice President of the AltaMed Foundation.

“As well as providing direct care, our role is to foster resilience and recovery within our community following disasters like the Eaton Fire, which present long-term environmental and social challenges. Partners like Direct Relief ensure that we can carry out this essential work. Direct Relief’s unwavering commitment and shared vision are crucial for rebuilding stronger, healthier communities.”

Strengthening Community Resilience

Beyond medical care, the grants will also help health centers and clinics provide crucial social support addressing housing instability, nutrition challenges, and emotional recovery from disaster-related trauma.

“Community health centers provided critical services to their communities throughout the devastating wildfires. Health center workers, despite being directly impacted by the wildfires, continued to serve others during the emergency,” said Louise McCarthy, President & CEO of Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County. “Direct Relief has been a vital partner in emergency response. This grant will help bring financial relief to health care workers who continue to recover from the wildfires’ devastating impact.”

Direct Relief’s Response to Date

Direct Relief mobilized within hours after the fires erupted on January 7, providing critical support within hours. Since then, Direct Relief has assisted over 60 organizations across Los Angeles County with more than $7.5 million in medical aid and grants, including the funds announced today.

The post Direct Relief Announces $2.7 Million to Expand Healthcare Access to Los Angeles Residents appeared first on Direct Relief.

The powerful quake caused severe shaking across multiple countries, including Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, and China. In Bangkok, a 30-story building under construction collapsed, trapping at least 43 workers and causing an unknown number of casualties. In Myanmar, particularly in Mandalay, early reports indicate significant infrastructure damage and overwhelmed healthcare facilities. A 6.4-magnitude aftershock followed just 12 minutes after the initial event, increasing the risk of further damage and injuries.

In response, Direct Relief is mobilizing its emergency response efforts to support those affected in impacted countries and regionally. The organization’s established connection with the AHA Center enables rapid, coordinated response and effective communication in support of ASEAN member states. Direct Relief is also in contact with local partner organizations and healthcare providers to determine the immediate medical needs.

Direct Relief has responded to large-scale earthquakes in the region, including a 7.5-magnitude earthquake in Sulawesi, Indonesia, in 2018. Globally, the organization has also responded to devastating earthquakes, including in Haiti (2010) and Mexico (2017), and most recently the 2023 earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria. The organization is committed to ensuring that frontline healthcare providers have the critical resources needed to treat the injured and prevent further loss of life.

As assessments continue, Direct Relief will provide updates and deploy additional support to meet evolving needs in the impacted areas.

The post Major Earthquake Rocks Myanmar and Thailand, Causing Widespread Damage appeared first on Direct Relief.

The Jericho Road Wellness Clinic in Goma will receive $25,000 from Direct Relief for the local procurement of essential emergency medical supplies, including antibiotics, critical healthcare products, and medicines for chronic disease management. The grant is intended to cover the immediate medical needs for clinic patients until regular shipments are able to reach the team at Jericho Road.

The clinic, which offers essential health services, has seen an increase in patients, many of whom are internally displaced persons, or IDPs. HUntil recently, hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals lived in IDP camps surrounding Goma. However, these camps have now been evacuated and destroyed, further displacing residents as unrest from rebel groups continues to impact Goma and nearby regions.

Jericho Road staff reported health workers sleeping at the clinics to make sure they can provide services consistently to patients in need, as transportation to and from the clinics has been interrupted by military checkpoints.

Since the end of January, when the M23 militia captured Goma, the local airport has been closed, disrupting regular shipments to Jericho Road and other Direct Relief partners in the area. At the time of the airport’s shuttering, six Direct Relief shipments were underway to Goma. These shipments have now been rerouted to the airport in Kigali, Rwanda to be trucked to Goma.

“This work in Goma and across the globe would not be possible without the continuous and unwavering support of Direct Relief. We are so grateful,” said Fidele Menavanza, Jericho Road Community Health Center’s Chief Compliance and Global Health Officer.

Direct Relief has supported the Jericho Road clinic in Goma since 2016, including a recent mpox prevention program implemented by Jericho Road. The program provided critical education, outreach, and prevention support to large encampments of internally displaced people near Goma.

In addition to addressing mpox, Direct Relief has partnered with Jericho Road during previous public health emergencies, including the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC in 2019.

The post Amid Escalating Humanitarian Crisis in DRC, Direct Relief Provides $25,000 Emergency Aid to Goma Health Clinic appeared first on Direct Relief.

In a letter to Direct Relief employees, Mark Linehan, Chair of the Board of Directors, wrote, “Amy is a truly accomplished professional and an outstanding human being. In selecting Amy, we sought a leader with the caliber, passion, and experience to guide Direct Relief through the accelerating scale and complexity of the humanitarian challenges that lie ahead. She is widely known for being a deeply strategic and deliberate thinker–a force for change who always puts people first.”

Weaver brings a unique professional background spanning business, law, finance, and operations. In her nearly 12 years at Salesforce, Weaver led the global finance organization as Chief Financial Officer, the global legal and corporate affairs organization as Chief Legal Officer, and oversaw many different functions across the business including Global Communications, Real Estate and Workplace Services, Corporate Development, Accessibility, Government Affairs, Audit, and Ethics & Compliance. Prior to Salesforce, Weaver was an EVP and General Counsel at Univar and SVP and Deputy General Counsel at Expedia Group.

An attorney by trade, Weaver has worked around the globe — in private practice in both the United States and Hong Kong, and as a legislative aide to a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council. She began her legal career as a clerk on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Weaver follows Thomas Tighe who led the organization with distinction for 24 years, expanding Direct Relief’s reach to become the fifth-largest charity in the United States and among the largest providers of charitable medications within the U.S. and globally. Dr. Byron Scott will continue to serve as the interim Chief Executive Officer until May 4, after which he will continue to serve as the interim Chief Operating Officer until the COO position has been filled and onboarded to ensure a seamless and smooth transition.

“Over the past 75 years, Direct Relief has established a powerful legacy of delivering meaningful impact to those in need,” said Weaver. “I’m honored and excited to build on that foundation and help shape the future of humanitarian response. As global challenges grow more urgent and complex, Direct Relief has a responsibility not just to meet the demand for medical aid, but to lead the way in reimagining how we respond to a rapidly changing world. I’m inspired by the dedication and expertise of this incredible team, and I look forward to working together to drive innovation and make an even greater difference.”

Weaver is a longtime advocate for affordable housing and disaster response. She served on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity International, provided on-the-ground volunteer support to Habitat in Kenya, Poland, and Puerto Rico and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

The post Direct Relief Names Outgoing Salesforce President & CFO Amy Weaver as Next Chief Executive Officer appeared first on Direct Relief.

Dr. Scott, a distinguished healthcare leader, brings decades of clinical, operational, and business experience to the role. Since January 2024, he has served as Interim Chief Operating Officer at Direct Relief and Co-Chair of the organization’s Health Equity Fund, where he has played a pivotal role in advancing initiatives to address health disparities. He previously served on the Board of Directors at Direct Relief.

“Dr. Scott’s extensive healthcare leadership and commitment to advancing Direct Relief’s humanitarian mission make him uniquely qualified to guide the organization through this transitional period with focus and continuity,” said Mark Linehan, Chair of the Board of Directors. “We are grateful for his willingness to step into this critical role as we finalize the selection of a permanent CEO.”

This leadership transition follows Thomas Tighe’s decision to step down after an extraordinary 24-year tenure as CEO. Under Tighe’s leadership, Direct Relief grew into one of the world’s largest humanitarian organizations, delivering over $15 billion in medical aid across 100 countries and all 50 U.S. states.

Dr. Scott’s career spans leadership roles at some of the most prominent healthcare organizations. Before joining Direct Relief, he served as Deputy Chief Health Officer at IBM Watson Health, where he advised global healthcare organizations on performance improvement and strategy. He also held leadership positions at Truven Health Analytics and EmCare, where he oversaw quality and operational performance across hospital-based contracts nationally. He previously practiced emergency medicine for over 25 years and has also served as Medical Director, Chief of Staff, and hospital board trustee.

In addition to his operational leadership, Dr. Scott is a respected educator, serving as Adjunct Assistant Professor at Thomas Jefferson University, College of Population Health, and Adjunct Faculty at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Isenberg School of Management. He holds multiple certifications in healthcare quality management, physician leadership, and corporate governance; along with serving on the Board of Directors for a children’s hospital, health plan, and medical device company.

“It’s a privilege to support Direct Relief’s critical mission during this transition,” Dr. Scott said. “I look forward to working with the exceptional team and partners to ensure the organization continues to deliver life-saving aid and uphold its commitment to advancing its mission.”

The Board of Directors is in the final stages of a comprehensive search for a permanent CEO to build on Direct Relief’s legacy of innovation and excellence to advance its humanitarian mission.

The post Direct Relief Appoints Dr. Byron Scott as Interim CEO  appeared first on Direct Relief.

Charity Navigator, America’s top independent nonprofit evaluator, has awarded Direct Relief an overall 100% charity rating for 2024. This achievement marks Direct Relief’s 14th consecutive Four-Star rating, underscoring its commitment to excellence, accountability, and measurable impact in delivering on its humanitarian mission.

In addition to its perfect score, Direct Relief was also named one of Charity Navigator’s Best Humanitarian Relief Charities in 2024. The organization also earned top rankings for its responses to Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, and the humanitarian crises in Sudan and Ukraine These lists, according to Charity Navigator, recognize charities that are “extraordinarily effective at what they do, giving you the chance to support a cause where you’ll have an impact.”

Direct Relief’s Charity Ratings

Direct Relief achieved top scores across Charity Navigator’s evaluation criteria:

Within the charity watchdog’s evaluation “beacons,” Direct Relief earned a 100% rating in Accountability & Finance, Leadership & Adaptability, and Culture & Community. Within the Impact & Measurement Beacon, Direct Relief earned a 100% rating in Impact and 97% in Measurement.

Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, recognized Direct Relief for its performance, stating:

“We are delighted to provide Direct Relief with third-party accreditation that validates their operational excellence. The Four-Star Rating is the highest possible rating an organization can achieve. We are eager to see the good work that Direct Relief can accomplish in the years ahead.”

Humanitarian Impact in 2024

In 2024, Direct Relief made significant strides in advancing its global humanitarian mission, including:

• Delivering Lifesaving Medicines: Distributed 377 million defined daily doses of medicine to more than 2,300 healthcare facilities across 90 countries and all 50 U.S. states.
• Hurricane Responses: Mobilized disaster responses to Hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton, providing financial support and essential medicines to over 90 healthcare providers across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
• Middle East Humanitarian Aid: Provided $299 million (wholesale value) in medical aid to regions including Gaza, Egypt, Israel, and Syria, among others. This included nearly 150 tons of medical supplies valued at $32 million to Gaza, addressing cancer treatment, diabetes care, cardiac conditions, and water purification needs.
• Support for Ukraine: Delivered $322 million in medical aid in 2024 alone to Ukraine for the benefit of people affected by war, bringing the total to 2,600 tons of aid valued at $1.4 billion since the war began in 2022. Current efforts focus on rehabilitation, mental health, mobile care, and resilient energy solutions for healthcare facilities.

Stewardship and Financial Transparency

Direct Relief is committed to maximizing the impact of every donation, ensuring funds are used responsibly and effectively to support those in need:

• 100% Allocation of Donor-Designated Funds: Every contribution earmarked for specific programs or emergencies is applied exclusively to those purposes, giving donors full assurance that their intent is honored.
• Independently Funded Operations: Direct Relief operates solely on private charitable contributions, declining government funding to maintain independence and focus on its mission.
• No Fundraising Costs Paid by Donors: Fundraising expenses, which average just 2% of total cash revenue, are entirely covered by a private bequest. This means 0% of donor contributions are used for fundraising and instead support Direct Relief’s humanitarian mission.
• Operational Efficiency: Approximately 99.5 cents of every dollar (including in-kind donations) go directly to program services, with 0.3 cents allocated to administrative costs and 0.1 cents to fundraising.
• Leveraging In-Kind Contributions: Strategic partnerships with businesses and organizations amplify the impact of donations. Contributions of medicine and medical supplies—valued at their wholesale cost—constitute the majority of Direct Relief’s revenue, allowing cash donations to stretch even further.

For a detailed overview of how Direct Relief uses its resources to advance its humanitarian mission, visit Direct Relief’s donation policies.

The post Direct Relief Earns Top 100% Rating by Charity Navigator for 2024 appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief’s policy regarding designated contributions for Hurricanes Helene and Milton response activities is simple: All contributions designated for “Hurricane Helene” and “Hurricane Milton” will be used directly for relief and recovery efforts related to these crises.

Direct Relief does not use solicitations for disaster relief to raise funds for unrestricted use.

This update outlines Direct Relief’s commitment to transparency in its hurricane response activities and details its efforts to honor donor intent.

Commitment to Transparency and Accountability

Direct Relief is dedicated to ensuring transparency and accountability in all its operations, striving to provide those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton with the necessary aid and resources to recover and rebuild their communities. The organization values the trust placed by donors and is committed to maximizing the impact of every contribution.

To respect donor intentions, Direct Relief’s online donation page requires donors to choose either “Hurricane Helene,” “Hurricane Milton,” or a combined fund for both hurricanes, where donations will be split between the two responses. Donations specifying “Hurricane Helene,” “Hurricane Milton,” or similar notations in the check memo line or accompanying correspondence will be honored as instructions to restrict the gift for the designated response effort.

Designated Donations: Geographies Supported

Donations Designated for “Hurricane Helene”

• Supported Regions: North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and South Carolina.

Donations Designated for “Hurricane Milton”

• Supported Regions: Florida, primarily where Hurricane Milton made landfall and caused significant damage. Assistance may also extend to displaced residents in neighboring states.

Donations Designated for Both “Hurricanes Helene and Milton”

• Supported Regions: All areas affected by both hurricanes, encompassing all the states listed above. Donations made to support both responses will be split evenly between the two efforts, ensuring equitable support to all impacted regions.

How Designated Contributions Are Used

All contributions designated for “Hurricane Helene” and/or “Hurricane Milton” will be used exclusively for relief and recovery efforts related to these specific crises. This commitment includes both programmatic costs and associated expenses directly associated with the relief activities, including:

Deploying Humanitarian Aid and Medical Supplies:

• Urgent Medical Needs: Mobilizing urgently needed medications at no cost to affected communities, including chronic disease medications (e.g., insulin, hypertension medications), vaccines (e.g., tetanus vaccines), and other essential drugs.
• Essential Supplies: Providing field medicine packs for first responder teams and vital items for displaced or sheltered populations.
• Distribution: Securing necessary medications and supplies through donations and procurement, and transporting them to nonprofit healthcare providers, including free and charitable clinics, health centers, public health agencies, and mobile medical teams.
• Financial Assistance: Offering direct financial support to bolster on-the-ground operations.
• Emergency Grants: Providing emergency operating grants to offset cost burdens for grassroots organizations serving core functions.
• Infrastructure Rebuilding: Supporting the rebuilding and reinforcement of damaged infrastructure in affected communities.
• Data and Analytics Infrastructure and Information Management: Conducting assessment, analysis, reporting, and dissemination of crucial situational information to ensure an effective and coordinated response.
• Associated Expenses: Direct Relief Activities: Covering costs directly related to the relief efforts, such as credit-card processing fees, accounting fees, postage for issuing receipts, banking fees for wire transfers, warehousing and packaging of medical materials, and IT support necessary for relief operations
• Note: No funds designated for these hurricanes will be used for Direct Relief’s fundraising activities, which are covered by generous bequests.

Accounting for Restricted Donations

Direct Relief establishes internal funds for all designated contributions to ensure that donor intentions are honored. All expenditures related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton are meticulously recorded for both internal management and external reporting purposes.

Importance of Unrestricted Support

While designated contributions are vital for specific relief efforts, general unrestricted financial support is essential for Direct Relief to fulfill its broader humanitarian mission. Unrestricted funds enable the organization to respond rapidly and effectively to emergencies, providing assistance to people in various situations that may not receive widespread attention.

Honoring Donor Intent

Direct Relief is obligated to—and will always—honor the intent of a donor-designated financial contribution, including, obviously, in this instance with regard to contributions designated for Hurricanes Helene and Milton. If a donor makes a clearly restricted gift for a purpose or with a restriction that Direct Relief is not able to fulfill or comply with, the organization will advise the donor of this situation and inquire if other uses may be permitted. If a donor’s intent cannot be met, Direct Relief will offer to direct the gift to another nonprofit able to fulfill the donor’s intent or return the gift.

Hurricane Helene Relief

Donate

Hurricane Milton Relief

Donate

The post Hurricanes Helene and Milton Donation Policy: Direct Relief’s Commitment to Transparency and Honoring Donor Intent appeared first on Direct Relief.

As part of the organization’s hurricane emergency response, Direct Relief CEO Thomas Tighe arrived in Jacksonville Tuesday morning to assist in delivering last-minute essential medicines and supplies to health providers on the ground.

“Given the intensity of Hurricane Milton and its path across heavily populated areas, there is a heightened need for rapid response and access to essential medicines and medical supplies,” said Tighe. “This storm presents a serious threat to both lives and health systems, especially for those who are already underserved. Direct Relief’s focus remains on providing immediate, life-saving support to those who need it most, ensuring that health facilities remain operational and well-stocked as the storm bears down.”

Direct Relief has pre-positioned emergency medical supplies at healthcare facilities throughout Florida, which will be vital in maintaining care during and after the storm. These supplies include essential medicines, antibiotics, chronic disease medications, and medical kits for trauma and emergency care. As the storm progresses, Direct Relief is working closely with local and national partners to assess needs and ensure that aid is delivered swiftly and effectively.

Direct Relief remains committed to supporting health systems in the face of disasters, ensuring that people continue to have access to critical medical care when it’s needed most.

The post Direct Relief Statement on Hurricane Milton Response Efforts appeared first on Direct Relief.

An esteemed attorney and conservationist, Strickland served as the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks from 2009 to 2011. In this role, he oversaw the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, leading efforts in habitat restoration, species protection, and public lands expansion. Strickland joined Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr in 2011 and was a partner in the firm’s Regulatory and Government Affairs, Litigation/Controversy and Securities Departments until 2024. His practice focused on a range of matters at the intersection of law, business, and government policy, including government enforcement cases, Congressional and internal investigations, corporate governance, and high-stakes crisis management matters.  

Prior to his work at the Interior Department, Strickland was appointed executive vice president and chief legal officer of UnitedHealth Group, a diversified health and well-being company serving more than 70 million individuals nationwide. At UnitedHealth, he managed an in-house team of 200 attorneys and a nationwide team of outside counsel. He was responsible for all legal, regulatory and compliance matters and implemented several corporate governance initiatives.  

Strickland served as the United States Attorney for the District of Colorado from 1999 to 2001, where he handled significant environmental and civil rights cases. Strickland is known for his work in advancing conservation policy and his commitment to sustainable resource management. He has been a trusted advisor and leader in public policy and legal circles, with a focus on protecting America’s natural heritage.  

“We are thrilled to welcome Tom to the Direct Relief’s Board of Directors, and look forward to benefitting from his experience in public service and leadership,” said Mark Linehan, Direct Relief’s Board Chair. “Tom’s expertise and acumen compliment the organization’s mission to deliver medical aid to improve the health and lives of people in need around the world.” 

Direct Relief’s Board of Directors is comprised of accomplished individuals from various industries and sectors, all of whom contribute their expertise to the organization’s mission. The addition of Strickland strengthens the organization’s leadership as it continues to expand its reach and impact in response to global health crises and disasters. 

“I am honored to join the board of Direct Relief, an organization that is making a tangible difference in people’s lives every day,” said Strickland. “I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the dedicated team at Direct Relief to further their vital mission and help bring health and hope to those who need it most.” 

The Direct Relief Board of Directors may serve up to three three-year terms.

A full list of Direct Relief’s Board and leadership is available here.

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Direct Relief is awarding a grant of $50,000 to the nonprofit Jericho Road for mpox response, which will be used to fund prevention and treatment programs in the three IDP (internally displaced people) camps near their facility in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or DRC. Jericho Road plans to operate and equip health checkup stations, temporary isolation units for mpox patients that are awaiting hospital transfer and hold mpox awareness and preventative health training.

The commitment comes as Direct Relief continues to coordinate vaccine delivery to countries most impacted by the mpox outbreak. On Sept. 12, officials from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 107 new deaths and 3,160 new cases had been recorded over the preceding seven days.

“We are extremely grateful for our continued partnership with Direct Relief. It is our mission to bring quality healthcare to our most vulnerable neighbors. We are committed to that effort, especially in this moment,” said Chantal Mandro, Clinic Director for Jericho Road’s Wellness Clinic in Goma, DRC. “The most recent financial support from Direct Relief will allow us to further support the folks living in the camps near our clinic and to keep our staff and their families safe, as we do so. At Jericho Road we strive to love our neighbor, as best we can.”

Direct Relief has worked with Jericho Road during previous outbreaks, including during the 2019 Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC. Direct Relief and Jericho Road worked to deliver PPE to the North Kivu provincial Department of Health, and the organizations are exploring the same approach as North Kivu is experiencing some of the highest rates of mpox in Africa.

The Jericho Road Wellness Center is based in Goma, DRC, near three large IDP camps in North Kivu, and the spread of mpox in these camps was noted as an area of concern by Africa CDC. The province of North Kivu is home to over 2.5 million internally displaced people, and conflict and insecurity throughout the region have caused the additional displacement of over 500,000 people in North Kivu over the last year, which has played a factor in the recent mpox outbreak.

“Direct Relief is honored to support Jericho Road’s Wellness Center, where staff are deeply committed to providing care to the community each day, and now are stepping up even more to help patients impacted by this outbreak,” said Jeffrey Samuel, Direct Relief’s Regional Director for Africa. “Protecting and equipping health workers is a top priority, and these funds and medical support will help staff deliver care at a time when it is urgently needed.”

Jericho Road’s Wellness Center receives an average of 200 patients per month from the camps, and through their relationship with the regional ministry of health, has access to the camps and the Provincial Hospital, which is the main referral center for mpox patients in Goma.

In addition to funds, Direct Relief is assembling comprehensive kits for medical providers and patients affected by mpox. Each kit includes personal protective equipment such as gloves, gowns, N-95 masks, goggles, and shoe covers to protect 100 healthcare workers. The kits also contain medications for pain management and skin irritation, wound care supplies, and disinfectant wipes for up to 1,000 patients.

The post Mpox Response: Direct Relief Channels Funding, PPE to Support Health Efforts in Africa appeared first on Direct Relief.

The provision of health services requires a continuous supply of electricity to power lights and diagnostic equipment, allow access to electronic health records, and maintain temperature-sensitive medications. Direct Relief’s expanded commitment seeks to address the increasingly frequent problem of health service interruptions during power outages caused by extreme weather, such as wildfires, heat waves, hurricanes, and flood-causing storms.

Direct Relief’s expanded effort builds on its ongoing support and emergency response efforts in all 50 states and territories of the U.S. to the network of nonprofit clinics and health centers that serve as the national healthcare safety net, providing care to over 38 million patients who, compared to the general U.S. population, have lower incomes, less wealth, include more people of all racial and ethnic minority populations, and have less access to needed primary healthcare services.

Extreme weather events and emergency situations create enhanced health risks for people who rely on nonprofit health facilities. Such events create new health risks and the need for expanded health services, even as the availability of services is likely to be severely reduced or lost due to power outages.

Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative provides grant funding to health clinics that serve vulnerable and underserved patient populations to cover the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of solar power and battery storage microgrids. The nonprofit clinics and health centers own the systems and derive 100% of the benefits – the resiliency benefits coming from batteries that provide power in the event of an outage, and the immediate and recurring financial benefits of reduced utility costs coming from generating their own electricity through the solar panels.

“Power outages are inconvenient for anyone, but they can be devastating for patients whose access to care is at their local nonprofit clinic or health center, when a prolonged blackout causes the facility to close or the loss of refrigerated medications, insulin, or vaccines – a scenario Direct Relief has unfortunately seen too many times,” said Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief.

“Direct Relief is expanding the commitment because of the clear, urgent need that remains unaddressed and because the completed projects have successfully shown the obvious, essential benefits of ensuring care is available for people who need it most when most needed. Moreover, as a philanthropic investment, the financial benefits of this approach have proven to be powerful – the savings that occur each year effectively amount to an annual operating grant to the clinic, with the amounts over time far exceeding what Direct Relief could provide.”

The latest infusion of support is focused on bringing reliable power to U.S. nonprofit clinics and community health centers. Community health centers provide care annually for 1 in 11 people in the U.S. and serve as the healthcare home for America’s most vulnerable populations, including 1 in 5 of America’s uninsured, 1 in 6 Medicaid beneficiaries, 1 in 3 individuals living in poverty, according to the National Association for Community Health Centers. Free and charitable clinics are also part of the nation’s health safety net, and those clinics recorded 5.7 million patient visits in 2023, according to the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. More than 8 out of 10 patients were uninsured, according to NAFC, and reported living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

More Power for Health projects continue to come online at nonprofit clinics and health centers nationwide, with 20 completed projects in Puerto Rico, Louisiana, North Carolina, and California and dozens in the design and construction pipeline – including in Texas and Florida. The latest facilities where Direct Relief-funded resilient power systems have been completed include Harmony Health Medical Clinic (Marysville, CA), in an area prone to explosive wildfires, and Goshen Medical Center (Tabor City, NC), at high risk of hurricanes.

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ICN works to represent nursing worldwide, advance the nursing profession, promote the well-being of nurses, and advocate for health in all policies. ICN’s membership includes 130 national nursing associations representing millions of nurses worldwide.

The partnership has resulted in the appointment of an ICN Humanitarian Liaison Officer, who will use the global expanse of ICN’s member national nurses associations to rapidly access organizations on the ground.

The aim of the partnership is to use nurses’ insights to improve real-time intelligence about situations in specific communities and maximize the efficient deployment of Direct Relief’s disaster relief supply programs.

ICN Chief Executive Officer Howard Catton said the partnership is a perfect fit for both organizations and will make a real difference wherever humanitarian or disaster relief is needed.

“Nurses are deeply embedded in the communities where they live and work. They know both what the health and humanitarian needs are and how best to meet them, even in some of the most challenging situations and environments,” Catton said. “This knowledge and experience, partnered with Direct Relief’s expertise and commitment to the delivery of humanitarian aid, will help to ensure that the most vulnerable people get the quickest access possible to the specific aid and supplies that will help them the most.”

“During every disaster, Direct Relief relies extensively on local health providers to determine what is most needed and where. Nurses are at the forefront of that essential knowledge and patient care, particularly during crisis events,” said Alycia Clark, Direct Relief’s Chief Pharmacy Officer. “Direct Relief is privileged to work with the International Council of Nurses and their deep expertise across multiple specialties promises to guide and expand Direct Relief’s future emergency and humanitarian response.”

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The announcement was made at a July 23rd event at Ukraine House in Washington D.C., hosted by Direct Relief, The Ukrainian Ministry of Health, and the Ukrainian Embassy.

“The international non-profit organization Direct Relief has united powerful private companies and philanthropists in order to support Ukraine,” said Maryna Slobodnichenko, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine for European integration. “Thank you for such unceasing support.”

“Direct Relief remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting health services for the Ukrainian people as they continue to encounter enormous difficulties from the ongoing Russia attacks, said Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief.

Direct Relief’s $10 million philanthropic commitment will support vital organizations including Unbroken, The Protez Foundation, and The Ukrainian American House. These funds will be allocated to address the following healthcare priorities, as identified by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health:

• Prosthetics and rehabilitation services for injured persons, now estimated to be more than 100,000 persons
• Resilient power solutions for healthcare facilities to ensure uninterrupted services, which are compromised by attacks on the country’s critical energy infrastructure
• Flexible primary care approaches to manage the health needs of displaced persons
• Access to essential medications, with a focus on rare diseases and specialty therapies
• Mental health and psychosocial support services for people who continue to be subjected to extreme risk, constant threat, and daily tragedies.

This new commitment builds upon Direct Relief’s ongoing support for Ukraine, which has included over $42 million in financial assistance and 2,480 tons of medical aid valued at $1.3 billion.

The medical material contributions total more than 341 million defined daily doses of medicines including insulin, cancer therapies, vaccines, cardiovascular drugs, respiratory treatments, and other resources, all in response to requests from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and local Ukrainian healthcare providers.

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“We are grateful for Thomas’ deep commitment to Direct Relief’s mission over the last 24 years and his unwavering servant leadership,” said Direct Relief board chair Mark Linehan. “This next stage at Direct Relief will build upon Thomas’s extraordinary vision and track record to ensure our continued success and growth. It will bring about new opportunities for growth and a recommitment to our mission as the Board begins its executive search to find the next person to support Direct Relief’s efforts to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies globally.”

“It has been a privilege every day for nearly 24 years to be part of Direct Relief’s important work to help people in need overcome health challenges and enjoy the wonders of life,” said Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe. “The organization’s simple humanitarian mission existed long before I arrived, and it remains essential and inspiring. I have complete confidence that Direct Relief will continue to serve people in a thoughtful, respectful, and efficient way and that the organization will thrive.”

Since arriving at the end of 2000, Tighe has overseen Direct Relief’s work as it expanded to become the fifth-largest charity in the United States and among the largest providers of charitable medications within the U.S. and globally. During Tighe’s tenure, funded entirely with private philanthropic support, Direct Relief has provided over $16 billion in essential medicines, equipment, and supplies and more than $350 million in grants to health organizations in 136 countries and all U.S. states and territories. Tighe has led the organization’s responses to domestic and international disasters, from the 2004 Asian Tsunami to Hurricane Katrina and Maria and the war in Ukraine, in which the organization’s ongoing support has exceeded $1.3 billion.

Since the year 2000, Direct Relief has been named among the world’s most innovative nonprofits by Fast Company, has been rated by Forbes as being 99 percent efficient or better in fundraising since 2001, won the Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation, the CECP Director’s Award, the Esri President’s Award for GIS innovation, the Office of the Surgeon General’s National Leadership and Partnership Award, and became the first U.S. nonprofit to obtain NABP Drug Distributor Accreditation to distribute Rx medications in all 50 U.S. states.

Tighe will continue to serve as President and CEO through the end of the year to help ensure a smooth transition for the next President and CEO and continuity as Direct Relief continues its mission to serve people around the globe.

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A leader in providing medical humanitarian aid to those in need, Direct Relief is ranked fifth on the Forbes List of Top 100 Charities and earned a renewed four-star rating from Charity Navigator in 2024, America’s largest independent charity evaluator, for the 13th consecutive year.

“Direct Relief is excited to welcome these accomplished individuals to its board,” said Mark Linehan, Direct Relief’s Board Chair. “The expertise that each brings will strengthen and further the organization’s mission of mobilizing essential medical and other resources across the U.S. and around the world.”

The new directors are:

Henrietta Holsman Fore recently served as the seventh Executive Director of UNICEF. Prior to taking up this appointment, she served as both the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance in the U.S. State Department. From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Fore served as Under Secretary of State for Management, the Chief Operating Officer for the U.S. Department of State. Prior to that, she was the 37th Director of the United States Mint, a position she held from 2001 to 2005.  Currently Ms. Fore serves as the Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Holsman International, a manufacturing and investment company.

Heitham Hassoun, MD, serves as the Chief Executive of International at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, California. In this role, he leads the institution’s international patient services as well as global strategy and operations. He joined Cedars-Sinai in 2018 as vice president and medical director of International. He is a highly regarded clinician and healthcare leader with a wealth of experience in global partnerships, international patient services, health system development, and academic medicine.  Dr. Hassoun shepherded Cedars-Sinai’s first global affiliation as well as several academic and strategic collaborations in China, Ecuador, Indonesia, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. He also has overseen the expansion of Cedars-Sinai’s regional offices in multiple countries, including China, Mexico, and Singapore. In addition to leading International, Dr. Hassoun is a professor of Surgery at Cedars-Sinai and maintains a clinical practice in vascular and endovascular surgery. Prior to Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Hassoun served as global medical director at Johns Hopkins Medicine and as an associate professor in the Department of Surgery at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Perry Siatis is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, where he is responsible for Legal and the Office of Ethics and Compliance. He is credited with negotiating highly successful global business deals, navigating complex government policy, and providing strategic legal guidance for multiple billion-dollar brands. Mr. Siatis began his career by practicing commercial and intellectual property (IP) litigation at DLA Piper LLP. He joined Abbott in 2005 as Counsel and progressed to Division Counsel, IP Litigation, and later became Divisional Vice President and Section Head, IP Strategy. In January 2013, Mr. Siatis joined AbbVie where he served as Vice President, Biologic Strategic Development and Legal Regulatory. He also served as the Senior Vice President of Legal Transactions and R&D/Alliance Management and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer. In 2020, he led the legal strategy for the acquisition of Allergan, one of the largest acquisitions in pharmaceutical history.

The Direct Relief Board of Directors may serve up to three three-year terms.

A full list of Direct Relief’s Board and leadership is available here.

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Direct Relief, the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC), and Teva Pharmaceuticals today announced an expansion of medicine donations through their collaborative mental health access program into seven new states to advance access to healthcare for uninsured patients seeking treatment for anxiety and depression.

Through “Community Routes: Access to Mental Health Care,” Teva will continue to provide free and charitable clinics with $2 million in grant funding over two years and make available, on a charitable basis, a portfolio of commonly used generic medications that treat anxiety and depression. Medicines will be available to free and charitable clinics and pharmacies in Direct Relief’s network. The annual value of these medicines provided by Teva is over $17 million this year alone, as determined by their wholesale acquisition cost.

This announcement expands the program’s medicine donations into seven new states: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia, increasing the program’s potential reach to more than 650,000 uninsured patients through 400+ eligible free and charitable clinics across ten total states. The seven new states announced today were selected based on the program’s ability to maximize patient impact, which was determined by assessing unmet needs and the presence of a strong network of free and charitable clinics in each state.

The program was launched in June 2022, following which the pilot states of Florida, New Jersey and California received product donations and subsequently grant funding to selected clinics.

“As the need for mental health support surges, access to care for people living with anxiety and depression is more pressing than ever,” said Thomas Tighe, CEO and President of Direct Relief. “Direct Relief is deeply grateful to Teva for demonstrating such leadership and dedication and welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with the NAFC and Teva to provide patients with the resources necessary to lead happier and healthier lives.”

“We continue to face a mental health crisis across the U.S. and those directly impacted deserve access to treatment, regardless of background or economic status,” said Sven Dethlefs, PhD, Executive Vice President, North America Commercial at Teva. “Teva is committed to the pursuit of health equity and will continue to bring forward its expertise and resources to help ensure medication availability for anxiety and depression.”

“Free and Charitable Clinics are critical to providing care to underserved communities,” said Nicole Lamoureux, President and CEO of NAFC. “We’re appreciative of Direct Relief and Teva’s partnership as we chart new strategies to alleviate healthcare inequities and provide access to medicine for some of the most vulnerable among us.”

“Since the pandemic began, addressing mental health has continued to be a priority for our clinic,” shared Fred Bauermeister, Executive Director at Free Clinic of Simi Valley. “With these donations, we have been able to increase access to medications that treat anxiety and depression for the uninsured or underinsured members of our community, generating both progress and a sense of hope.”

A third of adults in the U.S. show symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both. Notably, more than 5.5 million adults with a mental illness are uninsured, and almost a third of all adults with a mental illness reported they could not receive the treatment they needed.2 Additionally, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, racial minorities have experienced higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to their white counterparts. Depression was 15 to 23 times more prevalent for those who identify as Black, Hispanic or Asian.

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The shipments contained 7.8 million defined daily doses of medication, including cardiovascular medication, nutritional supplements, cancer care therapies, and more.

This week, a shipment containing needles, syringes, sutures, PPE and over half a million (540,000) KN95 masks, and 46 pallets worth of antibiotics arrived in Lebanon in coordination with local NGO, Anera. Anera will distribute the critical supplies to hospitals and clinics in the region.

UKRAINE RESPONSE

Over the six months since Russia invaded Ukraine, Direct Relief has secured and shipped more than 890 tons of requested medicines and supplies to more than 400 healthcare delivery sites in Ukraine and neighboring countries. That includes 155 million defined daily doses of medication to address a wide range of acute and chronic health needs.

Direct Relief, as a recognized international partner of Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, is continuing its scaled-up response along the two parallel tracks of supporting those affected by war in Ukraine and those forced to flee their homes to neighboring countries.

To date, Direct Relief has awarded emergency financial support totaling $15.9 million to help sustain and bolster the provision of health care in Ukraine and to support healthcare services for Ukrainian refugees in Poland and Moldova.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

This week, Direct Relief shipped more than 6.6 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 417 shipments containing 1.2 million doses of medications over the past week to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE (GLOBAL)

Since January 1, 2022, Direct Relief has delivered 12.7K shipments to 1,848 healthcare providers in 53 US states and territories and 85 countries.

These shipments contained 388.6M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.2B (wholesale), totaling 9.6M lb.

IN THE NEWS

• Direct Relief Works With Ukrainian Ministry of Health and Global Drug Makers to Deliver 890 Tons of Medical Aid to Ukraine – CSR International: “Under a collaboration agreement, Ukraine’s Ministry of Health is working with Direct Relief to secure medicine donations from pharmaceutical manufacturers, enabling the use of Direct Relief’s existing contractual and working relationships, smoothing the processes of securing the drugs and then ensuring their timely delivery.“
• S.C. has more than climate vs. wildfires – The Times and Democrat: “Nearly 70% of the U.S. population across parts of every state in the continental United States, except for Georgia and South Carolina, experienced at least one day of heavy- or medium-density wildfire smoke in July, according to an analysis by Direct Relief’s research and analysis team of data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.“
• Cities, Data, and the Needs of Ukrainian Refugees – Data & Policy: “The focus on cities and novel data sources in the context of the rapidly evolving Ukrainian refugee crisis was the organizing principle of a workshop on June 27th and 28th, co-hosted by the CrisisReady collaboration between Direct Relief and Harvard University, and the mayor’s office of Budapest.”

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Under a collaboration agreement, Ukraine’s Ministry of Health is working with Direct Relief to secure medicine donations from pharmaceutical manufacturers, enabling the use of Direct Relief’s existing contractual and working relationships, smoothing the processes of securing the drugs and then ensuring their timely delivery. Direct Relief has secured and delivered critical medical aid (with over 10% of the pallets requiring cold-chain handling and logistics) specifically requested or approved by the Ministry of Health since the war began. Direct Relief began its collaboration with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health in the year before the invasion working together to provide monoclonal antibody therapies to help address the large Covid-19 outbreaks in the country.

Novo Nordisk Manufactures Insulin Specifically for Ukraine Donation

Among the large prescription medicine donors is Novo Nordisk A/S, which has provided many different types of human and analog insulin for Direct Relief’s humanitarian response in Ukraine, including a large donation of insulin that was manufactured to donate specifically for Direct Relief’s humanitarian efforts. In total, the Denmark-based company has helped meet the needs of tens of thousands of patients with diabetes.

“While we are still deeply concerned with the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, we are grateful that we have been able to team up with Direct Relief, other humanitarian actors and the Ministry of Health to safeguard the supply of our lifesaving medicines to the people who depend on them in Ukraine. I would like to extend my gratitude to the staff of Direct Relief, who work tirelessly in times of crises to serve unmet needs for health care around the world,” said Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, President and CEO of Novo Nordisk.

Pfizer Donates Critical Anti-infective and Other Medicines to Direct Relief for Ukraine

Pfizer has been among the largest donors to Direct Relief’s response in Ukraine, providing lifesaving therapies to address severe bacterial and fungal infections, as well as medicines to treat patients with Covid-19 infections, which was very important given the recent Covid-19 waves that impacted Ukraine over the past six months. In addition, Pfizer provided various chronic disease medicines and therapies to address uncontrolled bleeding (critical for trauma and wound victims) and chemical warfare antidotes. Pfizer made these donations to Direct Relief’s Ukraine response from the United States and its European affiliates.

Caroline Roan, Pfizer Senior Vice President of Global Health and Social Impact, said: “Ensuring critical medicines continue to reach patients impacted by this tragic and challenging war is paramount to Pfizer. We are committed to contributing to ongoing humanitarian efforts that support the safety, health and wellbeing of people affected by these terrible events. We are very proud to be one of Direct Relief’s largest donors in this program – as part of our broader humanitarian commitments in support of the people of Ukraine, and complementing our efforts to improve access to healthcare worldwide.”

Baxter Donates 10 Truckloads of IV Fluids, Dialysis-Related Products, and More for Ukraine

Baxter International Inc. made one of the largest donations by volume, delivering to Direct Relief more than ten truckloads of critical medical products needed for Ukrainian patients with trauma and wounds, as well as vulnerable patients with renal conditions that required dialysis.

Given the critical need within Ukraine, Baxter provided the products from its facility in nearby Poland, allowing more time to get these essential medicines where they are needed.

“We are deeply grateful to the Direct Relief team for their incredible actions in Ukraine and surrounding countries and are proud to have supported their efforts with donations of more than 100 different types of Baxter products. Our longstanding partnership has been a critical factor in our response efforts as we collaborate on community health needs in the region,” said ​Cristiano Franzi, ​Senior Vice President, and President, EMEA, Baxter International Inc.

The list of pharmaceutical and medical technology manufacturers that made large product donations through Direct Relief (and examples of the types of products provided) to benefit the Ukrainian people include:

• 3M: various wound care dressings and products, N-95 masks, and stethoscopes
• Abbott: diabetes meters and test strips, OTC medications, and infant baby formula
• AbbVie: anesthesia and medicines to treat ocular conditions, thyroid conditions, and cancer
• Accord Healthcare: essential and chronic disease medicines
• Ajanta Pharma: type 2 diabetes medicines
• Alvogen: essential and chronic disease medicines
• Amgen: specialized cancer medications, steroids, and antibiotics
• AmerisourceBergen: bandages and wound care products
• Apotex: essential and chronic disease medicines
• AstraZeneca: respiratory inhalers, cancer therapies, and chronic disease medicine
• Baxter International Inc.: nephrology, anesthesia, surgical products, and IV fluids
• Bayer: antibiotics for hospitalized patients with serious respiratory or skin infections
• Boehringer Ingelheim: type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular medications, and bronchial inhalers
• ConvaTec: wound dressings
• Eli Lilly: various types of insulin, and therapies to treat cancer, mental health conditions and Covid-19
• Grifols: human albumin for hospitalized patients with severe conditions
• GSK: essential chronic disease medicines to treat infections, epilepsy, and mental health conditions
• Hikma: essential, nephrology, chronic disease, and oncology medicines
• ICU Medical: IV catheters and IV solutions
• Johnson & Johnson: medicines for mental health conditions, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes
• LifeScan: diabetes meters and test strips
• McKesson: consumable medical products
• Meitheal Pharma: cancer therapies and muscle relaxants used as an adjunct to general anesthesia
• Medtronic: sutures, skin stapler, catheters, and surgical mesh
• Merck KGaA, Germany: medicines for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and thyroid conditions
• MSD / Merck & Co.: antibiotics, oral Covid-19 therapies, type 2 diabetes medicines
• Novo Nordisk A/S: various types of insulin, including a sizeable manufacture-to-donate batch for Ukraine
• Organon: cardiovascular disease medicines
• Pfizer: medicines for infections, uncontrolled bleeding, and chronic disease, Covid-19 antiviral medication, chemical warfare antidotes
• Sanofi – through Foundation S: hypodermic needles for medicine injections
• Takeda: medicines for nephrology, hemophilia, gastrointestinal conditions, inflammation, and human albumin
• Teva: medicines for infections, edema, pain, respiratory conditions, and other chronic diseases
• Viatris: medicines for infections, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases

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The insulin, manufactured and provided to Direct Relief by the drug maker Eli Lilly and Company, was delivered to Ukraine over the past two weeks and will be allocated by Ukraine’s Ministry of Health to hospitals, clinics, and programs treating people with diabetes around the country.

There are 2.3 million adults living with diabetes in Ukraine in 2022 – one in every 14 adults – 40% of whom are undiagnosed, according to the International Diabetes Federation’s Diabetes Atlas. All people with Type 1 diabetes and roughly 30% of people with Type 2 diabetes require daily insulin injections, while many depend on other medications to control the condition.

Direct Relief and its partners estimate that Ukraine needs 115,000 10 ml vials of long-acting insulin per month. In this single supply of medicine, Lilly provided 673,000 quick-injection pens, each containing 3 ml of long-acting insulin glargine, equivalent to 202,191 10 ml vials, or enough to cover Ukraine’s needs for more than seven weeks.

When a person has diabetes, their body doesn’t make enough insulin to control their blood sugar level, making them susceptible to health problems including heart disease, blindness, lower-limb amputations and more. Diabetes is among the world’s most widespread and most harmful noncommunicable diseases. In 2021 alone, diabetes caused an estimated 6.7 million deaths and at least $966 billion in health expenditures worldwide, according to the IDF, which has worked closely with Direct Relief in planning and facilitating large-scale insulin donations to countries in crisis around the world.

“IDF expresses its immense gratitude to our partner Direct Relief for the organization’s quick and efficient mobilization of resources to deliver medical supplies and aid to support Ukrainian citizens living with diabetes,” said Prof. Andrew Boulton, president of IDF. “In times of crises, when resources are scarce, caring for diabetes can be extremely difficult. People living with diabetes require uninterrupted access to the medicines and care they need to manage their condition and prevent life-threatening complications. IDF’s long-term partner Lilly has been incredibly generous in supporting people with diabetes affected by the war in Ukraine. We applaud this latest donation of insulin, which will help bolster the country’s supply of this essential medicine.”

People with diabetes take long-acting insulins like the insulin glargine donated by Lilly once a day to provide a baseline insulin level in their blood. Most people who depend on injected insulin also need short-acting insulin to level their blood sugar after meals.

“Lilly recognizes the challenges people continue to face in Ukraine in accessing essential medicines like insulin. This collaboration with Direct Relief is critical to ensuring our medicines reach the healthcare providers and patients who need them,” said Michael B. Mason, president of Lilly Diabetes.

The huge charitable supply of insulin is the latest action in Direct Relief’s extensive aid for Ukrainians with diabetes since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Since then, Direct Relief has secured and delivered 1.4 million insulin quick-injection pens, 733,800 insulin pen needles, 188,833 10 ml insulin vials, nearly 25,000 glucose meters with 400,000 test strips, and over 3.2 million oral diabetes tablets equivalent to almost 1.5 million daily defined doses. Direct Relief has also provided a $150,000 grant to the Ukrainian Diabetes Federation (UDF) for managing and distributing insulin and diabetes-related medical supplies and testing equipment.

Under a bi-lateral partnership agreement, Ukraine’s Ministry of Health is working with Direct Relief to secure medicine donations from pharmaceutical manufacturers, leveraging Direct Relief’s existing relationships, smoothing the processes of securing the drugs, and ensuring their timely delivery. Lilly supplied the insulin to Direct Relief, which arranged cold-chain transportation to Kyiv to benefit Ukrainian patients. Since the war erupted, Ukraine’s government has been covering access to insulin for its population with diabetes.

“Direct Relief is deeply grateful to Lilly for its leadership and commitment reflected in this donation for the people of Ukraine,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief president and CEO. “Lilly’s support is an incredible example of what’s needed to address this crisis from a humanitarian standpoint.”

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Direct Relief has provided more than 900 tons of requested medical aid to Ukraine and neighboring countries hosting Ukrainian refugees.

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According to a newly released survey commissioned by Direct Relief, most people (53%) expect disasters to get worse where they live but are largely unprepared for these increasingly severe and frequent emergencies.

With more than half of Americans foreseeing an uptick in the severity of disasters, thinking through a preparedness plan is critical.

Continue reading to view the survey results.

Emergency Planning Resources

Medications and medical conditions

Many Americans either take medication or have an ongoing medical condition, and findings suggest a significant portion of these people would either have difficulty continuing their medications or finding aid for their illness during an emergency.

• Three in four people (76%) would worry about their health if they could not access their medications during an emergency, and concern increases with age. Nearly 9 in 10 (87%) people 77 or older would worry if they couldn’t access their medications in an emergency; yet, a little more than a third (37%) say that they would have a week (7 days) or less of medication on hand if they had to evacuate right now.
• Over seven in 10 (72%) Americans do not have a backup supply of critical medications.
• Nearly eight in 10 (78%) do not have accessible medical records and copies of prescription information.
• One in two (50%) Americans have not put their medical documents online in case they lose access to other forms of documentation during an emergency.
• Americans, on average, ranked their medication refills as their third most pressing concern (M=5.14) and getting access to medical care as their fifth most pressing concern (M=4.49), while people aged 65+ ranked medication refills as their second most pressing concern – above their pets.
• About half (47%) of Americans with a chronic medical condition (N=1,736) would not know where to access medication during an emergency.

Power and health

• Power outages are of concern to 94% of respondents who indicated they or someone in their household relies on medical equipment or appliances that require running electricity.
• Just over a third (34%) of respondents said they or someone in their household relies on medical equipment or appliances that would not be able to function without electricity. Yet, only 23% reported having a backup generator.
• The percentage of people with generators is uneven nationwide, with people in Louisiana (46%) and Florida (28%) more than two times as likely as Californians (13%) to own a generator.

Income disparities

Higher-income people have more access to the resources they need if an emergency arises. Survey data gleans the specifics on ways income disparities between higher and lower-income households affect people throughout the US.

Lower-income households were less likely to have an emergency supply of non-perishable food and cash. They also were more likely to report having smaller stockpiles of medication and to say their homes don’t have enough space to stockpile for an emergency.

• Almost three in five (58%) Americans in households making less than $50,000 each year (N=887) say they do not have a 3-day supply of non-perishable food. In contrast, 56% of Americans in households making $100,000 or more per year (N=359) say they have a 3-day supply of non-perishable food for emergencies.
• 72% of Americans in households making less than $50,000 annually (N=887) say they do not have cash on hand in case of an emergency. Unsurprisingly, well over one in two (54%) of Americans in households that bring in $100,000 or more per year (N=359) report having emergency cash on hand in case of an emergency.

• A third (33%) of Americans do not or are not sure they have enough room in their home to stockpile essentials for a potential emergency, but 67% say they do have the space.
• Four in five (80%) Americans in households that bring in $100,000 or more each year (N=359) claim they have enough room in their home to stockpile essentials for a potential emergency. In comparison, 41% of Americans in households with an income of $50,000 or less (N=887) report they would not, or are not sure whether they would, have enough room in their home to stockpile essentials for a potential emergency.
• Nearly 1 in 4 (24%) Americans do not feel they could rely on their neighbors in an emergency, compared to over half (54%) saying they could depend on their neighbors.
• Under half (49%) of Americans in households with incomes of less than $50,000 (N=887) feel they could rely on their neighbors in an emergency; however, almost two-thirds (64%) of Americans in households with incomes of $100,000 or greater (N=359) feel they could rely on their neighbors in an emergency.

Evacuation Planning

Findings suggest that many know where to go but don’t have an evacuation plan.

• Most people in the US (61%) say they would know where to evacuate, and nearly two in five (39%) would not know where they would go if they had to evacuate.
• About half of people living in the western US (46%; N=720) would not know where to go if they had to evacuate.
• Americans ranked “identifying escape or evacuation routes” as their top priority when preparing for an impending natural disaster (M=5.58). “Identifying places for shelter if evacuation is not possible” was ranked, on average, as the third highest priority (M=5.35) – just behind having enough water (M=5.46), which ranked second.

Methodology 

Direct Relief commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,009 Americans across various states with frequent weather-related emergencies (i.e., natural disasters).

Select states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington State.

The margin of error for the overall sample is +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence interval of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between July 22nd and July 27th, 2022. Atomik Research is an independent market research agency. 

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The BD Helping Build Healthy Communities Innovations in Care award recognizes U.S. community health centers for excellence in helping vulnerable patients manage their complex chronic diseases and improve their overall health. This year’s awardees will receive a grant for $270,000 each to build upon the demonstrated impact their novel care approaches have on at-risk populations. All four community health centers also received the Innovations in Care award in 2021.

The supplemental funding will enable the health centers to continue enhancing impact through holistic, culturally sensitive, team-based care and by providing pharmacist-led patient education and counseling. The funding will also be used to help remove barriers to care by addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) — including where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and their age, all of which affect a wide range of health and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.

“Racial and ethnic minorities in the United States are more likely to experience worse health outcomes for complex chronic conditions, yet less likely to receive preventive health services,” said Tom Polen, chairman, CEO and president of BD. “We are directly addressing these health inequities by investing in community health centers that help ensure underserved patients receive quality care. These centers are located in high-need areas, available to all regardless of their ability to pay, and deliver culturally relevant care to meet the specific needs and priorities of their communities.”

The following Innovations in Care 2022 award winners are:

• Healthnet in Indianapolis, Indiana, is using its grant funding to expand a diabetes education program to assess and proactively address the behavioral health and SDOH needs of pre-diabetic and diabetic patients so they can manage their diagnosis and live a healthy lifestyle. The grant is also helping fund a clinical dietitian to provide proactive outreach and nutrition education for at-risk patients.

• Northeast Valley Health Corporation in San Fernando, California, is using its grant funding to ensure high-risk Hispanic patients have the opportunity to meet with a clinical pharmacist for medication reconciliation and adherence counseling, and to offer assessments based on SDOH. Funding will also enable a bilingual patient navigator to connect patients with social services that address identified needs, in addition to the creation of an automated patient risk assignment to provide more customized services and referrals by a patient care team.

• Share Our Selves in Costa Mesa, California, is using its grant funding to enable patients who face multiple chronic conditions and take multiple, complex medications, to receive individualized care coordination including medication delivery, medication synchronization, patient education, remote monitoring device training and virtual visits with pharmacists. Additional funding is being used to enhance technologies that will better integrate patient SDOH data alongside their medical information to create more impactful interventions.

• Wahiawa Center for Community Health in Wahiawa, Hawaii, is using its grant funding to support the creation of an integrated care team and care model to address chronic disease, particularly within Asian and Pacific Islander communities. This team approach seeks to improve medication adherence to prevent health complications associated with chronic disease and cultural, social, economic and environmental challenges like poor health literacy and a lack of food and housing. The addition of a population health coordinator provides a dedicated resource for collecting and tracking more in-depth data on SDOH, hemoglobin A1c, health screening tools and comprehensive diabetes services throughout the year.

Thomas Tighe, president and CEO of Direct Relief said, “This effort is an extraordinary example of leadership by BD to award and elevate initiatives from community health centers that improve the health and lives of people with chronic health conditions. Direct Relief is deeply grateful to BD and to NACHC for their collaboration and support.”

“Health centers are more than healers. Health centers are problem-solvers who reach beyond the walls of the conventional health care delivery system to address the social drivers of health, such as stable housing, food insecurity, mental health and so much more,” said Rachel A. Gonzales-Hanson, interim president and CEO of NACHC. “Private funding partnerships made possible by BD and Direct Relief are essential to support innovative approaches that health centers bring to foster wellness and health equity in underserved communities.”

The BD Helping Build Healthy Communities initiative, which is funded by BD and the BD Foundation, and implemented jointly by Direct Relief and NACHC, has provided 52 awards to community health centers in 20 states since 2013, with a total investment of $22.6 million in cash and product donations. Click here for more information on the company’s environmental, social and governance commitments and progress.

For more information about the 2022 winners of BD Helping Build Healthy Communities Innovations in Care award, click here.

The post BD, Direct Relief and National Association of Community Health Centers Advance Health Equity in the U.S. with a $1 Million Grant appeared first on Direct Relief.

Over the same period, an estimated 28.6 million people, or nearly 9 percent of the US population, experienced one or more days of heavy smoke.

According to NOAA, medium and heavy smoke density refers to the thickness of smoke observed in satellite imagery. Medium smoke density is meant to approximate between 10-21 micrograms per cubic meter, and heavy smoke density is intended to approximate 21-32 micrograms per cubic meter.

Broad exposure to smoke from wildfires has occurred despite this year seeing the fewest acres burned since 2014.

Last month alone, an estimated 1.44 million people across the US experienced seven or more days of heavy-density wildfire smoke.

Most locations that have endured such conditions over the past month are in Alaska, with Fairbanks being the most populous, though areas in California, Montana, and Idaho have been subject to at least seven high-density smoke days.

Though often associated with western US states, several Midwest and eastern states have also experienced at least one heavy smoke day, including vast swaths of Minnesota and Iowa as well as regions of New York and Pennsylvania.

Several studies have shown a link between wildfire smoke events and “significant” increases in hospital emergency department visits, especially for respiratory and cardiovascular ailments. These increases, particularly related to asthma and respiratory diseases, as well as cardiovascular diseases, can begin within a day or two of the events and continue for several weeks or more afterward, according to Helene G. Margolis, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

“Children, people with preexisting chronic diseases, and children in utero are definitely susceptible, across the life course,” Margolis said about people exposed to extended periods of either wildfire smoke or traffic-related pollution.

Some medical conditions associated with repeated exposure include respiratory diseases, deficits in lung function, asthma, allergies, chronic obstructed pulmonary disease, and altered immunology.

After prolonged exposure to traffic-related pollution, decreased lung function has also been reported in children.

“You can almost certainly expect that wildfire smoke is contributing to that,” Margolis said.

Wildfire smoke exposure can also lead to a higher risk of contracting Covid-19 and other illnesses since wildfire smoke and air pollution can “alter the efficacy of immune response,” Margolis said.

Both wildfire smoke and air pollution can trigger inflammation in a person’s airways, causing elevated inflammatory markers to occur throughout the body, she said, which can be particularly dangerous to people with metabolic syndrome.

smoke hits differently

Though smoke blankets an area, it does not affect all people in that area equally. Key differentiating factors include where a person lives, including the ability to either seal their home or leave, underlying health conditions, and financial circumstances, including the ability to buy air filters and avoid outdoor work.

“Some studies have shown that more vulnerable populations may experience a larger impact for the same event,” said Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, Ph.D., a professor at North Carolina State University’s College of Natural Resources, noting that not all vulnerable populations are the same.

As one example, focusing on non-medical factors, Richmond noted having air conditioning can “make a big impact.”

“As climate change progresses, there are not only more fires, but those with the means can close up their homes [during a wildfire smoke event]. Without air conditioning and with 90-degree heat, you’re going to have to open your windows,” Richmond-Bryant said.

While both traffic-related air pollution and wildfire smoke can carry serious risks, wildfire smoke carries unique risks owing to its compositions, which vary based on a range of factors, including where and what it is burning and how it acts in the atmosphere.

“Wildfires are occurring with substantially higher concentrations of particulate material than regular ambient air pollution,” Richmond-Bryant said.

“A lot of locations with older growth forests were around in the days of leaded gasoline. You might have wood with trace amounts of lead. Or they might have been around during a time of coal power, more than we have now, meaning mercury may have been embedded,” she said.

In addition to natural materials, Richmond-Bryant and Margolis said that human-made materials can also increase the toxicity of wildfire smoke – an increasing problem as people continue to move into formerly undeveloped, forested areas.

“A mid-20^th century house might have lead paint and become part of the air combustion mixture. You also have a lot of plastic materials,” Richmond-Bryant said.

“Those chemicals carry much higher toxicity risk,” said Margolis about plastics and other human-made materials.

A study on the 2018 Camp Fire showed that its smoke contained “dangerous” and “concerning” levels of particulate matter and toxic metal contaminants, including lead, “which spiked for about 24 hours.”

Margolis said that issues around wildfire smoke figure to increase due to climate change and other ongoing trends.

“Given climate change and the drying of the landscape, the conditions have become increasingly arid. When you factor in more things like forestry management, these events are happening earlier, they last longer, there’s more fuel, so the magnitude, length, and the duration of exposure to wildfires is greater,” Margolis said.

“It’s going to have downstream consequences,” Margolis said.

Direct Relief has been responding to wildfires for decades and most recently shipped dozens of requested emergency field medic packs to the California National Guard to support their response to the ongoing wildfires in northern California. Each pack is equipped with triage and medical essentials, including infection control supplies, trauma care, diagnostics, and PPE.

Michael Robinson, Crisis Mapping and Data Science Specialist at Direct Relief, contributed to this article.

The post Two in Three People in the US Were Exposed to Significant Wildfire Smoke Last Month appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has extended offers of assistance to Kentucky-based organizations and agencies, including the Kentucky Primary Care Association.

At least four clinic locations have been completely destroyed in the flooding, and several are without water or stable electricity. Staffing is also a challenge as many healthcare employees have sustained substantial personal losses of property and vehicles.

Immediate medical supplies needed include:

• Hepatitis A shots
• Tetanus shots
• Insulin, glucometers, strips, constant readers, supplies
• Oxygen, concentrators, tanks, masks
• IV fluids and tubing
• Nebulizer tubing
• CPAP machines
• EPI pens

The organization maintains a standing inventory of medical aid frequently requested during emergencies. In the past year, the organization has responded to crises from Louisianna to California with requested materials ranging from insulin to solar generators.

Since January 2022, Direct Relief has provided nonprofit health centers and clinics in Kentucky with more than $1.3 million in requested medical aid.

Direct Relief is preparing to mobilize needed medical supplies this week and will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.

The post Direct Relief Commits an Initial $250,000 to Kentucky Relief Efforts appeared first on Direct Relief.

The paper, titled “The impact of clinical pharmacist-led comprehensive medication management on diabetes care at Federally Qualified Health Centers within the BD Helping Build Healthy Communities program,” describes a study commissioned by BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, along with Direct Relief and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), which found that patients enrolled in a comprehensive medication management program at federally qualified health centers (FQHC) saw their Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) scores decrease by 1.2% in six months — equating to an estimated 20% lower risk of death. Evaluated decreases are clinic average gains and are an important first step to better informing integrated patient management programs with the goal of mitigating the consequences of life-threatening chronic diseases at the patient level.

The study analyzed clinical pharmacy approaches at eight federally qualified health centers that received funding through the BD Helping Build Healthy Communities grant initiative, which was established in 2013 and funded by BD and the BD Foundation, and implemented by Direct Relief and NACHC in order to support comprehensive medication management services for low-income patients. Clinics were evaluated for two years and included awardees from 2017, 2018 and 2019.

“It’s easy to prescribe medication, but to actually maximize the benefit that the patient gets from that medication requires comprehensive medication management that goes beyond the typical 15-minute provider visit,” said Dr. Sonak Pastakia from Purdue University School of Pharmacy, lead author of the study. “We found that when patients review their diagnosis and coinciding medications with a team, led by a clinical pharmacist, as well as social workers and behavioral health specialists, the health outcome of their chronic disease improve beyond what is seen in a typical clinical visit.”

FQHCs are community-based providers that receive funding under the Public Health Service Act in order to provide primary care services in underserved areas and often work under significant budget constraints despite caring for nearly 30 million patients annually, 67% of whom earn an income below the federal poverty line. Because standard Medicaid coverage does not often reimburse health care providers for novel programs like comprehensive medication management, non-federal funding sources like philanthropic investments are instrumental in helping health centers care for vulnerable patient populations.

This is especially true of people living with diabetes as a 1% drop in their average blood sugar over 3 months (i.e., glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c]) can save the health care system an estimated $685 to $950 annually per patient, while also reducing the risk of serious longer-term health issues.

Damon Taugher, vice president of Global Programs at Direct Relief and a co-author of the paper, said, “This study goes a long way toward proving the hypothesis that underpins the BD Helping Build Healthy Communities program — that investing in health centers positively impacts clinical outcomes for patients.”

Jennifer Farrington senior director of BD social investing and vice president of the BD Foundation, added, “We launched the BD Helping Build Healthy Communities program with Direct Relief and NACHC nearly a decade ago to address the disparity in which health care was being provided to vulnerable patients and populations across our health systems. We partnered with community health centers in high-need areas of the U.S. to help enable them to provide culturally relevant care that meets the needs of their patients and their community. As part of our ongoing commitment to building stronger, more resilient communities, we will continue to serve as a valued partner to community health centers as we work toward advancing access to equitable health care.”

Chief Medical Officer of NACHC, Ron Yee, said, “Nationwide, we see the successful results of this collaboration with Community Health Centers in the field. Pharmacists work with each patient through face-to-face visits, telehealth, patient education, medication management, addressing medication access concerns through the discount 340B drug program and monitoring, and providing follow-up in collaboration with the primary care provider. Health centers are caring for increasing numbers of patients who are older and suffering from multiple chronic health conditions. Medication management is essential to improving their health and lowering the risk of hospitalization.”

Read the full paper: The impact of clinical pharmacist-led comprehensive medication management on diabetes care at Federally Qualified Health Centers within the BD Helping Build Healthy Communities program – Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy

The post Clinical Pharmacists Significantly Improve Patient Outcomes, Advance Health Equity appeared first on Direct Relief.

Aid aboard the FedEx Express Boeing 777 cargo aircraft included substantial quantities of emergency medicines and supplies, including health kits, trauma and wound care items, chronic disease and chemical exposure medications, and antibiotics. All items were provided at the request of, and approved by, Ukraine’s Ministry of Health and local Ukrainian organizations. Direct Relief team members were on site for the offload and the aid will be distributed to health facilities within Ukraine.

“As the war enters its fourth month, Direct Relief’s support and solidarity remain steadfastly with the people of Ukraine,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief President and CEO. “In addition to the heartbreaking loss of life and human toll, the war has had a devastating impact on health services in the country, and Direct Relief is committed to bolstering care with a continuous supply of medical aid. FedEx has created a powerful force multiplier for good with this most recent charter, and it’s an incredible example of what’s needed to address this crisis.”

Since February 24, Direct Relief has provided more than 750 tons of medical aid in response to the crisis, from field medic packs — which contain items to address trauma, including tourniquets and wound dressings — to diabetes and cancer medications.

“It is gratifying to be able use our global network to support these critical missions, and with this charter flight we hope to make a small contribution to what is still a major humanitarian situation.” said Karen Reddington, regional president of Europe, FedEx Express.

FedEx has donated more than $2.3 million in humanitarian aid to support those impacted by the conflict in Ukraine, including $1 million that has been allocated for in-kind shipping with the company’s longstanding nonprofit partners. Utilizing its global network and unparalleled logistics expertise, FedEx has been able to help organizations including Direct Relief, Heart to Heart International, International Medical Corps, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and World Central Kitchen, respond during this crisis. Learn more at fedexcares.com.

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Direct Relief is awarding $650,000 to Together New Orleans’ Community Lighthouse project to fund the construction of the first solar- and battery-powered resilience hub in the Gulf South at CrescentCare community health center, which provides health and wellness services to underserved populations in the City of New Orleans.

The grant is part of Direct Relief’s new Power for Health Initiative, which seeks to ensure that vulnerable nonprofit community health centers and charitable clinics in the U.S. stay powered and remain operational through increasingly common power outages resulting from natural disasters and electrical grid failures. The Community Lighthouse at CrescentCare will be the largest solar+battery system Direct Relief has funded outside of Puerto Rico.

“Crescent Care provides essential health and supportive services every day that people rely on, and those services become even more critical during emergencies that bring on new risks to people’s health,” said Thomas Tighe, president and CEO of Direct Relief, which has worked in all 50 U.S. states and100 countries, and has a longstanding relationship with CrescentCare dating back to Hurricane Katrina. “That’s why it’s a privilege for Direct Relief to help ensure that those services can be maintained when power is lost, which is happening more frequently. People in New Orleans know this better than anyone, and why the CrescentCare project on its own and as part of the Community Lighthouse initiative are so important and offer a powerful example of taking thoughtful action.”

New Orleans ranks among the top 10 cities in the U.S. for power outages from severe weather, which have doubled nationwide over the last 20 years, and the frequency and length of power failures are at their highest levels since reliability tracking began.

Following Hurricane Ida, nearly one million New Orleanians lost power; some residents remained in the dark more than one month later.

For community health centers like CrescentCare, the loss of power meant the lack of access to critical health services, including lifesaving medicines, COVID shots, electronic health records and essential medical equipment. Establishing a Community Lighthouse at CrescentCare will go a long way toward alleviating such problems in the wake of future disasters.

“As a community health center, CrescentCare has worked through countless weather events, including Hurricanes Katrina and Ida. We intimately know the effects of storms on our healthcare systems, our staff, our clients, and our neighbors,” said CrescentCare CEO Noel Twibeck. “The support from Direct Relief shows a profound commitment to the health and wellbeing of our city. We are honored to be the first commercial space included in the Community Lighthouse Project and we look forward to further expanding the resilience of our services for our city.”

The Community Lighthouse Project is a new initiative of Together New Orleans that envisions the creation of a community-wide network of 85-100 resilience hubs across south Louisiana, each powered by commercial-scale solar systems with backup battery capacity, that will be able to assess need and provide assistance to surrounding neighborhoods during power outages. The initiative was conceived by TNO in the fall of 2021 after its leaders realized the need for a sustainable solution following the catastrophic power outages caused by Hurricane Ida.

When power outages occur, Community Lighthouses will be able to conduct needs assessments and provide for those needs by offering charging stations/small battery distribution, food preparation and distribution, cooling/heating stations, oxygen exchange/light medical equipment, and, in the case of CrescentCare, basic healthcare services.

With Tuesday’s announcement of Direct Relief’s grant and an earlier commitment of $1 million from the Greater New Orleans Foundation, Together New Orleans is well on its way to raising the funds for the Community Lighthouse pilot phase of 10 locations.

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“Charitable givers should feel confident that these national institutions put their donations to good use.” – Charity Navigator.

Charity Navigator’s 2022 Best Charities List

The post Ten of the Best Charities Everyone’s Heard Of – Charity Navigator appeared first on Direct Relief.

Mary M. Dwyer, PhD, Lieutenant General Stayce D. Harris, and Tim Wertner began their respective three-year terms on June 24, 2021.

“Direct Relief is privileged to welcome these impressively accomplished individuals to our board and looks forward to leveraging the unique perspectives and passions that they bring to expand on the organization’s mission to mobilize essential medical resources across the U.S. and around the world,” said Pamela Gann, Direct Relief’s Board Chair.

Mary M. Dwyer, PhD, served from 1996-2020 as President & CEO of IES Abroad, one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most academically reputable not-for-profit study abroad program providers in the world. She is now President & CEO Emerita.

Dwyer is preeminent in the field of international higher education, particularly the study abroad field, both with respect to U.S. university students studying outside the United States, and foreign students from East Asia studying in universities in the United States. She is the first female CEO of a study abroad provider, and she has made considerable efforts to support women in the study abroad field. Prior to IES Abroad, Dwyer was a faculty member in the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) for 18 years and the campus Executive Associate Vice Chancellor for Research.

Dwyer has consulted extensively during her career and been called upon by an array of U.S. and international organizations across 20 developed and emerging countries, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Ministries of health and education, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. She was a founding member, Board Vice Chair, and Board Chair of the Forum on Education Abroad. She was also one of two study abroad professionals appointed by the U.S. Congress to serve on the Abraham Lincoln Commission on Study Abroad, a bi-partisan, Presidential and Congressional Commission formed in 2003 to explore ways to increase the number of American students abroad. She is also featured on the Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Women Executives Over 50 list, recipient of the PIEoneer Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry and the Lifetime Advocate for Inclusivity Award from Women in International Education.

Lieutenant General Stayce D. Harris is a retired three-star general whose distinguished career of service spanned over 37 years before retiring in March 2019 from the U.S. Air Force. From 2017-2019, General Harris’ C-suite executive experience included leading as the Inspector General of the Air Force and prior as the Air Force Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director, Air Staff at Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Pentagon.

As the 22nd Air Force Commander at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, GA for the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command from 2014-2016, her responsibilities included leading tactical airlift operations, civil engineering rapid response, distinguished visitor airlift and pilot training. She served at multiple levels in her career as a senior executive with over 18 years’ experience running large technology organizations involved in aerospace transportation, engineering, logistics, human capital management, crisis management, international relations, ethics and compliance. General Harris has received many awards and decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit. She was the first African American woman to command an Air Force operational flying squadron, wing and numbered Air Force. She also served as the first woman Inspector General of the Air Force.

She was inducted into the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame and Palm Springs Air Museum Aviation Hall of Fame, awarded the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers Captains of Industry Award, USC Viterbi School of Engineering Mark A. Stevens Distinguished Alumni Award and Ellis Island Medal of Honor amongst others.

She is also a retired United Airlines pilot and serves as a Director of the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, a Board of Councilor for the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, and Trustee for the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcon Foundation.

Tim Wertner is Senior Vice President of U.S. Operations, Western Division, for FedEx Express. Wertner has worked for FedEx since 1986 in multiple roles, including Vice President of the Memphis World Hub, Senior Vice President for Air Ground Freight Services, and Senior Vice President of U.S. Domestic Express Operations.

In his current role at FedEx, Wertner develops operational strategies for more than 50,000 employees, 3 million daily packages, 375 daily flights, and with an annual operating budget of $4.2B. Wertner has managed operational and capital budgets, cold chain facility implementation, as well as logistics planning for domestic and international flight deliveries. A Fortune 100 Leader with a strong background as a proven leader in service, people management and generating superior financial returns, Wertner has a demonstrated record of exceeding profitability goals.
In addition to Direct Relief’s Board of Directors, Wertner also serves on the board of Intelvative. He is a passionate advocate for Women in Aviation. He is also a managing officer with the On Deck Program, a FedEx Global mentorship program that trains and mentors employees for leadership.

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On Jan. 14 and 15, dozens of Brazilians asphyxiated in the Amazonas state capital of Manaus after oxygen supplies ran out, according to the Washington Post. “There is a collapse in the health-care system in Manaus,” Brazilian Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello said at the time. According to the Post, Manaus is short by the amount of oxygen needed for 70 critical patients per day.

Local facilities in Amazonas can produce less than half of the daily oxygen supply needed for patients in Manaus, a city of 2.2 million people, isolated in the vast Amazon rain forest with no drivable highways connecting it to the rest of Brazil. Additional oxygen comes by truck from Venezuela, by week-long boat trip from eastern Brazil, or flown in by the Brazilian Air Force.

During the first wave of the pandemic last April, Manaus became the first city in Brazil forced to bury Covid victims in a mass grave. So many of the city’s residents had been infected by mid-2020 that researchers thought the city was becoming a natural experiment with herd immunity.

Instead, a new surge hit the city in December, and by January, more than 100 people a day were dying in the city. Worse, according to the BMJ, many new patients are infected with the P.1 variant of the Covid virus, which appears to have evolved to make it more infectious.

On January 25, Amazonas Governor Wilson Miranda Lima issued a global appeal for oxygen and other medical supplies:

“This second wave has hit us with colossal force… Right now, the ‘Lungs of the Earth’ need oxygen. We are in dire need of medical and hospital supplies, medical oxygen, and resources for the logistical support in order for these materials to be delivered as quickly as possible in the proportion and speed that Amazonas needs.”

Direct Relief responded to the plea, granting $530,000 for purchasing an estimated 350 oxygen concentrators needed to help keep the region’s Covid patients alive.

Direct Relief made the grant to the Foundation for Amazon Sustainability. The donation was facilitated by the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCFTF, an international collaboration of state and provincial governors) and Health Bridges International (HBI, a health-focused NGO), which sought a solution to the Amazonas oxygen crisis and turned to Direct Relief.

The first 240 concentrators arrived Saturday in Manaus. The Amazonas Secretary of the Environment, Eduardo Taveira, will oversee their distribution.

“The priority is to serve rural areas and avoid the impact of the second wave on the most vulnerable communities,” Mr. Taveira said.

Oxygen is one of the most common treatment needs for patients sick with Covid-19, as the disease lowers the lungs’ ability to absorb oxygen from the air. Oxygen concentrators pull oxygen directly out of the air rather than requiring cylinders filled with oxygen, at a time when oxygen tanks and other oxygen delivery technologies have been in short supply around the world.

This is only the latest in a long series of actions Direct Relief has taken over the past year to provide oxygen to patients who otherwise wouldn’t receive it. As word of the disease spread in January 2020, Direct Relief assessed the likely needs for medicine and equipment and began securing supplies. Among these supplies were thousands of oxygen concentrators that the organization ordered and has delivered to health providers across 45 countries, including the U.S. — from Arizona and Los Angeles to Lebanon and Yemen.

“Ending a pandemic that threatens everyone demands the type of international collaboration exemplified here by the government of Amazonas, FAS, GCFTF, HBI, and others,” said Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe. “This project will deliver life-saving support to communities in need, and we are so grateful that the aforementioned partners joined forces to execute as quickly as possible.”

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The shipments contained more than 6 million defined daily doses of medication, including a temperature-sensitive monoclonal antibody treatment for Covid-19 from Eli Lilly that arrived in Rwanda.

In the US, Direct Relief delivered 448 shipments weighing 45.4 thousand lbs and containing 1.2 million doses of medications.

The largest US shipments by value (wholesale) went to the following organizations:

• Wellness Pointe, Texas ($290.4K)
• North Beach Community Health Center, Florida ($194.8K)
• Community Health, Illinois ($184.6K)
• HIV Alliance, Oregon ($169.4K)
• Clinica Esperanza Hope Clinic, Rhode Island ($161.2K)
• Palmetto Health Council, Inc., Georgia ($142.8K)
• HP Health, Texas ($101.3K)
• Agape Clinic, Texas ($91.9K)
• Kintegra Family Medicine, North Carolina ($80.6K)

Globally, Direct Relief shipped this week more than 4.9 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 30.2k lbs.

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Items included Covid-19 treatments, chemotherapy medications, antibiotics, diabetes management products, and protective gear.

The following organizations received supplies:

• Asociacion Vida Peru, Peru ($1.9M)
• Health Ministry, The Republic of Armenia ($1.9M)
• Ministerio de Salud, Honduras ($192.1K)
• Karabakh Health Ministry, Armenia ($176.2K)
• Ministry of Health, Rwanda ($166.7K)
• Muratsan University Hospital Endocrinology Clinic, Armenia ($146.5K)
• ANERA, Lebanon ($89.3K)
• Ebeye Community Health Center, Marshall Islands ($71.4K)
• Saint Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center, Armenia ($68.3K)
• The Claudia Nazarian Medical Center at the AGBU Vahe Karapetian Center, Armenia ($67K)
• Diabetes Association of Jamaica, Jamaica ($38K)
• Servicios de Salud de Morelos, Mexico ($15K)
• Ministerio de Salud, Nicaragua ($14K)
• Institute of Perinatology Obstetrics and Gynecology, Armenia ($9.5K)

In addition to providing material assistance, Direct Relief granted $530,000 to the Foundation of Amazon Sustainability to purchase oxygen concentrators as the Brazilian state of Amazonas faces a worsening Covid crisis and a severe lack of medical oxygen. Hospitals and health centers in 24 municipalities currently treating the most Covid-19 patients, including indigenous communities, will receive the equipment.

Year to Date

Since January 1, 2021, Direct Relief has delivered 2,637 shipments to 1,068 partner organizations in 51 US states and territories and 62 countries. These shipments contained 47.8 million defined daily doses of medication value at $178.5 million (wholesale) and totaled 1.4 million lbs. (700 tons).

Other grants from Direct Relief this year have supported the following organizations:

The post 448 Medical Aid Shipments. $530,000 in Funding. 42 US States and Territories. 10 Countries. 1 Week. appeared first on Direct Relief.

In the year since, Direct Relief has emerged as one of the largest charitable providers of personal protective gear (PPE) and critical care medications globally, having delivered more than 82 million units of PPE, 173 million defined daily doses of vital medicines, and 36 thousand pieces of diagnostic and intensive care equipment to thousands of local organizations across 100 countries, including the U.S.

The organization has also supported health care providers with more than $50 million in direct financial assistance to sustain care and expand services that include mobile and pop-up testing sites, telehealth expansion, and greater cold chain capacity.

For an overview of Direct Relief’s activities in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, please continue reading.

Financial Summary

Covid-19 Pandemic Donations

Jan. 27, 2020 – Jan. 27, 2021

Direct Relief does not accept government funding. Its work is made possible entirely through the support of companies, organizations, foundations, and individuals.

The organization recognizes that supporters who made generous contributions of funding, services, and in-kind goods amid the pandemic did so with the specific intent that their contributions fight Covid-19 and its devastating consequences. In accepting funds as part of its Covid-19 response, Direct Relief understands that these supporters deserve to know precisely how those funds have been and will be disbursed.

Direct Relief received more than 151,000 financial contributions designated for Covid-19, totaling $125.8 million.

Some of these Covid-19-designated donations also had additional restrictions from donors requiring the funds be used for a particular region or country. All designated funds have been respected, administered, and disbursed accordingly.

How Were Funds Used

Direct Relief initiated its Covid-19 response activities using general operating funds. As Direct Relief began receiving funds donated for Covid-19, it expanded its activities and spending accordingly. The situation remains dynamic, with designated funds continuing to be accepted. Direct Relief takes great care to deploy incoming funds responsibly, efficiently, and as rapidly as possible, consistent with donors’ intent.

The following offers a snapshot of the total Covid-19 donations received over the past year:

To date, Direct Relief has spent or committed a total of $83.5 million in cash (66% of the $125.8 million received) in its pandemic response — which continues at high-pace.

Of that amount, $40.8 million has been spent or committed as direct grants to organizations on the frontlines of the pandemic, $35.6 million has been spent on purchasing essential medical items not available through donation, and $7.1 million was spent to distribute all material and financial assistance provided in response to Covid-19, as described below.

Covid-19 Response

By the numbers

Jan. 27, 2020 – Jan. 27, 2021

Grant Making

Medical Aid

Protective Gear

Medical Material Support

Direct Relief has been responding to the pandemic since its earliest days, beginning with requests for help from overstretched hospitals in Wuhan, China. From there, Direct Relief’s response quickly expanded to the United States and the rest of the world.

Since Jan. 2020, the organization has provided support to more than 3,000 partner organizations fighting Covid-19 worldwide.

As of Jan. 27, 2021, that support has included more than 29,000 medical aid shipments totaling 4.9 million pounds and valued at $1.3 billion. Medical aid has reached organizations in 55 U.S. states and territories and 100 countries.

Material support has taken several distinct forms:

• Supplies to protect frontline health workers: Direct Relief provided masks, gloves, gowns, powered air-purifying respirators, face shields, and other PPE to health care organizations globally.
• Medical resources for intensive care: As the pandemic strained hospital resources, the organization provided ventilators, oxygen concentrators, and ICU medications to help overstretched hospitals treat patients with critical cases of Covid-19.
• Ongoing support for chronic health: To minimize interruptions to essential health services, including primary and specialty care, maternal and child health services, mental health treatment, and substance use disorder interventions, Direct Relief provided a wide range of support — chronic health medications, the overdose-reversing medication naloxone, midwife kits, and more.

Direct Relief arranged for and managed the logistics, transport, and delivery of all products to health facilities – free-of-charge.

Direct Financial Assistance

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, designated contributions have allowed Direct Relief to bolster the health care system with financial assistance and support the efforts of locally run organizations with strong ties to their communities.

Thanks to corporate and individual donors’ generosity, Direct Relief has granted more than $53 million in cash worldwide since Jan. 27, 2020.

Grant recipients include health centers, clinics, and locally run organizations providing vital care, testing, and other health care services during the pandemic. These grants helped sustain strained health facilities, keep patients out of hospitals, maintain continuity of care, and fund Covid-19 testing and vaccinations.

For a list of health care facilities and organizations worldwide that have received direct funding from Direct Relief in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, click here.

Covid-19 Response

By Region

United States

• Grants Disbursed: $48.6 million
• Material Aid Provided: $284.3 million
  • Shipments: 28.8 thousand
  • PPE: 21.3 million units
  • Medications: 48.6 million Defined Daily Doses
  • ICU Kits: 178
  • Ventilators & oxygen concentrators: 1,046

Americas

• Grants Disbursed: $405 thousand
• Material Aid Provided: $341 million
  • Shipments: 260
  • PPE: 8.2 million units
  • Medications: 61.1 million Defined Daily Doses
  • ICU Kits: 84
  • Ventilators & oxygen concentrators: 1,497 units

Asia

• Grants Disbursed: $1.3 million
• Material Aid Provided: $169.6 million
  • Shipments: 234
  • PPE: 4.1 million units
  • Medications: 15.6 million defined daily doses
  • ICU Kits: 58
  • Ventilators & oxygen concentrators: 420 units

Africa

• Grants Disbursed: $1.26 million
• Material Aid Provided: $489 million
  • Shipments: 234
  • PPE: 42.4 million units
  • Medications: 27.9 million defined daily doses
  • ICU kits: 73
  • Ventilators & oxygen concentrators: 326

Europe

• Grants Disbursed: $503 thousand
• Material Aid Provided: $33.1 million
  • Shipments: 50
  • PPE: 1.4 million units
  • Medications: 1.5 million defined daily doses
  • ICU kits: 4
  • Ventilators & oxygen concentrators: 524

Applied Research and Analytics

Even before the pandemic, Direct Relief had facilitated emergency managers’ use of population movement and other data for decision-making purposes, including in Texas, California, and Michigan.

When Covid-19 hit, it was immediately apparent that this kind of data would be an essential tool for analyzing social distancing effectiveness.

In March of 2020, Direct Relief, with researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, established the Covid-19 Mobility Data Network. The network, comprised of a group of about 70 infectious disease epidemiologists and other researchers, began creating simple, usable data projects to help public health officials and policymakers understand the impacts of social distancing measures in a given area.

Officials have used the group’s research and information tools in the UK, Spain, Italy, India, Australia, Botswana, Chile, and other countries. The data used for these analyses is hosted on the UN’s Humanitarian Data Exchange, allowing governments worldwide to receive support or analyze the data themselves.

While the Covid-19 Mobility Data Network was convened because of an emergency, Direct Relief and the researchers wanted to ensure that similar data would be readily available in a clear and actionable form and on an ongoing basis for future crises, including wildfires and hurricanes.

CrisisReady, working with the World Bank, is in the initial stages of creating a global emergency response network, which will launch in March-April of 2021.

In addition, Direct Relief is funding two researchers whose essential work combines population movement data and health crisis analysis: Pamela Martinez at the University of Illinois and Amy Wesolowski at Johns Hopkins University.

Among the resources developed by Direct Relief to inform and track its pandemic response are the following:

• The Covid-19 International Vulnerability Index examines population movement data and information about case counts, hospital beds, and other vulnerability indicators to generate actionable information and analysis.
• The United States forecast map draws on anonymized data to predict the spread of Covid-19.
• The United States pandemic response tracker shows Direct Relief’s distribution of medical aid across the country.
• The international pandemic response tracker shows the organization’s global distribution.

Looking forward

The remaining funds designated for the pandemic will enable Direct Relief to continue its worldwide response, focusing on:

1. Supporting vaccination efforts

• Expanding cold-chain storage and transport at hospitals and health centers and providing coolers for mobile vaccination campaigns.
• Providing needles and syringes to administer vaccines.
• Supplying PPE to health workers giving vaccinations.
• Funding education, awareness, and outreach campaigns at health centers and hospitals, particularly in poor communities and communities of color.
• Employing digital tools and artificial intelligence to determine low vaccine uptake areas and provide that information to policymakers and public health officials.
• Funding health centers that experience reimbursement gaps after administering vaccines.
• Increasing Direct Relief’s internal capabilities to receive, store, and distribute the vaccine.
• Supporting the opening of large-scale vaccination sites with funding and supplies.
• Providing back-up power sources to health care sites at risk of power loss, which can destroy vaccines.

2. Addressing Covid-19 gaps in hardest-hit areas

• Funding health initiatives in primarily minority communities hit disproportionately hard by the pandemic.
• Providing grants to health care providers in the United States and around the world struggling to care for patients affected by Covid-19.
• Continuing to provide critical care medications, oxygen concentrators, and ventilators to hospitals worldwide caring for Covid-19 patients.
• Supplying PPE to providers unable to access these lifesaving supplies reliably.
• Establishing and funding Covid-19 treatment and isolation wards ensures that low-resource areas have the resources to care for Covid-19 patients safely.
• Providing health care support for Covid-19 patients to recover at home, freeing hospital beds for more critical cases.

3. Continuing support for people with other health care needs:

• While global health resources are diverted towards preventing and treating Covid-19, fundamental health care needs continue.
• Babies continue to be born. The number of people with chronic conditions like diabetes and cancer is only growing. And children with diabetes, hemophilia, and rare diseases still need lifesaving therapies.
• As the pandemic continues, Direct Relief will continue to provide the essential medical aid required for their care.

Thank You

Direct Relief’s extensive ability to provide a wide range of medical aid, from PPE to medications intended for critical cases of Covid-19, would not have been possible without in-kind and financial donations from dozens of pharmaceutical and medical supply companies, with air transport and logistical services provided by FedEx.

Many of these organizations work closely with Direct Relief on an ongoing basis to fund and supply humanitarian projects and programs. However, the outpouring of support from corporate partners, both new and ongoing, has been unprecedented during the Covid-19 pandemic. Direct Relief is deeply grateful for their generosity and commitment.

Included among them are:

The post Covid-19 Relief: One-Year Report on Use of Funds and Response Activity appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief’s overall revenue in its 2020 fiscal year included $1.82 billion in donated medicines and services (up 36% from last year) and $171 million in private cash contributions (up 81% from last year).

FORBES: AMERICA’S TOP CHARITIES 2020

As one of the world’s primary channels for humanitarian medical aid and the only global nonprofit recognized by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as an Accredited Drug Distributor, Direct Relief partners with and seeks in-kind contributions from businesses and organizations of goods and services. As such, in-kind donations, which the organization provides without charge to qualified health care organizations for patients in need, typically represent more than 90% percent of Direct Relief’s total annual revenue.

Contributions to Direct Relief during this period — a year that saw a deadly pandemic and a near-constant series of climate-driven disasters — coincided with an unprecedented spike in demand for the organization’s services. Direct Relief responded by providing more humanitarian assistance than ever before in its 72-year history to every U.S. state and 99 other countries worldwide.

Overall, the medical-material support provided by Direct Relief increased from the prior fiscal year to 5.2 million lbs. (up 73%) with a wholesale value of $1.4 billion (up 29%) and included 223 million Defined Daily Doses of requested medications (up 71%).

In the U.S. alone, Direct Relief’s stepped-up efforts in response to the concurrent crises of the largest-ever wildfires, the most active hurricanes in U.S. history, and the Covid-19 pandemic included 26 thousand deliveries of requested medications, supplies, and over 13 million units of PPE. These resources bolstered the efforts of more than 2,400 healthcare providers in medically underserved areas and to hospitals and public agencies dealing with surging caseloads across the U.S.

The outpouring of public generosity also enabled Direct Relief to disburse more than $43 million in cash grants to more than 500 nonprofit community health centers and free and charitable clinics in the U.S. The communities and patients served by these organizations include high percentages of persons from racial and ethnic minority groups who have experienced the highest rates of Covid infections, hospitalizations, and deaths since the pandemic began. The financial support helped bolster their shaken financial status, enhance safety measures for their frontline staff, and stand up community responses in their home communities.

In the Forbes 2020 ranking, Direct Relief received a score of 100% for charitable commitment (how much of a charity’s total expense went directly to the charitable purpose) and 100% on fundraising efficiency (the percent of private donations remaining after deducting fundraising costs).

Direct Relief accepts no government funding and is supported only by private, charitable contributions, and values donated medicine and supplies at wholesale prices (see https://www.directrelief.org/about/finance/).

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AbbVie’s commitment to help launch Direct Relief’s new Fund for Health Equity will support Direct Relief’s efforts to expand and improve healthcare services offered by health centers, clinics, and other local organizations with the long-term goal of strengthening health services for Black Communities across the nation.

“AbbVie’s extraordinary philanthropic commitment announced today will provide financial support to expand access and strengthen health services in Black communities through locally run nonprofits including federally qualified community health centers, free and charitable clinics, and other community based efforts,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief President and CEO. “These locally run organizations understand better than anyone both the challenges that exist and what works, and in the case of community health centers, have demonstrated for more than 50 years unmatched commitment and provably effective results. But, private philanthropic support has been very limited, which is why AbbVie’s recognition and strong leadership is so deeply appreciated and so important. It will allow these organizations to do more of what they do best and help redress chronic disparities in health that the COVID-19 pandemic has tragically highlighted and made worse.”

“Direct Relief’s focus on medically underserved Black communities across the U.S. will make a long-term, measurable impact on people’s lives,” said Karen Hale, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, AbbVie. “This targeted funding and its concurrent evaluation will allow for continuous improvement and innovation of quality health care for Black communities, and we hope this donation serves as a catalyst for future investments.”

Among other activities in recent months, Direct Relief has disbursed over $35 million in financial support to community health centers and free & charitable clinics in communities of color that have been disproportionately affected and particularly hard-hit by COVID-19.

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The recipient programs span 10 U.S. states and are a mix of urban and rural initiatives that will work to create greater health equity among the country’s most vulnerable communities. The awards program is implemented by Direct Relief and is funded by The Pfizer Foundation.

The community health centers and free clinics will undertake program approaches including:

• Mobile vans and pop-up clinics to improve patient access and reduce barriers to care
• Telehealth and health technology to improve patient care and safety
• Community partnerships to expand reach and strengthen trust within target populations
• Outreach and education to address stigma and misperceptions
• New uses of electronic health records to standardize clinical care and track progress
• Use of community leaders to build trust and promote healthcare activities

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing systemic health inequities, resulting in vulnerable patients and their loved ones experiencing even greater hardship,” said Caroline Roan, President, The Pfizer Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer, Pfizer Inc. “We are proud to support Direct Relief and its network of frontline safety-net clinics across the U.S. to break down barriers to good health in underserved communities and increase access to life-saving infectious disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.”

“These awards are intended in part to allow providers to test and improve new care models and solutions, which is of utmost importance as healthcare is drastically changing due to COVID-19,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief President and CEO. “We are humbled by the dedication of these largely unheralded safety-net health providers to improve the lives and health of the people they care for.”

Some of the recipient providers reflect a wider trend among health clinics—ramping up vaccination campaigns against common inflections like seasonal flu that can help to strengthen future vaccine delivery, including potential COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. Others include innovative ways of reaching more marginalized and vulnerable patients.

The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas serves a population whose immunization rates for children and adults have historically fallen far below the state average, with only half of eligible adults vaccinated against pneumonia and less than 40% receiving annual flu shots. The center has proposed an ambitious initiative to help control infectious disease throughout 10 southeast Kansas counties. The plan includes an outreach team to provide immunizations at area companies, mental health centers, churches, shelters and jails, as well as a redesign of its service delivery model to “triage” every adult patient for gaps in protection against infectious disease and make the appropriate vaccine(s) available at no out-of- pocket expense. At the same time, this effort will create the infrastructure for a COVID-19 immunization campaign once a vaccine is available.

Harbor Health Services in Mattapan, Mass., proposed a program aimed at keeping vulnerable elderly patients out of hospital emergency rooms, reducing their risk of exposure to the coronavirus that is especially dangerous to the elderly. The initiative will provide preventive and emergency care to participants in their homes. Harbor Health’s patient data shows that 50% of hospital emergency room visits were preventable and avoidable; the two most common reasons for ER visits included urinary tract infections and unspecified dementia, both of which can be treated in the patient’s home.

In Chicago, Esperanza Health Centers has introduced its Comprehensive Southwest Side HIV Services Program, providing bilingual and bicultural HIV education, prevention, screening and care in Chicago’s Southwest Side Latinx communities. Within two years, it aims to double the number of individuals receiving HIV primary care and pre-exposure prophylaxis at its clinics, and increase the proportion of patients screened for HIV to 90%.

In Palm Springs, Calif., the Desert AIDS Project aims to reduce the rapidly rising incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), in particular syphilis, in the region it serves. The program will increase STI testing, treatment, education and risk-reduction counseling, both through on-site treatment in its clinic and through its mobile testing unit, reaching patients that may not otherwise come to the clinic.

Direct Relief managed the application and selection process, in consultation with a panel of infectious disease physicians who provided a clinical review.

2020 Award Recipients

• Cherokee Health Systems, Knoxville, TN
• Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc., Douglas, AZ
• Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Pittsburg, KS
• Desert AIDS Project, Palm Springs, CA
• Esperanza Health Centers, Chicago, IL
• Grace Medical Home, Orlando, FL
• Harbor Health Services Inc., Mattapan, MA
• Lawndale Christian Health Center, Chicago, IL
• Public Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia, PA
• Westside Family Healthcare, Wilmington, DE
• Zufall Health Center, Dover, NJ

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The $2.5 million investment aims to triple Direct Relief’s medical refrigeration and freezer capacity. Direct Relief’s current validated-for-vaccine cold-storage warehousing can hold up to 40 million doses of vaccine in 10-dose-per-vial packaging within the typical 2-8-degree Celsius temperature range but lacks larger-volume freezer capacity that some Covid-19 vaccines may require.

The organization is in discussions with national and state health authorities, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, and pharmaceutical donors about Covid-19 vaccine distribution plans.

Direct Relief is one of the world’s primary channels for distributing donated charitable medications—including vaccines and other cold-chain medications (those requiring constant, carefully controlled refrigeration)—to people who otherwise would not have access. In the United States, Direct Relief is a central conduit for distributing such medications to nonprofit safety-net providers, including community health centers. These providers are critical in reaching underserved communities, and specifically people of color, who have been disproportionally affected by Covid-19.

Direct Relief’s state-of-the-art pharmaceutical distribution center, which opened in 2018 in California, is one of 665 facilities in the United States accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as an Accredited Drug Distributor and is the only one operated by a global humanitarian aid organization.

While the specific temperature-management requirements for various Covid-19 vaccines remain unknown, Direct Relief believes global cold-chain capacity is far below what is needed for rapid, mass-vaccination efforts to immunize the U.S. population, much less the global population.

“Direct Relief is taking this step with urgency, recognizing the pressures that exist in getting approved vaccine to people who need it in a safe, secure way,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief President and CEO. “Existing cold-chain channels were not built to support this scale of activity. The situation echoes the severe challenges that arose with the allocation and distribution of PPE—which did not require specialized licensing to handle, store, or track, as do prescription drugs and vaccines.”

Direct Relief has extensive experience working with the world’s largest medical manufacturers to distribute cold-chain prescription drugs, vaccines, and biologic therapies connected with humanitarian and emergency-response efforts.

In the fiscal year ended June 30, Direct Relief completed 2,103 cold-chain deliveries of such products, managing end-to-end distribution to health facilities across the United States and 33 other countries. These deliveries included 738,000 vials of insulin from Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi for patients with Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes; cancer treatment drugs from Amgen, Teva, Takeda, and Baxter; blood-clotting hemophilia treatments from Bayer, Takeda, Pfizer, and Kedrion Biopharma; and biologic therapies from Takeda and Biogen for patients with rare genetic diseases.

Direct Relief has been responding expansively to Covid-19 since reports first arose in January of cases in Wuhan, China, and the Western United States. Since Direct Relief’s first Covid-19 aid delivery on Jan. 27, the organization sent 21,083 medical aid shipments to 2,786 health facilities in 54 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries. These shipments contained 3.2 million lbs. (1,600 tons) of medical essentials, including more than 38 million N95 and surgical masks, more than 7 million gloves, more than 1 million face shields, and tens of thousands of protective suits and other items to help safeguard health workers and care for patients, as well as including 76.9 million Defined Daily Doses of medications, with a value of $747.6 million (wholesale acquisition cost).

“Because Direct Relief is a public-benefit nonprofit with the specialized licensing, capacity, and experience required for cold-chain vaccine distribution, we will do whatever we possibly can to pitch in and backstop public agencies that have their hands more than full,” Tighe said. “We also want to ensure that those most in need, whom our organization supports every day and have suffered disproportionate effects from Covid-19, have a channel to support them.”

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In the largest mobilization of private resources to protect Africa’s frontline health workers from COVID-19, a new 30+-member coalition today announced it has begun delivering nearly 60 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to countries across sub-Saharan Africa in the initiative’s first round.

The COVID-19 Action Fund for Africa is working in partnership with Ministries of Health to meet the essential PPE needs (including surgical masks, gloves, eye protection and more) of up to one million community health workers serving over 400 million people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the only known effort to date that pools resources for PPE for community health workers in Africa.

The Fund is anchored by a $10 million commitment from Direct Relief, with additional support from Crown Family Philanthropies, and in-kind contributions from over thirty collaborating partners. In partnership with the Fund, the World Food Programme has committed to provide donated freight and logistics worth more than $1 million. The Fund seeks to raise up to $100 million to supply PPE to community health workers in as many as 24 African countries for approximately one year.

“This is a valiant and essential effort to mobilize PPE to protect our frontline heroes: community health workers,” says Agnes Binagwaho, Vice Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity and former Rwandan Minister of Health. “By preventing the spread of disease across their communities while ensuring the continuum of primary care, community health workers play a central role in all epidemics, especially COVID-19. As such, it is essential that we, as a global community, ensure they are respected, supported, and protected.”

Responding to estimated needs verified directly by Ministries of Health in each country, the initiative has thus far purchased an initial 25 million surgical masks, 35 million gloves, 822,000 face shields and 974,000 isolation gowns for the initiative. It is transporting the PPE to the ports of entry in each of the African countries, where local partners will deliver the supplies to the community health workers in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. The PPE will fill the equivalent of nine 747 cargo jets and weigh 441 metric tons. The first 500,000 pieces have been shipped from Direct Relief’s California warehouse, of which some have arrived in Lesotho and Zimbabwe; shipments are in progress for as many as 10 additional countries in first round.

Community health workers (CHWs) are healthcare workers who extend the reach of primary health care systems to communities otherwise underserved by formal health systems. They are recruited from and serve the communities in which they live and work. Community health workers contribute to significant improvements in health priority areas such as reducing child undernutrition, improving maternal and child health, expanding access to family planning services, and contributing to infectious disease control for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis.

“We visit households. We advise women to take their children for immunizations. We advise women to start their antenatal care visits on time. We manage other cases, like malaria. We need PPE just like any other health worker so we can protect ourselves and our community” – Euniter Adoyo, community health worker supervisor, Lwala Community Alliance and Kenya Ministry of Health, Migori County, Kenya.

While a global shortage of PPE is affecting all health workers, the brunt has fallen on low- and middle-income countries and community health workers in particular. In the absence of PPE, community health workers put themselves and the people they serve at risk. The current drop in access to PPE in Africa has already been followed by a 203 percent increase in COVID-19 infections among health workers. The experience of past epidemics, including the 2015 West African Ebola crisis, has shown that disruption of essential health services often leads to higher mortality rates than the epidemic itself.

As of Aug. 10, there were over 1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the African continent and more than 20,000 deaths. COVID-19 threatens to reverse health and economic progress of recent years, as projections suggest its economies could lose nearly $200 billion in GDP in 2020.

About the COVID-19 Action Fund for Africa:  The Fund is a continent-wide collaborative effort  to aggregate and address the unmet need for COVID-19 related supplies for community health workers across as many as 24 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Fund pools resources to secure competitive prices for quality-assured essential supplies and works with in-country partners and governments to deploy products to the last mile.

Integrated with national responses, this is the only known effort that pools resources for PPE items specifically for community health workers in Africa. Over 30 in-country and global partners are involved in the effort.  The Fund is jointly organized by Community Health Acceleration Partnership, the organizations of the Community Health Impact Coalition (including Integrate Health, Last Mile Health, Living Goods, Lwala Community Alliance, Muso, Partners in Health, Pivot, and VillageReach), Direct Relief, the organizations of the Pandemic Action Network, and Ministries of Health in 24 countries.

The 24 countries: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

For more information, including a FAQ, please see https://www.directrelief.org/cafa.

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The Solidarity Fund was formed in March 2020 as a rapid response vehicle to augment the South African government’s response to Covid-19. It is focused on reducing coronavirus transmission, including through communications driving behavioral change; health response, including obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline health workers; and humanitarian response, including food relief for people who have lost their means of sustenance.

Direct Relief is acting as the fiscal agent for the Solidarity Fund in the United States, enabling U.S. residents and corporations to easily make donations to the Fund. 100% of all donations made on the donation page will be delivered to the Solidarity Fund.

Direct Relief itself has donated $1 million to the Solidarity Fund, and has advised the Fund on purchases of large quantities of PPE from China.

“South Africa’s Solidarity Fund is exactly the type of unifying, pragmatic approach that makes sense in the face of a pandemic that threatens everyone,” said Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe, who also serves as Managing Director of Direct Relief South Africa, the organization’s South African affiliate, a Section 21 nonprofit. “Direct Relief is so pleased to participate in this important effort that is pulling people and organizations together to help address both the obvious direct threats to public health and the many related effects, particularly for those in already difficult circumstances.”

Within two months of its establishment, the Fund delivered food packages to about 300,000 vulnerable households. Each package was designed to provide a family with food essentials for two to four weeks. The Fund is now rolling out the second phase of the food relief program in the form of food vouchers, after determining it would be a more effective and efficient way to provide the assistance.

The Fund has played a catalytic role in responding to the impact of the pandemic on the health system by procuring critical medical equipment and PPE for healthcare workers and expanding testing capacity.

The Solidarity Fund has so far distributed nearly 20 million units of PPE, including gloves, gowns, masks, sanitizers, boot covers and face shields to healthcare workers in public sector hospitals and clinics, as well as to community health workers. The Fund has also provided more than 1 million surgical masks to nine medical schools across the country to help fifth- and sixth-year medical students and those in allied health sciences resume clinical blocks and complete their studies.

“We are privileged to have social partners such as Direct Relief who through their contributions have expressed confidence in the Solidarity Fund’s efforts to make an impactful contribution towards South Africa’s fight against Covid-19,” said the Fund’s Deputy Chairman Adrian Enthoven. “As a fiscal agent to the Fund, Direct Relief makes it possible for interested international donors to make a contribution in an efficient way that otherwise wouldn’t be available to the Fund. We are grateful for their support and solidarity with our mission of assisting South Africa’s health and humanitarian efforts during this challenging time.”

The Fund is being operated by more than 90 full-time voluntary staff across a network of 25 companies and organizations that are providing support services. In the spirit of unity in action, all of the talent and skills that have been mobilized to assist the Fund are doing so on a pro bono basis, with no one earning fees or a salary from the Fund. The Fund works closely with government and business, but is independent of both of them. Insurance company Old Mutual Ltd. is administering the funds on a pro bono basis, and the Fund is reporting detailed information on donations received and expenditures made.

Many of South Africa’s top political and business leaders pledged to donate 30 percent of their salaries earned over three months to the Fund.

The behavioral change initiative being run by the Fund encourages mask-wearing and hand-washing, and seeks to reduce practices that risk Covid-19 transmission, such as attending heavily-crowded funerals. It has partnered with the National House of Traditional Leaders to help traditional leaders communicate prevention messages to their communities.

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Unlike face masks, PAPRs cover the user’s full face, head and shoulders, and offer higher levels of respiratory protection than N95 masks. Their loose-fitting hoods don’t require fit-testing or that the wearer be clean-shaven.

The PAPRs being distributed were developed and assembled by Ford Motor Co., with design and testing consultation from 3M to provide critical personal protective equipment (PPE) to healthcare workers. 3M donated 6,000 of these devices to Direct Relief, which is distributing them to healthcare providers in need across the United States, especially to critically impacted communities in California.

Of the 6,000 devices, 2,500 were drop-shipped directly to the California Department of Public Health’s Emergency Preparedness Office in the Sacramento area. The CDPH immediately sent most of these PAPRs out to county public health departments. The largest shipment went to Imperial County, which as of July 29 had by far the state’s highest Covid-19 infection rate per 100,000 residents and whose hospitals have been so full they have had to send patients to other counties.

The State of California normally does not keep PAPRs in stock, and until now had none to distribute during the Covid-19 pandemic, said Alan Hendrickson, an emergency planner in the CDPH’s Emergency Pharmaceutical Services Unit.

The remaining 3,500 PAPRs, filling three full truckloads, arrived at Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara warehouse on July 6. Direct Relief allocated the devices—officially called the “Ford Limited-Use Public Health Emergency PAPR”—to 145 hospitals, health centers, and county and state health departments in seven of the hardest-hit states—Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Texas—and Puerto Rico.

“These are incredibly hard to come by,” said Mark Lenhart, Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Society of Critical Care Medicine, which helped Direct Relief identify the health facilities with the greatest need. “It’s been a godsend.”

Lompoc Valley Medical Center in Lompoc, Calif., has several staff members who are unable to be properly fitted to an N95 mask due to facial structure or facial hair, said Chief Nursing Officer Yvette Cope. Like other health providers around the country, the hospital had struggled to obtain PAPRs.

“The arrival of these PAPRs will help us meet the need of protecting our staff who cannot wear an N95 mask and provides additional protection for clinical staff providing life-sustaining airway intubation or administering aerosolized treatments,” Cope said. “We are extremely thankful for this donation!”

The PAPR hood design can be more comfortable for users to wear for a long period of time and its motor, battery, and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter can provide up to eight hours of filtered air on a single battery charge. Its large, clear viewing window allows patients to see the full face of the wearer, enhancing interpersonal communications and the overall clinical experience. Additionally, a PAPR’s motor unit can be used by multiple health workers as long as each individual has their own hood.

“3M is dedicated to the support and safety of healthcare workers fighting Covid-19 across the country,” said Bernard Cicut, Vice President Personal Safety Division at 3M. “We are proud to build upon our relationship with Direct Relief and provide these critical PPE devices for distribution to healthcare providers in communities with limited resources and rising case counts.”

“Direct Relief is so deeply grateful for 3M’s donation of much-need PPE, which is enormously important and perfectly timed with Covid-19 cases growing,” said Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe. “We learned immediately what a huge boost this donation has been for the medical professionals who go to work every day to face this virus that the rest of us are just hoping to avoid. It’s such a great example of the type of leadership and public-spirited action these challenging times call for.”

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However, the deep involvement, generosity, and participation of hundreds of thousands of individuals, and thousands of businesses of all types and nonprofit organizations that have been part of Direct Relief’s activities elevate the importance of public reporting – particularly to those who have so generously provided financial or other support — so they know how, how much, where, and for what purposes those contributions have been used.

Direct Relief’s Response

Direct Relief is funded entirely with private charitable contributions of goods, services, and money and focuses its humanitarian health activities on serving people who are most vulnerable – typically those with the fewest financial resources and least access to essential health care.

The organization’s ongoing efforts involve mobilizing private charitable resources, including essential medications and basic health commodities, and providing them upon request — and free of charge — to an extensive network of locally run partner health organizations that provide services to those most in need.

In emergencies, the approach is the same. Those who are most vulnerable in emergencies are generally the same people who were most vulnerable the day before the emergency occurred.

This has been the case during the unfolding Covid-19 pandemic and why Direct Relief has prioritized the provision of assistance to areas and people where the new threat of Coronavirus made even more severe the existing chronic challenges to obtain needed health services.

With that basic focus, Direct Relief’s Covid-19 response efforts have focused on the following areas:

• Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard health workers and essential medications needed to care for those who fall severely ill and require treatment in intensive care units that have been stretched tremendously as cases have surged.
• Boosting emergency financial support to nonprofit safety-net health facilities that have limited to no other access to philanthropic support to keep their staffs safe, enable them to provide Covid-related services such as testing and referrals for the people who rely on them, and also help ensure that they can continue to fulfill the critical front-line role they play in providing access to persons without other options as the existing chronic gaps are likely to grow.
• Generating information products and analyses to guide operations and inform policymakers through extensive collaboration with infectious disease experts, epidemiologists, technology companies, and public agencies.

The First Six Months

PPE and other Essential Material Support

Six months ago, on January 27, Direct Relief dispatched its first shipment of PPE in response to the outbreak to China. A day later, on January 28, a month before the CDC confirmed the first case of community spread in the U.S., Direct Relief deployed thousands of N95 masks, protective gowns and exam gloves to health facilities throughout California and Washington State.

Responding early to the outbreaks afforded Direct Relief unique insights into what medical items would become essential for treatment purposes.

Well before medical supply shortages hit the U.S. and the rest of the world, Direct Relief learned from Chinese physicians and hospital administrators of the precipitous need for PPE, intensive care medication and equipment.

Recognizing that if Covid-19 were to spread globally, it would lead to a tremendous demand for these lifesaving products, Direct Relief worked to get ahead of the pandemic by boosting its inventory of protective gear, including masks and face shields, identifying and sourcing the medicine and medical supplies hospitals would need to treat an influx of patients, and procuring diagnostic and respiratory equipment, such as pulse oximeters, oxygen concentrators, and ventilators.

Six months later, Direct Relief is among the world’s top distributors of protective gear and critical care medication.

By the Numbers

In the past six months, Direct Relief has scaled up its operational activity far beyond any it has engaged in during the past 72 years.

The organization has delivered 17,553 medical aid shipments to 2,591 health facilities in 54 U.S. states and territories and 86 countries.

These shipments have contained 2,800,000 lbs. (1,400 tons) of medical essentials, including 76,858,730 Defined Daily Doses of medications, with a value of $636,815,730 (wholesale acquisition cost).

Emergency Financial Assistance to Safety-Net Health Facilities

Complementing the extensive quantities of PPE and other essential health products deployed to the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic, Direct Relief has issued $30 million+ in grants to 523 community health centers, free & charitable clinics, and other non-profit health providers serving people and places across the U.S. at disproportionate risk from the effects of the virus.

For the past 16 years, Direct Relief has worked in close partnership with and in a supporting role for the vast network of nonprofit community health centers and free and charitable clinics in the U.S.

More than 30 million of the country’s most vulnerable residents — 65 percent of whom are members of ethnic and racial minority groups — rely on these local nonprofit providers for health care. On a daily basis, Direct Relief provides charitable donations of prescription medications and medical essentials to these facilities in all 50 states and U.S. territories for patients who need but cannot afford the items and lack other options.

Direct Relief developed the emergency grant program that has now provided over $30 million following the early signals that Covid-19 was having disproportionate effects among persons with low incomes and in communities of color – the same people for whom these safety-net facilities devote their efforts.

The spontaneous, extraordinary outpouring of public support that Direct Relief received that made it possible for Direct Relief, in turn, to direct emergency funds to these frontline facilities  struggling to keep their staffs safe while maintaining ongoing essential services and also step up public health measures, such as taking on community-based Covid testing.

These frontline community-based providers are using the funding to sustain and expand their activities and services, which include the protection and safety of health workers; telehealth services; Covid-19 screening and testing; and ensuring healthcare access for homeless and elderly populations and patients with chronic health conditions.

According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, this is the largest-ever philanthropic infusion of financial support to U.S. community health centers.

By the Numbers

Analytical Support

In February, when the rapid spread of Covid infections led to immediate crisis-level shortages of PPE and crisis planning to address the severe concerns about the availability of ventilators, Direct Relief began developing an estimating tool for the volumes of medications likely to be needed for the supportive care of Covid-19 patients while in intensive care units.

This tool, which incorporated broad input from clinicians and pharmaceutical companies, was then used to develop, in close consultation with the Society of Critical Care Medicine, a pre-pack kit of ICU medications that could be (and has been) deployed rapidly to areas immediately hit with a surge in ICU patients.

Each kit contains medications to treat 100 patients during an ICU stay.

Extensive product contributions from the manufacturers of the items needed for the kit allowed for more than 500 to be produced and distributed – enough to cover supportive care for 50,000 severely ill patients hospitalized and in intensive care.

In addition, extensive analyses have been conducted to inform policymakers and public health agencies with implementing and modifying social distancing measures, as well as guide its own activities, Direct Relief helped assemble the Covid-19 Mobility Data Network, a global collaboration of infectious disease epidemiologists and technology companies to share insights derived from population movement dynamics — the results of which are documented in numerous pre-print and peer-reviewed studies on mobility data and infectious disease modeling.

Articles and Resources:

• Aggregated Mobility Data Could Help Fight COVID-19. Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Apr. 10, 2020
• Case Study: Using Facebook Data to Monitor Adherence to Stay-at-home Orders in Colorado and Utah. MedRxiv, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, June 9, 2020
• Camber Systems Social Distancing Reporter: A tool for public-health researchers to assist the public and policymakers understand how populations are engaging in social distancing over time.
• The Facebook Data for Good Mobility Dashboard: This map is based on insights developed by the COVID-19 Mobility Data Network, coordinated by Direct Relief and researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, using aggregated population movement data from Facebook’s Data for Good program.
  

Financial Support and Use of Funds

Direct Relief recognizes that the generous supporters who made financial contributions to Direct Relief in response to the Covid-19 pandemic did so for the clear purpose of assisting health workers responding to and people affected by the pandemic.

In accepting funds for Covid-19 relief efforts, Direct Relief understands that both those who contributed, and people affected by the virus for whose benefit the contributions were made, deserve to know, in detail, how Direct Relief is using these funds.

As of June 30, Direct Relief had received over 125,000 financial contributions totaling $104 million for its Coronavirus response.

Direct Relief does not rely on any funding from government grants, and 100 percent of contributions received for Covid-19 are restricted for the exclusive use of responding to the pandemic.

Of the $104 million Covid-19 contributions received, more than half included an additional geographic or thematic designation indicating where the contributors intended their support to be used.

Of the funds received with a geographic restriction, 84% were intended for use in the U.S. only.

Expenditures

Over the past six months, Direct Relief has spent $72.9 million on response efforts — nearly 70 percent of the $104 million in contributions it received — across the following regions:

The $72.9 million in funds were used to support relief activities across the following functional areas:

• $34,280,827 to support organizations and health facilities in the form of financial cash grants.
• $30,361,738 to purchase urgently needed personal protective gear including millions of masks, face shields, gloves and gowns, and specialized medical equipment and supplies including oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and pulse oximeters that were requested by medical personnel throughout the U.S. and worldwide.
• $6,836,502 to mobilize, warehouse, transport and deliver to health facilities more than 2,800,000 lbs. (1,400 tons) of medical essentials via 17,553 deliveries.
• $1,458,410 to coordinate and manage response activities across all U.S. states and territories and more than 80 countries.
• $0.00 of Covid-19 donations were spent on fundraising or marketing activities.

Procurement

Direct Relief’s assistance model typically involves receiving requested product donations of Rx medications, vaccines, and medical supplies directly from manufacturers, which are in turn provided without charge to partner nonprofit health organizations that serve vulnerable people. When finances permit, Direct Relief also purchases specific such items that are needed by partner organizations but not available from manufacturers.

Direct Relief also maintains emergency stocks of PPE and essential prescription medications and supplies to be able to respond rapidly to emergencies. These stocks include products that are donated by manufacturers but also include purchased items. Among the items Direct Relief has routinely purchased in recent years are NIOSH-approved N95 respirators, which Direct Relief has manufactured in China and bear their own NIOSH approval and registrations (as well as distinctive in color and marked “Not for Resale.”) This step was prompted by the series of historic wildfires that California has experienced in recent years and the recurring situation of N95 shortages and rapid escalation in prices when the fires occurred. When Covid-19 broke out, Direct Relief fortunately had significant stocks of Direct Relief N095 respirators and other PPE, much of it donated by manufacturers such as 3M, that enabled an immediate response.

The expenditure of $30 million to purchase Covid-related materials over the past six months is the most expansive Direct Relief has ever done. The specific items purchased were based on the urgent requests received from partner health organizations, and extreme care was taken to obtain only products that had appropriate certifications and approvals for use in the U.S. (such as from NIOSH and/or FDA) and at a reasonable price – which was a challenge given the global shortages and wild price fluctuations.

In total, the expenditure of $30 million in procuring essentials met those standards. The specific items purchased include over 77 million units of PPE and several thousand other durable medical commodities, including oxygen concentrators, oximeters, ventilators, and “no touch” infrared thermometers. Distribution of these essential items continues on a daily basis, and the quantities of each item purchased are listed below:

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