In 2023, the Salvadoran Foundation for Health and Human Development—known by its Spanish acronym, FUSAL—launched a nationwide push to strengthen the medical oxygen supply for emergency services. The organization found that many patients dependent on oxygen therapy could not be transported to their homes or other facilities due to a lack of oxygen cylinders and other equipment in emergency vehicles.

“Many ambulances in El Salvador were operating without oxygen,” said Dr. Katty Tobar de Rivas, Chief of Humanitarian Aid at FUSAL. “Some patients had to spend more time admitted in hospitals, dependent on oxygen, because there wasn’t a cylinder available to take them home.”

To help fill the gap, Direct Relief provided FUSAL with a $25,000 grant for the organization to purchase and deploy 220 refillable oxygen cylinders and tanks, 50 pressure regulators, nearly 2,000 adult masks, and 23 portable oxygen systems to the public sector and to vulnerable patients. The tanks and related respiratory therapy equipment went to 19 ambulances in the national emergency network and three emergency operations centers managed by the Salvadoran Red Cross.

“It made an immediate difference,” said Loli Sangiovanni, Director of Donor Relations at the FUSAL’s sister foundation, the Salvadoran American Humanitarian Foundation, or SAHF. “Something as simple as a tank of oxygen has had a lifesaving impact.”

Some portable systems are being loaned to patients on long-term oxygen therapy for use at home. This critical intervention is essential for those with chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, lung cancer, and other respiratory illnesses.

“In 2022, we only had three oxygen concentrators, but thanks to the donation, we are now able to support more patients,” said Audy Echeverria, Coordinator and Therapist for the Salvadoran Red Cross’s Home Continuous Oxygen Program.

Among the many patients benefiting from the equipment is Graciela Pérez de Sirbrián, who has relied on oxygen for 12 years. “Whenever I go out, I have to use a cylinder to attend a medical appointment,” said Graciela. Thanks to support from FUSAL, SAHF, Direct Relief, and the Salvadoran Red Cross, she now has a portable oxygen concentrator and other necessary equipment at her home in San Juan Tepezontes.

Without projects like this, many low-income Salvadorans have no access to oxygen outside hospitals. According to a federal census in 2020, only one in four people in El Salvador were covered under some kind of health insurance. “In this country, the system sometimes provides equipment, but it’s insufficient,” Dr. Tobar de Rivas said. “People without insurance look for institutions like the Red Cross or the National Emergency System to receive the service for free, because they don’t have the purchasing power to pay for it.”

The new supplies have allowed those institutions to reach more patients and ease pressure on public hospitals. “Now they can continue their treatment at home,” Tobar de Rivas said.

According to Sangiovanni, the donation also strengthened the country’s emergency health services at large. “Thanks to this support, the response capacity for frontline organizations in El Salvador was very much improved,” she said. “It was something the country needed, and it continues to make an impact.”

FUSAL, SAHF, and Direct Relief have a long history of responding to disasters in El Salvador, dating as far back as the deadly mudslides and flooding in the country in 2011 and as recent as a similar disaster event last year. The organizations also recently collaborated on a project to strengthen El Salvador’s vaccine cold chain system.

Since 2024, Direct Relief has provided 12 shipments of urgently needed medicines and medical supplies to FUSAL totaling more than $17 million in value.

The post From Ambulances to Homes, Oxygen Brings Relief to Salvadoran Patients appeared first on Direct Relief.

In 2025, embecta donated approximately 15 million units of pen needles and insulin syringes to Direct Relief. Through 2026, embecta and Direct Relief will continue their partnership to provide pen needle and insulin syringe access to those most in need across the globe. This major commitment represents embecta’s largest humanitarian partnership since becoming an independent company and will support Direct Relief’s comprehensive diabetes programs serving vulnerable populations both domestically and internationally.

“As we mark World Diabetes Day, embecta is proud to deepen our commitment to ensuring that everyone living with diabetes—regardless of their ability to pay or where they live—has access to the supplies they need,” said Dev Kurdikar, Chief Executive Officer, embecta. “Since becoming an independent company, we have focused on empowering people with diabetes while paving the way for a life unlimited for all. This partnership with Direct Relief helps extend that mission to those who need it most.”

Supporting Underserved Patients Nationwide

embecta’s donation will significantly expand Direct Relief’s ability to serve uninsured and low-income patients with diabetes through Direct Relief’s safety net support program. Direct Relief partners with more than 1,600 community health centers and free and charitable clinics across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, serving more than 36 million patients—including one in five of America’s uninsured.

Through this program, embecta’s diabetes products, including syringes, pen needles, and diabetes management supplies, will reach patients who cannot afford insurance and do not qualify for Medicaid, ensuring they have consistent, uninterrupted access to the tools essential for managing their diabetes.

“Direct Relief welcomes embecta’s extraordinary commitment to expanding diabetes care access,” said Amy Weaver, CEO, Direct Relief. “We are one of the largest charitable insulin providers worldwide and in the U.S., and embecta’s support will help us impact thousands of lives—from children with Type 1 diabetes through our support of the international Life for a Child program to increasing access for underserved patients at safety net clinics nationwide.”

Global Impact: Supporting Children and Adults with Type 1 Diabetes

Internationally, embecta’s products support Direct Relief’s partnership with Life for a Child, which provides life-sustaining diabetes care to children and young people with Type 1 diabetes in resource-limited countries. Direct Relief has supported Life for a Child since 2011 and currently helps provide care to more than 53,000 children and young people with Type 1 diabetes in 45 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Through Direct Relief’s Global Diabetes Partnership with the International Diabetes Federation, embecta’s donated pen needles and syringes support people living with diabetes in more than 30 countries experiencing crises or facing significant gaps in healthcare access.

Most recently, in collaboration with Direct Relief, embecta donated 2.7 million insulin needles and syringes to support an upcoming humanitarian response campaign in Sudan. This campaign is organized by the Sudanese Diabetes Federation and other regional charitable stakeholders. The donation highlights embecta’s and Direct Relief’s shared commitment to providing life-saving diabetes care in regions affected by humanitarian crises.

Empowering Young People Through Diabetes Education

embecta’s commitment also extends to Direct Relief’s support of the Diabetes Education & Camping Association’s, or DECA’s, network and diabetes camps nationwide. These camps provide children and young adults with diabetes with the opportunity to learn diabetes management skills, build confidence, and connect with peers while enjoying outdoor activities in a medically supervised environment. embecta’s past donations of pen needles, insulin syringes, sharps containers, and other essential supplies ensure these life-changing camp experiences can continue serving thousands of young people each year.

Emergency Response and Ongoing Support

The partnership includes continued emergency response capabilities, building on embecta’s July 2025 grant of $25,000 to Direct Relief for Texas storm and flood relief. This ensures that people with diabetes receive uninterrupted care even during natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

The Diabetes Crisis

According to the International Diabetes Federation, more than 537 million people worldwide are living with diabetes—a number projected to reach 783 million by 2045. In the United States, approximately 38 million Americans have diabetes, yet access to affordable care and supplies remains a critical challenge, particularly for uninsured and underinsured populations. Diabetes is responsible for 6.7 million deaths worldwide annually, with mortality rates directly correlated to economic stability and healthcare access.

The post embecta Announces Major New Commitment to Direct Relief on World Diabetes Day appeared first on Direct Relief.

The grants were disbursed from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity, with support from Sanofi, and will address chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The funds will support prevention, education, and improved care for both children and adult patients. Community health centers in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, where Sanofi has a significant presence, are receiving the awards.

“Respiratory conditions, including asthma, disproportionately impact vulnerable communities. These funds will directly support organizations working to address and prevent these life-altering conditions,” said Dr. Byron Scott, Direct Relief’s President and Chief Operating Officer and Co-Chair of the Fund for Health Equity. “I am humbled that both Sanofi and Direct Relief can help these organizations with their goals of improving the health of people seeking care.”

Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity mobilizes financial resources for community health centers, free and charitable clinics, and other nonprofit organizations focused on non-clinical interventions that affect a person’s health – commonly known as the social determinants of health. These factors include a person’s physical, social, cultural, and economic environments.

Sanofi’s donation is part of the company’s “Breathe Easier” campaign, which focuses on the intersection of the environment and human health, and supports communities experiencing a high burden of respiratory illness.

“We are proud to support Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity and the 10 centers that will lead the way in improving respiratory care in many communities,” said Diana Blankman, Head of U.S. Corporate Social Responsibility at Sanofi. “We strongly believe in the development of community-based solutions by those who know best how to provide culturally relevant care to the patients they serve.”

The funding will support the following 10 health centers’ efforts:

• Brockton Neighborhood Health Center – Brockton, MA
• Codman Square Health Center – Dorchester, MA
• Holyoke Health Center – Holyoke, MA
• Greater Lawrence Family Health Center – Methuen, MA
• Caring Health Center – Springfield, MA
• Zufall Health Center – Dover, NJ
• Henry J. Austin Health Center – Trenton, NJ
• Valley Health Partners – Allentown, PA
• Delaware Valley Community Health – Philadelphia, PA
• Spectrum Foundation for Health Equity and Community Impact – Philadelphia, PA

The post Direct Relief Awards $2 Million to 10 Community Health Centers appeared first on Direct Relief.

The storm, known as Uwan in the Philippines, was notable for its size, which measured about 1,000 miles across, about the distance from New York City to Miami. It made landfall with sustained winds of more than 115 miles per hour and gusts reaching 145 miles per hour.

Local footage showed storm surges flooding homes and streets, turning roads into flowing rivers. Government offices and schools are closed in Luzon, which includes the capital of Manila.

In the wake of hurricanes and other natural disasters, vulnerable populations, including elderly residents, people with disabilities, children, and those in remote or low-income communities, often face acute healthcare challenges. When power lines are down and roads blocked, access to essential medicines, medical care, and electricity-dependent equipment can become impeded, leading to life-threatening concerns. Hospitals and clinics can struggle to operate on limited generator power, while pharmacies and cold-storage facilities lose vital supplies.

Super Typhoon Fung-wong hit the Philippines less than a week after Typhoon Kalmaegi devastated the central Philippines, killing more than 220 people. Search and rescue efforts in the central Cebu province had to be suspended Sunday as the latest typhoon arrived.

In Negros Island, located west of Cebu, Typhoon Kalmaegi triggered severe flooding and landslides in several upland communities. In Canlaon City, heavy rainfall dislodged large boulders and volcanic debris from the slopes of Mt. Kanlaon, damaging houses, roads, and farmlands. Communities in the foothills of the volcano are already on high alert as it is currently under Alert Level 2 due to ongoing steam-driven eruptions. 

A “state of national calamity,” declared after Typhoon Kalmaegi, will remain in effect for another year, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday.

The typhoon is now trending towards Taiwan, where torrential downpours are expected.

Direct Relief’s Response

Direct Relief is supporting local NGO PH-Wadah, which has operations in Cebu and a birthing center in Aborlan, Palawan, with emergency operating funds. In Palawan, heavy rains and strong winds from the storms caused flooding in low-lying areas and disrupted access to health facilities, affecting maternal and child health services.

Direct Relief is also in communication with the Philippines Disaster Resilience Foundation about potential medical needs, as well as ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management, or AHA Center. The organization coordinates disaster response efforts across ASEAN countries, which include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

ASEAN member countries combined have a population of 640 million people, and these 10 countries sit on or near the “Ring of Fire,” the zone around the Pacific Ocean that is prone to natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

In addition to regular donations of medicines and medical supplies, Direct Relief has mobilized and launched major organizational responses to disasters in the region, including the Indian Ocean Tsunami (Indonesia, 2004), Cyclone Nargis (Myanmar, 2008), Typhoon Haiyan (The Philippines, 2013), Sulawesi and Lombok earthquakes (Indonesia, 2018) and Covid-19 pandemic response throughout Southeast Asia.

Direct Relief will continue to monitor the storm and respond to medical needs as they become known.

The post Deadly Super Typhoon Slams the Philippines, Latest in a Sequence of Storms appeared first on Direct Relief.

The 757 carried more than $1 million worth of medicines and supplies — including antibiotics, diabetes medicines, first aid items, and water purification tablets — and was organized in consultation with the Jamaican Ministry of Health and tailored to the country’s specific requests.

The medical aid will backstop the country’s health system as it continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa, the Category 5 storm that made landfall in Jamaica near the town of Black River on Oct. 28 before moving across Cuba and the Bahamas.

The storm left a path of widespread devastation across the Caribbean, causing catastrophic flooding, extensive damage to homes and health facilities, and displacing hundreds of thousands of people.

In Jamaica, the storm severely damaged hospitals and clinics — including Black River Hospital and multiple primary health centers across Saint Elizabeth and Saint James parishes — disrupting care for patients and leaving many facilities without power, water, or essential supplies.

Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness is working to restore services and mobilize community health centers to handle outpatient care and triage cases while hospitals focus on emergencies.

Direct Relief staff were in Kingston today to receive the flight, which carried a gross payload of 32,514 pounds of medical aid. In addition to medical items, the airlift includes thousands of 30% DEET insect repellent towelettes and repellent spray bottles requested by the MOH. Public health officials in both Jamaica and the Dominican Republic fear an increase in mosquito populations and mosquito-borne illness due to the precipitation and standing water left by the hurricane.

Direct Relief’s Ongoing Hurricane Melissa Response

Saturday’s charter flight is the latest in Direct Relief’s response to Hurricane Melissa, and builds on years of partnership and investment with ministries of health and healthcare providers across the Caribbean.

Direct Relief is working in close coordination with the Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, PAHO, and other response agencies across the Caribbean to restore essential health services and meet urgent medical resource needs.

Because of these long-term relationships, essential medicines and supplies were already on the ground and immediately available to support Jamaica’s health system when the storm struck.

How Direct Relief Is Supporting Jamaica

In the month before landfall, Direct Relief shipped more than $100,000 in medicines to Jamaica — inventories that were already positioned for immediate use once the storm hit.

Within days of landfall, Direct Relief delivered emergency medical supplies to support first responders, health workers, and displaced residents. Direct Relief also awarded the JAHJAH Foundation a $50,000 emergency grant to provide food, hygiene products, safe drinking water, and temporary shelter through its network of local clinics and community centers.

The organization has deployed an emergency response team to Jamaica to assess health-system needs, coordinate logistics, and support the Ministry’s ongoing recovery operations.

Regional Assistance in Cuba and Haiti

Direct Relief continues to mobilize large-scale infusions of requested emergency medical aid to affected countries throughout the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti, with additional assistance en route.

Across the region, damage to health systems in Cuba and Haiti has further strained access to care, with thousands of homes and health facilities affected. In Haiti, health workers are warning of renewed cholera risks following major flooding.

Through its partnership with PAHO, Direct Relief is mobilizing over $500,000 in medical aid for Cuba, including field medic packs and additional shipments staged in Panama ahead of hurricane season.

In Haiti, Direct Relief is preparing a shipment of essential medicines and supplies requested by long-term partner Hope for Haiti, which operates mobile clinics and a fixed facility in the hard-hit city of Les Cayes.

Preparedness and Long-Term Capacity

Direct Relief’s ability to respond quickly reflects more than a decade of investment in hurricane preparedness and health-system resilience across the Caribbean.

Each year, through its hurricane preparedness program, Direct Relief prepositions supplies across the region in large caches of medicines and emergency supplies, capable of supporting 3,000 patients for 30 days.

The organization supports more than 40 healthcare facilities, ministries of health, and nonprofit partners across the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica with year-round shipments of requested medicines, medical supplies, and equipment.

Over the past five years, Direct Relief has delivered nearly $200 million in medical aid to support both emergency and chronic health needs in the Caribbean.

Through the Caribbean Resiliency Fund, Direct Relief has provided $12.6 million for infrastructure projects that strengthen power resilience, cold-chain storage, medical warehousing, and disaster response capacity in Jamaica and neighboring nations.

The post Sixteen Tons of Medical Aid Arrives Via Charter Flight for Hurricane Melissa-Devastated Jamaica appeared first on Direct Relief.

“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.

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.

At least 70 people are dead, 72 people are reported missing, and almost 100,000 homes are estimated to be destroyed, according to Reuters.

Search and rescue teams continue to look for residents as storm winds and rains continue to hit central Mexico and the southwestern states of the United States.

A succession of storms has made 2025 one of the rainiest years on record in Mexico, and this weekend’s rain caused flash flooding and rising waters in the states of Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, and Queretaro. Residents are experiencing inaccessible and blocked roads, and the current storm compounded impacts from Hurricane Priscilla’s heavy rains in early October.

Direct Relief’s Response

Direct Relief has been responding to storm impacts in Mexico and has dispatched requested medical aid to support needs in flood-impacted areas. Field medic packs, designed to equip first responders in disaster settings, were sent to organizations in flood-impacted areas. Direct Relief also shipped emergency medicines and supplies, including antibiotics, chronic disease management medications, and wound care supplies, to support the health services post-flood.

Medical aid went to Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense, or SEDENA, the Guerrero Ministry of Health’s Urgent Care Unit mobilizing to Veracruz, and nonprofit Medical IMPACT, which is deploying medical teams to assess health needs and establish a supply line to underserved communities lacking access to care. Direct Relief is also providing $25,000 in emergency operating funds to support Medical IMPACT’s deployment and immediate flood response efforts.

Storm impacts like flooding can bring about a host of health concerns, including healthcare interruptions caused by evacuations, waterborne illnesses when water systems are damaged, and the possibility of mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue.

Direct Relief staff in Mexico are in communication with multiple organizations and agencies, including the Secretariat of National Defense, about ongoing medical needs. Direct Relief will continue to respond as needs become known.

The post Direct Relief Responding to Mexico Floods with Medical Support, $25,000 in Emergency Funds appeared first on Direct Relief.

Weather agencies recorded the storm reaching sustained wind speeds of 165 miles per hour, equivalent to a Category Five hurricane, making it the most powerful storm in the world so far in 2025.

Thousands of people in the Philippines were evacuated due to the storm, and the country’s weather agency warned that storm surge could exceed 10 feet, with low-lying areas particularly vulnerable.

Schools and government offices were closed in 29 regions of Luzon, the country’s largest and most populous island, which sits just south of the storm’s path and contains the capital city of Manila.

The storm’s trajectory was prompting evacuations this week in mainland China, as well as in Hong Kong, which was expected to see the storm make landfall on Wednesday. Areas across the region are bracing for storm impacts as the storm moves westward.

Direct Relief is currently coordinating with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation as well as the National Disaster Risk Reduction Council as they respond to the effects of the super typhoon. Direct Relief has a longstanding relationship with the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance, or AHA Center, which facilitates coordination and cooperation among ASEAN member states.

Direct Relief has a long history of responding to disasters in the region, including a long history of supporting communities impacted by major disasters in Southeast Asia and beyond, including responses to the Sulawesi and Lombok Earthquakes in Indonesia (2018), Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (2013), the Indian Ocean Tsunami (2004), and repeated flooding and cyclone events throughout the region.

Direct Relief has staff in the Philippines and will continue to monitor medical needs as they become known.

The post Strongest Storm of 2025 Roars through Southeast Asia, Region Braces for More Impacts appeared first on Direct Relief.

Each awardee will receive $200,000 over two years to implement programs that expand contraceptive access and education, particularly in regions where healthcare access is limited or unavailable.

“These awards represent Direct Relief’s commitment to strengthening local health systems through targeted support for community-driven solutions,” said Paulina Ospina, Director of Programs at Direct Relief. “Each recipient demonstrates innovation in breaking down barriers that prevent individuals from accessing the contraceptive care they need, while empowering local healthcare providers with essential resources.”

Nearly half (45%) of pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended, with the highest rates among low-income individuals, people of color, and young adults aged 15-24. The awards support clinics playing a crucial role in bridging the gap in access to care.

2025 Award Recipients

• Port Ministries Free Health Clinic – Chicago, Illinois: Port Ministries will expand access to reproductive health services to its patients by increasing clinic hours, integrating contraceptive counseling into primary care visits, and enhancing bilingual sexual health education.
• Wellness Pointe – Longview, Texas: Wellness Pointe will add staff focused on providing personalized contraceptive counseling across seven counties in East Texas. It will also support community health workers providing education and working to reduce obstacles to care faced by their patients.
• Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida – Immokalee, Florida: Funding will help the organization deliver culturally competent, multilingual contraceptive counseling through community health workers, mobile health units, and educational materials tailored to Hispanic and Haitian communities in Collier County.
• Newark Community Health Centers – Newark, New Jersey: Newark Community Health Centers will expand services with existing NCHC staff to provide equitable access to contraception, improve reproductive health education, and reduce disparities in reproductive healthcare for men and women aged 14-50 within the service area.

“Through our collaboration with Direct Relief, we are proud to support these community-specific initiatives, which help drive access and education in the reproductive health space for some of the most vulnerable in the United States,” said Doral Fredericks, Head of Medical Affairs and Outcomes Research at Organon. “Expanding education and care for women and girls of reproductive age is fundamental to providing the tools they need to take charge of their health.”

A Model for Cross-Sector Collaboration

The Organon Community Health Awards reflect Direct Relief’s approach to leveraging cross-industry partnerships for humanitarian impact. The collaboration between Organon, a global independent healthcare company focused on women’s health, and Direct Relief, demonstrates how donated resources and expertise can be matched with urgent health needs.

The post Direct Relief Announces 2025 Organon Community Health Awards Recipients appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included cancer treatments, rare disease therapies, diabetes management medications, and more.

Medications Support Essential Health Services in Georgia, South Africa

Medicines, over-the-counter items, and other requested medical support arrived this week in Atlanta, Georgia, to support critical screening and health services.

SisterLove Inc. is an Atlanta-based organization founded in 1989 in response to a lack of attention and resources for Black women impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The organization provides comprehensive sexual health services, including free HIV/STI screenings and care support, across Atlanta. The organization also operates SisterLove International, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is focused on HIV prevention and treatment as well as reproductive health.

Direct Relief has provided more than $245,000 in medical support to the organization, including medications for HIV/AIDS treatments, contraceptives, and essential medicines, as well as a grant through Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity to support a mobile bus that provides health services in the community.

Strengthening Cold Chain Capacity in Colombia

In June, Direct Relief expanded cold chain capacity to support Colombia’s efforts to address yellow fever in the country. In coordination with the Pan American Health Organization, Direct Relief provided 10 ultracold portable freezers to support testing efforts.

The country has recorded an increase in yellow fever in 2025, as well as rising case numbers of dengue fever. Transporting samples from rural areas of Colombia to testing facilities in urban areas proved challenging, with samples often becoming unusable during the long journey.

Direct Relief sent 10 ultra-cold freezers to Colombia to ensure that samples remained viable for testing, which play a crucial role in enabling healthcare workers to identify and treat patients before outbreaks escalate. Transportation of the freezers was provided by FedEx.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief 257 shipments departed containing 436,423 doses of medication during the past week to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 2.0 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 30,954 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 19.9K shipments to 2,400 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 86 countries. These shipments included 189.4 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.4 billion wholesale, totaling 2.9 million lbs.

In the News

How Direct Relief and FedEx Are Helping Fight Disease Outbreaks in Colombia – FedEx

20 Years After Hurricane Katrina: What Humanitarian Organizations Learned from the Historic Storm – Fox Weather

Equipping Midwives for Success and Transforming Maternal Health in Nigeria – Angels in Medicine

The post Medical Support Departs for 15 Countries appeared first on Direct Relief.

In response to this disaster, Direct Relief has committed an initial $50,000 in emergency grant funding to enable emergency responders in the country to deploy mobile medical teams and provide services to those injured or displaced.

Direct Relief is also preparing an emergency shipment of material medical support for the Afghanistan AMOR Health Organization, or AAHO, which operates Afshar Hospital in Kabul. The shipment, valued at over $6 million, contains about 8,300 pounds of medicines and supplies, including antibiotics, oral rehydration salts, water purification tablets, prenatal vitamins, inhalers, automated external defibrillators, personal protective equipment, insect repellent, and medications and supplies for chronic disease management, including insulin and glucose meters for diabetes and oral medications for cardiovascular disease, among a number of other requested items.

AAHO has a long and effective history of work in Afghanistan, where it has operated both the hospital and five clinics since 2008, providing vital primary, maternal health, specialty, surgical, and other healthcare to vulnerable Afghan people. The organization is dispatching mobile health units to care for those injured, displaced, and otherwise affected by the earthquakes.

Despite challenges that complicate aid deliveries into Afghanistan, Direct Relief has maintained a successful humanitarian conduit into the country, allowing for material medical aid, valued at more than $460,000, to reach Afshar Hospital in the past year. The most recent shipment was dispatched two weeks ago, in late August.

Earthquakes are common across Afghanistan and frequently cause extremely high death tolls, even in more sparsely populated areas. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake in October 2023, in western Afghanistan, killed more than 1,400 people, and a quake of magnitude 5.9 in the eastern area of the country killed more than 1,000. The country’s high level of seismic activity and frequent use of monolithic building structures, which can collapse when shaken, make earthquakes particularly dangerous.

Sunday’s earthquake occurred in the middle of the night, when most people were asleep, exacerbating the high death toll. Many of the most affected villages are in remote and hard-to-access areas, slowing rescue and response efforts.

In addition, health in Afghanistan remains extremely vulnerable. High levels of poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition combine with a lack of available medical care, high out-of-pocket costs, and humanitarian aid cuts that severely affect Afghan people of all ages. More than 420 health facilities have reportedly closed across the country, with an estimated 80 of them in the earthquake-affected region.

Direct Relief will continue to monitor the earthquake’s aftermath and response, and assess medical needs as they emerge.

The post After a Catastrophic Earthquake in Afghanistan, Direct Relief Commits $50,000, Prepares Emergency Medical Shipment appeared first on Direct Relief.

These shipments contained 5.5 million defined daily doses of medication — treatments for autoimmune diseases, rare conditions, and diabetes, as well as prenatal vitamins and other essential medicines and supplies.

Equipping First Responders in Pakistan

Direct Relief has supported flood response efforts in Pakistan’s mountainous north, which has been devastated by deadly flooding in recent months. Unprecedented rainfall has caused glacial lakes to overflow, triggering landslides and flash floods. More than 400 people have died, entire villages have been swept away, homes destroyed, and infrastructure washed out — leaving many communities cut off and complicating rescue operations.

For more than 25 years, the Marafie Foundation — a long-time Direct Relief partner — has worked to expand healthcare access in the region. With strategically pre-positioned supplies from Direct Relief, including field medic packs, prenatal vitamins, and diagnostic tools, volunteer medical teams were able to respond quickly in flood-affected areas.

Search and rescue teams reached stranded mountaineers and isolated villages, while medical teams treated the injured and displaced. In one village near the Line of Control — the militarized boundary between India and Pakistan — the Marafie Foundation organized a mobile medical camp. Doctors provided urgent care, distributed Direct Relief-donated medicines, and supported families whose homes and infrastructure had been destroyed.

Expanding Cold Chain Capacity in the West Bank

Conflict in the West Bank has severely disrupted access to insulin and other essential medicines. For people with diabetes, interruptions in supply pose life-threatening risks.

Direct Relief, working with on-the-ground partners and in coordination with local and national agencies, is supporting diabetes care through regular insulin deliveries. Since January, the organization has supplied more than 20 healthcare facilities across the West Bank—enough to treat an estimated 5,500 patients for three months—with another shipment already en route.

Beyond supplying medicines, Direct Relief is working to strengthen local healthcare capacity. In July, the organization installed eight medical-grade refrigerators at Al Ahli Hospital to ensure safe insulin storage. By protecting temperature-sensitive treatments, the new capacity gives people with diabetes a more reliable supply of the medication they need to stay healthy.

Supporting Midwives in Nigeria

Direct Relief-provided midwife kits continue to support safe deliveries at St. Charles Hospital in Nigeria. The kits contain 61 items required for safe, facility-based births.

The U-VOL Foundation has led ongoing health trainings for hospital staff, focusing on advanced maternal and neonatal care. Recent sessions included neonatal resuscitation, managing obstetric emergencies, and using essential supplies to ensure safe deliveries.

Nigeria has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, according to the World Health Organization. By strengthening the skills of midwives, nurses, and community health workers, U-VOL and Direct Relief aim to improve maternal outcomes and save lives.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief 418 shipments departed containing 1 million doses of medication during the past week to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 4.5 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 72,173 lbs., to countries including:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 19.6K shipments to 2,390 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 85 countries. These shipments included 187.1 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.4 billion wholesale, totaling 2.9 million lbs.

The post In Northern Pakistan, Equipping First Responders After Deadly Flooding appeared first on Direct Relief.

That proud legacy is alive today in GirlTREK. What began in 2010 with two friends walking for their health has grown into the largest nonprofit for Black women’s health in the country, with more than 1.2 million members representing about 6% of all Black women nationally.

“Black women were dying earlier and faster than any other subset of people in the United States. Two-thirds of black women were getting little to no leisure time activity. Eighty percent were over a healthy body weight. We really wanted to have an impact on that,” said Vanessa Renae, Co-Founder of GirlTREK.

In Atlanta, as one member explains, walking together, “shows strength, it shows power.” Another adds, “it says more than just one foot in front of the other. It’s about standing firm and showing you that I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.” GirlTREK’s daily walks are about health, lowering stress, and connecting with one another.

As GirlTREK looks ahead, building digital tools like an app and training leaders through the 100 Harriets initiative, the mission remains clear: for Black women to walk toward longer, healthier lives while carrying forward a proud legacy of walking as a catalyst for positive change.

GirlTREK received a $550,000 grant from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity via Eli Lilly and Company.

The post When Daily Walks Become a Movement appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included cancer treatments, rare disease therapies, diabetes management medications, anti-inflammatory medications, prenatal vitamins, and more.

Community Health Fair in Puerto Rico Expands Care

Direct Relief supported a community health fair on the island of Vieques last week, and the event provided critical services to patients. Vieques is located off of Puerto Rico’s eastern coast, and has limited access to health services because of its remote location.

Direct Relief has supported healthcare on the island since Hurricane Maria, including to health center HealthProMed, which operates a number of primary care clinics in Puerto Rico, including on Vieques. The health center offered primary care and preventive services to patients as part of the health fair, along with health nonprofit La Fondita de Jesús.

Cancer screening services were provided, including mammograms, and psychological services focused on cancer patients also took place.

Telemedicine Unit Rolls into Action in India

Last month, flooding in Kerala, India, led to a devastating landslide that is believed to have killed more than 400 people and injured and displaced many more.

Amrita Hospital, located in Kerala, deployed a Direct Relief-funded medical bus, equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and treatment facilities, including a new satellite dish, and the vehicle has served as a key mobile health facility for those impacted by the landslide.

Direct Relief has a long history of support to Amrita, dating back to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, after which Direct Relief funded the organization’s first mobile outreach bus. Amrita used the vehicle to conduct medical mobile outreach for the next 19 years, providing services to hundreds of thousands of people around the country.

In 2022, the organization requested funds to build and run a mobile telemedicine unit. This medical bus was designed to enable Amrita Hospital to extend the reach of its health services, to run medical outreach to remote communities without access to regular health services, and respond to disasters, including last month’s flooding and landslide.

Midwife Kits Arrive in Chad

Midwife kits to support safe births recently arrived in Chad. The kits, which contain 61 essential items midwives can use to help women deliver, will be used in rural health outposts located more than 300 miles from the country’s capital.

This week, Direct Relief also shipped a requested delivery of essential medicines and medical supplies to Chad’s Ministry of Public Health, including cancer therapies, treatments for infections and chronic conditions, wound care items, and protective gear for frontline health providers.

Telehealth Effort Connects Patients to Care During Fire

A Direct Relief-funded resilient power project has allowed a local health center to provide critical health services to patients impacted by California’s largest wildfire.

Direct Relief funded the installation of a solar microgrid at the Community Health Centers of the Central Coast in Santa Maria, California, and the facility also serves as a telehealth hub that covers a large portion of the northern part of Santa Barbara County, much of which is rural.

During the Gifford Fire, which began on August 1 and has burned more than 131,000 acres, the health center was able to provide telehealth services for patients who would have had appointments delayed or canceled due to fire-driven health center closures in the rural community of New Cuyama.

“We have been heavily relying on Skyway Telehealth to maintain access for our Cuyama patients and those displaced during the New Cuyama clinic closure,” said Victoria Wood, the clinic’s chief experience officer.

Dozens of visits that would normally take place in Cuyama were shifted to Skyway providers via telehealth, ensuring patients could continue their care uninterrupted.

“This has been a critical lifeline, particularly for patients managing chronic conditions who simply cannot afford gaps in treatment,” Wood said.”The Power for Health initiative at Skyway has been a key part of making this possible by strengthening the infrastructure we’ve depended on during this crisis.”

“We’re deeply grateful for your ongoing partnership and support as we navigate both the immediate impacts of the fire and the longer-term needs of our patients and staff,” Wood said.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief 733 shipments departed containing 1.5 million doses of medication during the past week to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 10 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 94,678 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 19.1K shipments to 2,373 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 85 countries. These shipments included 180 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.4 billion wholesale, totaling 2.8 million lbs.

In the News

20 Years After Katrina, Collaboration Matters – Fast Company

Why The Non-Linear Career Path Is Your Friend—And Other Advice From The 50 Over 50 – Forbes

County Honors Emergency Managers After Busy Month Including Gifford Fire – Noozhawk

The post Expanding Health Services for Patients in Hard-to-Reach Places appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included cancer treatments, rare disease therapies, diabetes management medications, pharmaceutical-grade refrigeration units, surgical supplies, field medic packs for first responders, and more.

Hurricane Erin Strengthens in Atlantic

Tropical Storm Erin has intensified into the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season. Forecasts indicate further strengthening over the weekend, with the potential to reach major Category 4 status. Current models show Erin passing north of Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands, bringing dangerous swells, rip currents, and squally conditions to parts of the northern Caribbean. While a direct U.S. landfall remains uncertain, forecasters continue to monitor for potential track shifts toward the East Coast or Bermuda in the coming week.

Beyond the immediate threat of injury and loss of life, hurricanes often disrupt access to healthcare, clean water, electricity, and essential medications. Power outages can compromise the storage of temperature-sensitive therapies, such as insulin, while flooding and infrastructure damage can limit the ability of clinics and hospitals to operate. For people with chronic conditions, these disruptions can quickly become life-threatening without timely medical support.

To support communities in need, Direct Relief developed the largest charitable, medically focused hurricane preparedness program in the world, pre-positioning hurricane preparedness modules at 70 health centers across the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and Puerto Rico, along with 13 more in the Caribbean and Central America (including one ready in Florida for potential deployment to Haiti) and two in the South Pacific. Each module contains a full range of essential medical items—including chronic disease medications, inhalers, antibiotics, epinephrine, wound care supplies, and other emergency health products—designed to support 350 patients for a 30-day period in the event of infrastructure damage and power loss.

Established in 2006, the Hurricane Preparedness Program supports dozens of safety-net clinics with waterproof modules and strategically pre-positioned aid to enable rapid response immediately after a storm. By deploying aid from its Santa Barbara warehouse in coordination with local partners, Direct Relief ensures healthcare providers can quickly resume or continue operations following hurricane impacts.

With Erin now a hurricane and expected to intensify further, Direct Relief remains on heightened alert—tracking developments and ensuring the organization’s operational capacity, logistics, and partner networks are fully prepared to respond. Further updates will be provided as conditions evolve.

Direct Relief Awarded for Health Center Support

Last week, Direct Relief was recognized for its work supporting a Glendale, California-based health center.

Comprehensive Community Health Centers presented Direct Relief with the National Community Health Center Week Stakeholder Appreciation award during the health center’s community distribution event.

CCHC operates six community health centers, including a mobile clinic, in metropolitan Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley with locations in Glendale, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, North Hollywood, Sunland, and Arleta.

Direct Relief has supported the health center since 2008, and has provided the center with more than $219,000 in medical aid, including support for displaced people after the Los Angeles-area wildfires in January 2025. Direct Relief has also provided the health center with $162,500 in financial assistance to support ongoing work.

Ukrainian Groups Visit Direct Relief

This week, Direct Relief met with several groups focused on health services to Ukrainians.

On Thursday, Direct Relief hosted the Protez Foundation, a U.S.-registered nonprofit founded in 2022 to provide high-quality prosthetic care and rehabilitation for people who have lost limbs due to war, accidents, or medical conditions. Protez combines U.S.-based expertise with on-the-ground operations in Ukraine, delivering custom prosthetics, physical therapy, occupational rehabilitation, and mental health support. The organization has provided over 1,600 of prosthetic devices free of charge, serving close to 750 patients, and the Foundation has trained over 100 specialists, opening three clinics – one in the U.S. and two in Ukraine. Several children who had received prosthetics from the group also attended the visit.

Direct Relief has provided the Protez Foundation with nearly $5 million in funding enabling the fitting of hundreds of advanced prosthetic devices, the expansion of rehabilitation services in Ukraine, and the training of local specialists to ensure sustainable, high-quality care for amputees.

Also visiting alongside the Protez Foundation were members of the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco. Direct Relief has worked through the Consulate General to provide a $150,000 grant to the Ukrainian American House for expansions of its refugee mental health program to reach more Ukrainian refugees in Sacramento and Napa Counties. The program, launched in January 2024 with the Public Health Institute and California Department of Public Health’s Office of Refugee Health, provides culturally and linguistically competent counseling, peer support groups, and clinical referrals.

Earlier in the week, representatives from Unbroken National Rehabilitation Center in Lviv, Ukraine, also visited Direct Relief. Unbroken has provided services to more than 19,000 people since February 2022. Direct Relief has provided more than $4 million in financial support to Unbroken as well as more than $5.2 million in medical aid, including surgical supplies, essential medicines, diagnostic tools, and prosthetics.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief 549 shipments departed containing 582,732 doses of medication during the past week to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 6.5 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 47,737 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 18.4K shipments to 2,349 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 85 countries. These shipments included 169 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.3 billion wholesale, totaling 2.7 million lbs.

In the News

Amy Weaver Begins as New CEO of Direct Relief – Montecito Journal

Santa Barbara Airport Gives Passengers a Week of Perks During Special Appreciation Event – KEYT

Pentatonix Announces 2025 Holiday Tour – The Music Universe

The post Direct Relief Monitors Hurricane Erin, Medical Support Departs to 12 Countries appeared first on Direct Relief.

The Gifford Fire, which broke out on August 1 in northern Santa Barbara County, was the largest fire burning in California as of Thursday, when acres burned neared 100,000. The fire is currently about 15 percent contained and is impacting rural areas of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties.

Direct Relief is based in Santa Barbara County, and has extensive experience responding to wildfires across the state. This week, the organization provided free respirators to residents at multiple locations throughout the county and will continue to respond as air quality needs continue.

Below are mask distribution sites in Santa Barbara County where masks can be accessed, while supplies last:

Direct Relief Headquarters
Location: Direct Relief Lobby
Address: 6100 Wallace Becknell Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93117
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Friday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA (Santa Ynez)
Address: 900 North Refugio Road, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Hours: Monday–Thursday 5:30 AM – 9:00 PM; Friday 5:30 AM – 8:00 PM; Saturday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Sunday Closed

Santa Barbara Public Library – Montecito Branch
Address: 1469 East Valley Rd, Montecito, CA 93108
Hours: Tuesday–Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Santa Barbara Public Library – Eastside Branch
Address: 1102 E Montecito St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Friday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Santa Barbara Public Library – Central Library
Address: 40 E Anapamu St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM; Friday–Saturday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Sunday 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Buellton Visitors Bureau & Chamber of Commerce
Address: 597 Ave of Flags Suite 101, Buellton, CA 93427
Hours: Monday–Saturday 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM-2:00PM

Community Health Centers-Del Valle
Address: 430 S Blosser Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93458
Hours: Monday-Sunday 8:00 AM-6:00 PM

Respuesta al Incendio de Gifford: Respiradores N95 Disponibles en el Condado de Santa Bárbara

En respuesta al incendio de Gifford, Direct Relief está distribuyendo respiradores N95 gratuitos a las personas que sufren la mala calidad del aire a causa del incendio.

El incendio de Gifford, que se desató el 1 de agosto en el norte del condado de Santa Bárbara, fue el mayor incendio en California hasta el jueves, con cerca de 100,000 acres quemados. El incendio está actualmente contenido en un 15% y está afectando zonas rurales de los condados de San Luis Obispo y Santa Bárbara.

Direct Relief tiene su sede en el condado de Santa Bárbara y cuenta con amplia experiencia en la respuesta a incendios forestales en todo el estado. Esta semana, la organización proporcionó respiradores gratuitos a los residentes en varios puntos del condado y continuará respondiendo a medida que persistan las necesidades relacionadas con la calidad del aire.

A continuación, se indican los puntos de distribución de mascarillas en el condado de Santa Bárbara, donde se puede acceder a ellas hasta agotar existencias:

Sede de Direct Relief
Ubicación: Vestíbulo de Direct Relief
Dirección: 6100 Wallace Becknell Rd, Santa Bárbara, CA 93117
Horario: Lunes a Jueves de 8:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.; Viernes de 8:00 a. m. a 12:00 p. m.

Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA (Santa Ynez)
Dirección: 900 North Refugio Road, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Horario: Lunes a Jueves de 5:30 a. m. a 9:00 p. m.; Viernes de 5:30 a. m. a 8:00 p. m.; Sábado de 8:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.; Domingo cerrado.

Biblioteca Pública de Santa Bárbara – Sucursal Montecito
Dirección: 1469 East Valley Rd, Montecito, CA 93108
Horario: Martes a Viernes de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.; Sábado de 10:00 a. m. a 2:00 p. m.

Biblioteca Pública de Santa Bárbara – Sucursal Eastside
Dirección: 1102 E Montecito St, Santa Bárbara, CA 93103
Horario: Lunes a Jueves de 10:00 a. m. a 6:00 p. m.; Viernes de 10:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.; Sábado de 10:00 a. m. a 2:00 p. m.

Biblioteca Pública de Santa Bárbara – Biblioteca Central
Dirección: 40 E Anapamu St, Santa Bárbara, CA 93101
Horario: Lunes a Jueves de 10:00 a. m. a 7:00 p. m.; Viernes a Sábado de 10:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.; Domingo de 12:00 p. m. a 5:00 p. m.

Oficina de Visitantes y Cámara de Comercio de Buellton
Dirección: 597 Ave of Flags, Suite 101, Buellton, CA 93427
Horario: Lunes a Sábado de 9:00 a. m. a 4:30 p. m. Domingo, 10:00 a. m. a 2:00 p. m.

Centros de Salud Comunitarios – Del Valle
Dirección: 430 S Blosser Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93458
Horario: Lunes a Domingo, 8:00 a. m. a 6:00 p. m.

The post Gifford Fire Response: N95 Respirators Available in Santa Barbara County appeared first on Direct Relief.

Each center is awarded $225,000 to implement pharmacist-led comprehensive medication management programs for patients – many of whom are vulnerable to chronic disease. These initiatives focus on educating and counseling patients through team-based care, while also addressing Social Determinants of Health that impact patient outcomes.

Recipients of the 2025 BD Helping Build Healthy Communities Innovations in Care award are:

• Community Health and Social Services Center (Detroit, MI) will broaden its medication management service for individuals with Type 2 diabetes to include screening for peripheral artery disease and peripheral neuropathy. The program utilizes bilingual community health workers to support enhanced patient communication and engagement.
• Jane Pauley Community Health Center (Indianapolis, IN) will establish a contextualized care coordination model integrating clinical pharmacists and community health workers to address both clinical needs and social determinants, including nutrition insecurity, transportation, housing, and healthcare access.
• Family Health Matters Community Health Center (Anaheim, CA) will expand Spanish language-concordant CMM services and implement social determinants of health screening through clinical pharmacy visits. The program will address health literacy, access to healthy food, and social support through expanded group visits.
• Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems (Meadowview, VA) will expand existing clinical pharmacy workflows to include chronic kidney disease management, focusing on improved screening rates and evidence-based care optimization.

Since 2013, BD has partnered with Direct Relief and the National Association of Community Health Centers to support local community health centers in the U.S. that serve low-income and uninsured people and families. The partnership has supported 56 health centers in 20 states, with a total investment of $22.6 million in cash and product donations. More information on the BD Helping Build Healthy Communities Innovations in Care award can be found here.

The post BD, Direct Relief, and NACHC Award Four U.S. Community Health Centers for Innovation in Care appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week include rare disease therapies, diabetes management medications, pharmaceutical-grade refrigeration units, surgical supplies, field medic packs for first responders, and more.

Mobile Unit Hits the Road for Patients in Puerto Rico

A new mobile medical unit is now serving mountain communities in Puerto Rico, expanding the reach of a local health center.

Prymed Medical Care, a federally qualified health center serving patients in Ciales and Vega Baja, recently unveiled a new mobile unit that will facilitate screening services for blood pressure, glucose, and rapid HIV screening services, basic nutritional evaluation and guidance, counseling focused on disease prevention, and referrals.

The donation is part of the 67 mobile units and off-road vehicles that Direct Relief has donated to federally qualified health centers and nonprofit organizations in Puerto Rico.

“We are thankful to Direct Relief for making possible this mobile health unit that will impact the communities of Ciales and Vega Baja,” said Gladys Rivera Estela, Executive Director of Prymed.

“The mobile unit is an extension of our mission: to deliver quality healthcare where it’s most needed. We want to eliminate barriers and promote healthy lifestyles no matter where a person lives.”

Medical Aid Continues for Myanmar Earthquake Recovery

This week, an emergency shipment of supplies and medications departed Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara warehouse bound for Myanmar to support ongoing recovery from the destructive earthquake that struck the country in March.

This shipment is part of a wider Direct Relief emergency response effort following the Myanmar earthquake, which has also included emergency shipments to groups including the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management and Première Urgence Internationale.

Medications for Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Patient Care in Ukraine

Medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions reached Ukrainian medical facilities, including the Odessa Medical Center. The medications, provided by Direct Relief and distributed by NGO Ukrainian Soul, will support patients living with rheumatoid arthritis, spondylitis, and arthropathy, among other conditions.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 538 shipments containing 620,161 doses of medication during the past week to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 5.7 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 36,669 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 17.3K shipments to 2,272 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 83 countries. These shipments included 157.3 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.2 billion wholesale, totaling 2.5 million lbs.

In the News

Providing Consistent Care for Psychiatric Patients in Lebanon – Anera

Direct Relief CEO Amy Weaver Visits Breast Care International in Ghana – Modern Ghana

Kokofu Paramount Chief Praises Breast Care International’s Humanitarian Work – OTec 102.9

Direct Relief Applauds Breast Care International for Lifesaving Medical Support in Ghana – Ghana Webbers

The post Medical Aid for Myanmar, 18 Other Countries, Departs This Week 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.

Medications and supplies shipped this week include rare disease therapies, diabetes management medications, pharmaceutical-grade refrigeration units, surgical supplies, field medic packs for first responders, and more.

From Response to Recovery, AltaMed Steps Up for Patients

Wildfire recovery is ongoing across communities in Los Angeles impacted by the Jan. 2025 blazes. Direct Relief supported local organizations providing patient care, including local health AltaMed, which quickly swung into action to provide medical care to evacuees inside the Pasadena Convention Center, as well as to patients in the community.

Direct Relief has provided emergency medical support as well as funding to support AltaMed’s continued mission in the community, including funding for key staff hires to meet the increased medical needs and also rebuild a facility that was destroyed in the Eaton Fire.

Bringing Critical Health Screenings to Florida Communities

Premier Mobile Health Services, based out of Fort Myers, operates two mobile units that serve patients throughout southwest Florida. The clinic sees patients regardless of insurance coverage or economic status. This week, the clinic hosted a series of mobile health outreach events, including critical health screenings such as vision services, diabetes and high blood pressure screenings, and more.

Direct Relief has provided $2.2 million in medical support to the organization to bolster their ongoing health services, as well as financial support after multiple hurricanes in the region.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 620 shipments containing 795,206 doses of medication during the past week to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 3.9 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 40,044 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 16.8K shipments to 2,256 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 83 countries. These shipments included 151.7 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.2 billion wholesale, totaling 2.5 million lbs.

In the News

Direct Relief and FedEx Respond to Texas Flooding With Critical Medical Aid – Yahoo! Finance

Accelerating Care of NCDs in Humanitarian Contexts – NCD Alliance

Medical Support Equips Communities Experiencing U.S. Floods, Earthquakes in Guatemala, and More – ReliefWeb

The post Supporting First Responder Community Health Centers, Mobile Health, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

“You can hear the excitement in the hallways,” said Marianne Martinez, CEO of Vecinos, a free and charitable clinic serving patients in western North Carolina. “The staff and patients are happy to have this space.”

Martinez, who has been with the organization since 2017, gave Direct Relief staff a tour of the health hub and said the $8 million building allows the free and charitable clinic to better serve patients, who are low-income, uninsured, adults in western North Carolina with a specific focus on the Latinx and agricultural worker communities.

The organization has adapted throughout the years to meet the needs of patients since its founding in 2001 through the Jackson County Public Health Department. Within three years, it was operating as a nonprofit mobile medical clinic for farmworkers across western North Carolina. In 2020, the Vecinos community began to think strategically about the future of the health hub from patient feedback that demonstrated a need for more bilingual free clinic services.

Vecinos serves a medically vulnerable population that has limited medical resources, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and compounded by changes to Medicaid. Macon County, where the facility is located, is considered a Medically Underserved Area, or a geographic area or population with limited access to primary care services, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.

After years of planning and work, the health hub opened on May 1. The facility is equipped with eight exam rooms, four dental operatories, a community event space, a pharmacy, and partner agencies that offer social health services. The CEO said that Hurricane Helene caused $500,000 in damages during construction of the hub, but it will be fully repaired and operational by September 2025.

Scaling Up to Meet the Need

The new building is in Franklin. Over 37,500 people live in Macon County, and just over 16% under the age of 65 are without health insurance, according to census data. About 14 percent of Macon residents live below the poverty line, and about 10 percent of the county identifies as Hispanic or Latino.

The space was built with their patients in mind, from the behavioral health wing to site security to protect patients. Staff say many of the patients have experienced levels of domestic violence, and the building has been designed to enhance patient safety and security.

So far, staff say the new space is a positive reminder of the work that they do each day.

“It’s great, the patients are more comfortable here,” Debora Alvarado, referrals coordinator, said about the new space. “We’re happy to have our own space for services.”

Alvarado, who has worked within every department at Vecinos over the last five years, said having their own space allows staff more time with patients, which also supports better communication.

Beyond Physical Health

The brick-and-mortar location will also have co-services through Pisgah Legal Services, which offers free legal assistance to low-income individuals; the WNC Alliance, which offers counseling and support to individuals affected by domestic violence and sexual assault; and El Centro Comunitario of Macon County, an advocacy group that empowers the Hispanic community.

“Our patients need a lot of things, and they don’t have time for all the things that they need,” Martinez said. Bringing services to them in one location is at the heart of the new facility.

In addition to the Hub, Vecinos has an outreach team of community health workers and a mobile clinic team to support their eight-county reach through home visits and migrant farmworker camp outreach.

The new building’s community event space is one of the most anticipated rooms in the building. Sheila Lewis, the clinic director, said the family-oriented room will allow them to host more events to engage the community, and for patients and their families to use the space for their own needs.

“That space is going to be awesome,” Lewis said.

Direct Relief has supported Vecinos with more than $1 million in medical support as well as financial support, including an emergency operating grant after Hurricane Helene.

The post After Hurricane Helene and Amid Increased Need, Free Clinic in Western North Carolina Opens Medical Hub appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included prenatal vitamins, hemophilia treatments, antibiotics, diabetes management medications, pharmaceutical-grade refrigeration units, surgical supplies, personal protective equipment, and more.

Texas Flood Response Continues

Direct Relief staff have been traveling through Kerr County and other flood-impacted parts of central Texas this week to support first responders and health facilities. Flooding earlier this month killed at least 135 people and more than 100 people remain unaccounted for as recovery efforts continue.

Direct Relief has been supporting search and rescue groups, including TEXSAR and Equusearch, with emergency operating grants as well as field medic packs to equip responders with first aid essentials for triage care. Direct Relief staff met with both groups this week to discuss supporting ongoing needs and also met with the Center Point Volunteer Fire Department, where Direct Relief delivered field medic packs that will be integrated into the fire department’s response vehicles.

Direct Relief staff also met with health organizations responding to flooded communities, including Fronteras Health Center, which has been providing mental health services to first responders. Direct Relief also met with La Esperanza Clinic in San Angelo, Texas, which has been providing mobile healthcare to the community.

Since July 4, Direct Relief has provided $2.6 million worth of medical aid across the state of Texas for ongoing health needs as well as emergency response. The organization will continue responding to recovery needs.

Community Health Fairs Reach Patients in Rural Puerto Rico

A community health fair in a mountainous area of Puerto Rico reached more than 70 patients with medical services last week.

On July 8, Direct Relief, in partnership with health center COSSAO, organized a community health fair in Utuado focused on expanding access to specialty care services. COSSAO, a nonprofit free clinic, has been delivering essential healthcare to underserved communities in Utuado, Ciales, and Jayuya for years.
Since 2017, Direct Relief has supported COSSAO through medication donations and cash grants, including funding for the expansion of its clinic infrastructure. This support has helped COSSAO grow its capacity to serve over 8,000 patients, offering services such as general medicine, pediatrics, and dentistry.

Volunteer physicians from RWJ Barnabas Health generously offered cardiology, pulmonology, and gynecology consultations free of charge. More than 120 services were provided to approximately 74 patients during the fair. Given the growing shortage of specialty care providers in Puerto Rico, events like this are vital for closing the gap in access—especially in remote and underserved regions like the central mountainous area.

As part of the fair, COSSAO’s team of health promoters identified homebound and bedridden individuals in the community. Dr. Pedro Juan “PJ” Vázquez, accompanied by a nurse and a psychology student, visited these patients in their homes. The team ensured both patients and their caregivers received personalized medical attention and emotional support.

In addition to these efforts, several partner organizations contributed to the fair. The Carlos Albizu University provided mental health services, while the Ponce Medical School Foundation coordinated for medical students to shadow the RWJ doctors, giving future physicians firsthand experience in community-based care delivery.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 549 shipments containing 1.1 million doses of medication during the past week to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 7.8 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 51,852 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 16.1K shipments to 2,235 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 81 countries. These shipments included 146.8 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.2 billion wholesale, totaling 2.4 million lbs.

In the News

Metallica’s All Within My Hands Donates $100k to Texas Flood Victims – The Music Universe

The “Volcano of Fire” Threatens Maya Communities in Guatemala. Again. – Angels in Medicine

PAHO Mobilized to Respond to the Humanitarian Crisis in Haiti – El Pais

Associations Join Forces to Bring Mobile Health Clinics to Vulnerable Areas – Cuspide Mexico

Direct Relief and COSSAO Hold Successful Health Fair in Utuado as Part of Hurricane Season Preparations – Sol Borincano

The post Responding to Texas Floods, Medical Needs in Rural Puerto Rico, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

Growing Gardens, founded in 1996, began as a community gardening initiative and has since expanded to include partnerships with schools through its Youth Grow program. The organization also runs a program in Oregon correctional facilities called Lettuce Grow. The organization focuses on food growth as a way to nourish the body as well as the larger community and ecosystem.

“There have been systemic choices to restrict access to healthy, nourishing food for specific people,” including those inside correctional facilities, said Jason Skipton, executive director of Growing Gardens.

Rima Green, who leads the Lettuce Grow program, said the intent is to allow people inside correctional facilities to have access to job training, horticulture education, and improve the food they have access to while incarcerated. “They’re turning a sand pit into a flower garden and they’re growing their own vegetables,” she said.

This process is deeply meaningful for inmates at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.

“When you have no form of escape, that can take you to a deep, dark place,” said Angela Miller, peer facilitator at the facility. “The gardening program allows you to process that in different ways. When you’re pulling a weed, it’s almost like you’re releasing something within you.”

“To rise up out of the ashes of our past and be a part of something beautiful changes our hearts,” said Kristina Landrum, inmate and participant in the program.

The organization also works with families to establish home gardens to connect people to foods that are important to their culture. The organization also runs a CSA program that connects residents with home deliveries of fresh produce.

Growing Gardens not only teaches people to grow their own food, but prioritizes hiring and training past program participants to serve as educators, organizers, and coordinators, providing workforce and leadership development for the people in the community it serves.

Community organizers are trained as community health workers to help communities access healthcare despite barriers such as language, insurance, or immigration status. It also partners with affordable housing developments and healthcare clinics to provide residents and patients access to healthy, locally grown produce to improve their health status.

Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity supported Growing Gardens with a $300,000 grant.

The post Increasing Food Access to Improve Health in Oregon appeared first on Direct Relief.

At least 132 people were killed in the July 4 flooding event, among them dozens of children. Officials reported that more than 850 people needed to be rescued from danger. Search and rescue teams, public health officials, and community health providers have been working to meet emergent health needs, including medical triage and mental health support. Harsh terrain and unpredictable weather conditions have made their work more difficult and more dangerous.

In response, Direct Relief is granting an initial $50,000 in emergency funding to search and rescue organizations, including TEXSAR and Texas EquuSearch, and is fulfilling requests for medical assistance, including field medic packs, for first responders in flood-impacted communities.

Direct Relief supports clinics and health centers throughout Texas on an ongoing basis and has done so for decades. Since July 4, Direct Relief has delivered more than $900,000 worth of medical aid—totaling 8,490 lbs.—to healthcare providers across Texas. Shipments include insulin, oral diabetes medications, thyroid treatments, blood thinners, antidepressants, and other treatments for chronic conditions. Additional resources such as pain relievers, allergy eye drops, and infant formula were also included. This support will continue well beyond the current emergency.

Frontera Healthcare Network, a community health center and Direct Relief partner, is providing medical supplies to the Center Point Volunteer Fire Department’s triage point, as well as offering behavioral health support to first responders.

Direct Relief has staff in Texas, and continues to collaborate with local healthcare providers, fire departments, search and rescue teams, and government agencies, and assess current and emerging healthcare needs.

Flooding and other extreme weather events can take a severe toll on community health, increasing the likelihood of everything from infectious diseases like norovirus (as people congregate in shelters) to mental health conditions, which affect survivors, responders, and community members alike.

Direct Relief frequently provides both emergent and long-term support to communities recovering from extreme weather events in Texas, throughout the Gulf Coast, and worldwide. The organization will continue to collaborate with responding partners in Texas in coming days.

The post Emergency Response Ongoing as Texas Flood Impacts Continue appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included prenatal vitamins, antibiotics, diabetes management medications, pharmaceutical-grade refrigeration units, surgical supplies, personal protective equipment, and more.

U.S. Emergency Response Continues for Texas, New Mexico

Direct Relief continues to respond to devastating floods across the United States with medical support departing for storm-impacted communities. Floods in Texas and in New Mexico have both been active and ongoing response efforts for the organization.

In response to last week’s devastating and deadly flooding in central Texas, shipments have departed for the state throughout the week, including to Hill Country Mission for Health, which is serving flood-impacted patients in Kendall County, Texas. Direct Relief has also committed $50,000 to search and rescue efforts, and offered field medic packs to equip first responders working in flood-affected areas. Medical support also arrived this week in San Angelo, Texas, where La Esperanza Clinic will be using Direct Relief-donated support to reach flood-impacted residents of the Texas Hill Country.

Direct Relief has also responded to flash floods that swept through Ruidoso, New Mexico, on July 8, killing at least three people. Direct Relief shipped requested field medic packs for first responders as well as personal care items for displaced people. These are bound for the Mescalero Apache Tribe, whose reservation encompasses the affected area.

Medical Support Ongoing for Those Impacted by Guatemala Earthquakes

A 5.7-magnitude quake struck Guatemala this week, spawning hundreds of aftershocks, killing at least four people and prompting widespread evacuations.

Shipments of medical support are being prepared for multiple organizations providing healthcare services in Guatemala, including Fundacion Margarita Valiente and Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados. Those medical requests include N95 respirators and personal care items for people displaced by the earthquakes.

Direct Relief partner organization Fundacion Margarita Valiente, or FMV, has also been working to reach remote areas, and deployed an emergency response team equipped with Direct Relief-provided field medic packs, which contain first aid essentials for triage care. The organization is working in multiple villages in Sacatepequez, Escuintla, and Chimaltenango.

At least 239 people have been treated for injuries and also for mental health needs, the group reported. Additionally, Asociación Nuestros Ahijados staff have focused their efforts on delivering emergency supplies to support rescue workers responding to the devastation in the Santa María area.

FMV has also coordinated with emergency services to transfer people who have required hospital care, and health staff are working in at least six informal shelters. The organization has also been responding to medical needs in communities near the Fuego Volcano, which has been active recently.

Equipping Doctors Without Walls for Street Medicine

This week, volunteers with Doctors Without Walls/Santa Barbara Street Medicine conducted street medicine outreach for people experiencing homelessness. The group worked to conduct medical outreach in Santa Barbara, California, equipped with Direct Relief’s field medic packs, which contain medical essentials for wound care, diagnostics, and other first aid supplies.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 305 shipments containing 809,884 doses of medication during the past week to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 11.5 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 76,307 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 15.5K shipments to 2,196 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 81 countries. These shipments included 143.9 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.2 billion wholesale, totaling 2.3 million lbs.

In the News

Here’s Where You Can Donate to Help Central Texas Flood Recovery – CBS News

Direct Relief Sends Critical Supplies to Texas in Response to Deadly Flash Floods – KSBY

Direct Relief Sending Aid After Tragic Flooding in Central Texas – KEYT

The post Medical Support Equips Communities Experiencing U.S. Floods, Earthquakes in Guatemala, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

In response to the ongoing disaster, Direct Relief has staff on the ground in Texas and is coordinating closely with local healthcare providers, emergency response agencies, and search-and-rescue groups. 

Direct Relief’s initial commitment of $50,000 in emergency operating funds for volunteer search and rescue crews aims to help support continued efforts, ensuring emergency personnel have the tools they need to respond. 

Through a long-term network of partnerships, Direct Relief provides both ongoing and emergency medical support to healthcare providers across the state, including in Kerr County. In the last 30 days, 36 shipments of medicines and supplies were shipped to 12 organizations in counties now under state disaster declaration. These include free and charitable clinics as well as summer camps operating in the area. Direct Relief is communicating with these organizations about needs arising since last week’s disaster.

This week, shipments continued to depart for Texas as more requests have been made known. One such request came from Hill Country Mission for Health, a free clinic that serves Kendall County, which has experienced flooding, including at least eight deaths. The free clinic requested personal care products for displaced people impacted by the floods, and those items arrived on Tuesday. Direct Relief is also working to fulfill requests from Austin Public Health for basic hygiene supplies for evacuees and displaced residents.

Requests for medical and financial support are expected to increase in the coming days as more needs become known, particularly around long-term mental health needs for first responders and those impacted directly by the floods.

The post Requested Aid Departs for Communities Impacted by Devastating Texas Floods appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has staff currently on the ground in Texas, and the organization is in communication with responding search and rescue groups, camps, and healthcare partners in affected areas, including National Emergency Management and Response, which deployed personnel to Kerrville in response to the flooding. To meet emergent needs related to Texas’s extreme weather events, Direct Relief has committed an initial $50,000 in direct funding and made its $90 million stockpile of medications and supplies available to responding organizations.

Through a long-term network of partnerships, Direct Relief provides both ongoing and emergency support to healthcare providers across the state, including in Kerr County. The organization has delivered more than $114,000 in essential medications and supplies to trusted community partners in Texas over the last 30 days, including Texas Lions Camp and Raphael Community Free Clinic in Kerr County and Lirios Pediatrics, and Hope Medical Clinic in Travis County – all aid that is immediately available to support communities impacted by the current disaster.

North Carolina

In North Carolina, Tropical Depression Chantal has brought heavy rainfall, flooding, and tornadoes, necessitating evacuations and more than 100 reported water rescues. Tens of thousands have been left without power, and roads have been flooded or blocked by trees and debris. One death has been reported. The storm system is continuing to move northward up the U.S. coast, and responders are concerned that there may be more flooding in the Cape Fear River Basin area.

Direct Relief has staff in North Carolina and maintains a wide network of partners in the impacted area. The organization has offered support to health centers and clinics that serve communities hit by Chantal, and is in contact with North Carolina Emergency Management and the North Carolina Community Health Center Association.

Looking Forward

In the aftermath of a flooding or tropical storm event, the most urgent health needs often center on a combination of implementing prevention measures and re-establishing continuity of care.

Tdap vaccinations, which protect against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, are frequently in high demand because people have been exposed to tetanus and other contaminants during disaster clean-up, and water purification tablets and IV fluids are also often requested and necessary to provide potable water and healthcare support. After recent flooding and tropical storm events, Direct Relief has also met significantly increased needs for epinephrine auto-injectors, as patients and emergency responders alike experience stings from bees and yellowjackets, as well as for protective gear, respiratory inhalers, and insect repellent.

People who evacuate or are displaced from their homes are frequently forced to do so without their prescriptions, leading to an increased risk of complications from health conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other serious chronic health issues. Patients who require consistent medical intervention, such as those with cancer or kidney disease, or people who rely on powered medical devices, are also at increased risk of experiencing long-term, adverse consequences to their health in the aftermath of these disasters.

During intensive rescue operations, first responders, such as the search and rescue teams on the ground in central Texas, often wear through their gear, medical supplies, and financial resources as they work to save as many lives as possible over days. While these organizations are frequently staffed and run by volunteers, a large-scale response can deplete operating costs quickly.

Direct Relief will continue to monitor the situation, in close collaboration with responding organizations, and provide support as needed. Generally, it takes days after a disaster to begin to grasp the full scale of medical impacts, and healthcare needs grow greater in the weeks following a disaster.

The post Direct Relief Responds to Texas Flooding, North Carolina Storm Impacts appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has announced $50,000 to support the rapid deployment of emergency medical supplies and operating funds to impacted communities. The organization is actively coordinating with healthcare providers and emergency response partners across the state to support immediate and emerging needs.

Direct Relief has also made its $90 million inventory of medical supplies available to support healthcare facilities responding to the disaster. This includes prescription medications, field medic packs for first responders, personal care items for displaced individuals, emergency medical backpacks, chronic disease treatments such as insulin and inhalers, and other essential items needed in the wake of a large-scale emergency.

To ensure support reaches those most impacted, Direct Relief has reached out to clinic and health center partners in the Texas Hill Country and across the state, along with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), the Texas Association of Community Health Centers (TACHC), the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC), the Texas Association of Charitable Clinics (TXACC), and the Mobile Healthcare Association.

Direct Relief has also contacted local search and rescue teams, including Texas Search & Rescue (TEXSAR), Texas EquuSearch, and the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office. The organization remains in close contact with National EMR, which has deployed personnel to Kerrville and is operating from the field and Emergency Operations Center.

As a long-time supporter of healthcare providers across Texas, Direct Relief remains committed to responding quickly, coordinating closely with local partners, and ensuring that essential medical care is accessible to those affected by this devastating event.

The post As First Responders in Texas Search for Flood Survivors, Direct Relief Commits $50,000 in Emergency Funds appeared first on Direct Relief.

Thousands of residents are under evacuation orders in areas impacted by the Wolf and Juniper fires, as well as the Lake fire in San Bernardino County. The Lake fire has burned more than 480 acres and is 50% contained.

Smoke and ash from these fires have degraded air quality, especially in the Inland Empire. Health officials warn that vulnerable populations, notably children, older adults, and individuals with respiratory or heart conditions, should reduce outdoor exposure, use air purifiers or clean HVAC filters, and wear N95 masks when smoke is present.

Containment efforts continue statewide as officials brace for escalating conditions amid a dry winter-to-spring followed by rising temperatures and potential red flag weather. With dry fuel loads and hot, dry weather expected into the holiday weekend, authorities warn that more ignitions are likely.

Direct Relief’s Response

Direct Relief has a long history of responding to wildfires in California, including recent wildfires in Los Angeles in January 2025. The organization maintains a medical inventory of aid commonly requested during fires, including N95 respirators, respiratory therapies including inhalers, eye drops, chronic disease management medications, and more.

In response to fires currently burning in the states, Direct Relief offered support to community health centers and free clinics near the Wolf Fire and is coordinating with Health Center Partners of Southern California, a regional network of community health centers, to offer additional assistance. The organization is ready to respond to any medical needs as they become known.

The post Ten Wildfires, Two Days, One State appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included chemotherapy treatments, antibiotics, diabetes management medications, surgical supplies, personal protective equipment, and more.

Medical Aid Continues for Myanmar Earthquake Response

In response to the devastating earthquakes that struck Myanmar earlier this year, Direct Relief continues to support the region with medical aid.

This week, a shipment of emergency medical supplies and medications departed Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara warehouse to support the ongoing earthquake recovery operations of Première Urgence Internationale, or PUI. The France-based international NGO has worked in Myanmar since 1984 to deliver services in primary healthcare, maternal and child health, HIV prevention, protection, and counseling, sexual and reproductive health and rights, nutrition, food security and water, sanitation, and hygiene.

When the 7.7-magnitude earthquake reverberated through the region in March 2025, collapsing thousands of buildings, including health centers, PUI sent a team from its Kayin base to the quake’s epicenter in Mandalay to conduct a rapid needs assessment and conduct recovery and emergency medical treatment. The organization continues to provide emergency medical response to people impacted by the quake.

This shipment is part of a wider Direct Relief emergency response effort following the Myanmar earthquake, which has included emergency shipments to Community Partners International and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management as the region continues to recover.

Direct Relief Visits Organizations Involved in Wildfire Recovery

This week, Direct Relief staff met with organizations in Los Angeles continuing to respond to communities impacted by wildfires. Direct Relief CEO Amy Weaver and COO and President Dr. Byron Scott visited AltaMed, a health center serving patients in the greater L.A. area. Staff visited the organization’s pediatrics and dental facilities to hear how the health center is continuing to respond to patients recovering from the January 2025 fires.

Staff also visited the Hope Now Community Resource Center, Pasadena Education Foundation, and the Foothill Family Ralph H. Moore Jr. Family Center.

GoFundMe CEO, Search and Rescue Volunteer Tim Cadogan Speaks at Direct Relief

This week, GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan visited the Direct Relief headquarters to speak with staff about community resilience and the vital role of volunteer-led organizations in disaster response. A longtime volunteer with the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue team in Altadena, California, Cadogan shared his firsthand experience responding to the January 2025 Eaton Fire, where he and his search and rescue colleagues were deployed during and immediately after the crisis.

Direct Relief supported the team’s efforts by providing essential protective gear and emergency cash grants to aid their operations. Direct Relief’s ongoing support of search and rescue organizations, including donations of medical supplies, equipment, and vehicles like the Ford F450 used in recovery efforts, reflects its deep commitment to empowering community-based responders.

Direct Relief also uses GoFundMe Pro software to power its fundraising, enabling the organization to mobilize support quickly and effectively when crises strike. In his remarks, Cadogan emphasized the still-pressing needs in fire-affected communities and the importance of continued investment in volunteer emergency services, many of which operate with limited resources and rely on public support to equip their teams.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 652 shipments containing 1.1 million doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 3.8 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 48,772 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 13.7K shipments to 2,086 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 78 countries. These shipments included 122.9 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.1 billion wholesale, totaling 2.1 million lbs.

The post Medical Aid Departs for Ongoing Earthquake Response in Myanmar, 18 Other Countries This Week appeared first on Direct Relief.

The area in Erick’s projected path has faced two major hurricanes in the past two years, including last year’s devastating Hurricane John and the unprecedented Category 5 Hurricane Otis in 2023. The storms left much of Guerrero state’s infrastructure fragile and local communities vulnerable. Soils remain saturated from successive storms, increasing the risk of severe flooding, landslides, and disease outbreaks.

According to Mexico’s national forecast, Erick is expected to drop between eight and 16 inches of rain, with isolated areas liable to receive up to 20 inches. Authorities warn of coastal inundation and flash flooding in low-lying areas. Rough seas and dangerous storm surge conditions are expected to develop ahead of landfall.

Coordination Underway

Direct Relief is in close contact with Mexican health authorities and partners on the ground. Teams have spoken with the coordinator of the Guerrero Centro Regulador de Urgencias Médicas, or CRUM, who has requested additional emergency health kits and medical backpacks to supplement units already staged in the region.

Direct Relief has also connected with the head of the Federal Centro Operativo para la Atención de Contingencias, or COPAC, which is currently meeting with local authorities to determine the highest-priority needs and deployment logistics.

CRUM and other regional agencies are actively preparing for a potential medical response, including the deployment of first responders to flood-prone areas and mountainous regions likely to be cut off by road damage.

Long-Term Health Concerns

Public health officials warn that Hurricane Erick could worsen ongoing challenges stemming from previous disasters. Following Hurricane Otis, which devastated Acapulco and surrounding communities in late 2023, the region saw a surge in dengue fever cases due to extensive standing water and debris, which created prime breeding conditions for mosquitoes.

This risk remains high. Direct Relief-supported responders noted that even months after Otis and John, many parts of Guerrero still struggle with debris, limited infrastructure, and interrupted healthcare access. Saturated soils also raise the threat of waterborne illnesses and cholera outbreaks.

The affected region is home to approximately 1.2 million people. No deaths or evacuations have been reported at this time, but the situation remains fluid.

Direct Relief’s emergency response team is closely monitoring Hurricane Erick and remains ready to mobilize additional resources, including medical aid, cold-chain support for vaccines, and backup power systems, as needed.

The post Hurricane Erick Intensifies, Tracking Towards Mexico’s Southern Coast appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included chemotherapy treatments, medications for autoimmune diseases, antibiotics, diabetes management medications, surgical supplies, personal protective equipment, and more.

Supporting Cancer Care in Uganda

This week, a shipment of requested medicines departed for Uganda to support the Uganda Cancer Institute, or UCI, a public facility focused on cancer care, research, and training in East Africa. UCI treats hundreds of patients daily and plays a central role in expanding cancer services across the country.

The Direct Relief shipment included cardiovascular medications, gastrointestinal drugs, autonomic therapies, and anti-infective agents. These resources will help strengthen clinical capacity and expand access to essential care for people facing cancer.

Medical Support Departs for the Dominican Republic

Direct Relief recently shipped a full-sized shipping container packed with 3M N95 respirators to Fundación Solidaria del Divino Niño Jesús, or FSDNJ, in the Dominican Republic. The shipment supports FSDNJ’s distribution of medical supplies to health facilities in the country’s northern region, home to more than 6 million people — many of whom face poverty and limited access to care.

Through its network of more than 100 health sites, including several clinics along the Haiti border, FSDNJ provides care for respiratory illnesses, malnutrition, diabetes, cancer, and more. The masks will help protect frontline workers, especially as the region prepares for hurricane season and a potential influx of patients.

Direct Relief has partnered with FSDNJ for 14 years and remains committed to supporting frontline providers across the Dominican Republic with the resources needed to deliver care

Diabetes Therapies Reach Southern Ukraine

Diabetes management medications recently arrived in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, to support medical care in southern Ukraine. A recent shipment of the therapies from Direct Relief was distributed by Charity Fund Yevgen Pyvovarov.

Since February 2022, Direct Relief has provided more than $1.8 billion in medical aid to Ukraine.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 380 shipments containing 819,531 doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 3.2 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 67,651 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 13K shipments to 2,055 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 78 countries. These shipments included 118.2 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1 billion wholesale, totaling 2.0 million lbs.

The post Medical Support En Route to the Dominican Republic, 16 Other Countries This Week appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included therapies for rare disease management, antibiotics, diabetes management medications, personal protective equipment, and more.

Supporting Health in Chad

This week, Direct Relief shipped a requested delivery of essential medicines and supplies to Chad’s Ministry of Public Health and Prevention. The shipment includes treatments for infections, chronic conditions, cancer, wound care items, protective gear, and other critical resources.

This delivery follows a series of shipments to Chad as the government manages the ongoing flow of Sudanese refugees over its eastern border, including a recent emergency delivery of 40 Midwife Kits — developed with and endorsed by the International Confederation of Midwives and each designed to support 50 safe births — to strengthen maternal care as the country continues to respond to growing health needs, including those driven by rising numbers of refugees.

Direct Relief, Liquid IV in Los Angeles as fire recovery continues

Staff from Direct Relief and Liquid IV met with partner organizations continuing to work towards recovery in the aftermath of Los Angeles-area wildfires recently.

The group met with Medical Mission Adventures, a mobile healthcare provider that offers free medical, dental, and optical services to communities in need. Medical Director Dr. Evelyn Wong and Physician Assistant Xochitl Flores, along with their volunteer team, have been serving Altadena residents affected by the wildfires.

Staff also toured the Central City Community Health Center residence that had previously housed special needs patients, all of whom were safely evacuated. Dr. Shareeq Shamsid-Deen met the team with CCCHC’s mobile clinic RV parked in front of the vacant lot. He discussed their crucial services following the Eaton wildfire.

“Every Pallet is a Lifeline”

Direct Relief CEO Amy Weaver was featured in a live broadcast on Santa Barbara’s KEYT evening news recently. Weaver reflected on her background and the path that brought her to Direct Relief, including more than a decade in leadership at Salesforce, where lessons learned are now being applied to maximize human impact.

Weaver also spoke about what it means to step into the role during a time of unprecedented humanitarian need, to show up, bring boldness and urgency, and do the work the world needs.

“Every Pallet Is a Lifeline”: Amy Weaver on Leading Direct Relief as CEO | News Channel 3-12

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 299 shipments containing 288,089 doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 6 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 48,787 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 12K shipments to 1,978 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 78 countries. These shipments included 112 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $961.3 million wholesale, totaling 1.9 million lbs.

The post Medical Aid Departs for Chad, 11 Other Countries Across Globe This Week appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included therapies for rare disease management, prenatal vitamins, cold storage units for temperature-sensitive medications, diabetes management medications, personal protective equipment, and more.

U.S. Storm Response Continues

A steady cadence of medical support continues to depart for communities slammed by violent tornadoes this week, including in Missouri, Kentucky, and other parts of the United States.

In response to requests, medical aid departed this week for multiple health centers in St. Louis, including the People’s Health Centers in St. Louis, Missouri. The clinic received field medic packs, including medical essentials for triage care, to support mobile medical outreach in storm-impacted areas.

Tdap vaccines for people at risk of tetanus exposure during storm cleanup, diabetes test strips, and a mix of over-the-counter and chronic disease management medications were also shipped to the center.

Additional requests from CareSTL and Affinia Healthcare, two other community health providers in Missouri serving heavily impacted areas, departed this week and included essential medicines and supplies, tetanus vaccines, chronic disease medications, antibiotics, EpiPens, diabetes supplies, N95 respirators, and gloves. On Wednesday, personal care items, including soap, shampoo, and dental hygiene products, were shipped to facilities in Missouri to support displaced people.

Direct Relief will continue to support the critical work of community health centers, free clinics, and other first responders.

Medical Support Bound for the DRC

In response to ongoing conflict in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Direct Relief shipped a new delivery of emergency medical supplies and essential medications this week to support Jericho Road’s Wellness Clinic at New Hope Center in Goma.

Cardiovascular medications, wound care supplies, and other critical items requested by the clinic are en route to support the health center’s operations. The delivery builds on previous support from Direct Relief, including a $50,000 grant for Mpox response efforts and a $25,000 emergency grant to help sustain care after Goma’s capture by the M23 militia.

Direct Relief has supported Jericho Road’s work in the region since 2016 and remains committed to strengthening access to care.

Wildlife Resilience Gathering Held at Direct Relief

This week, Direct Relief hosted a convening of the Wildfire Resilience Funders Network at Direct Relief headquarters in Santa Barbara, California. The event included a panel titled “Funding Resilience in Recovery” that featured experts in the space, including Direct Relief’s Associate Director of U.S. Emergency Response Annie Vu.

The gathering brought together community leaders and supporters to discuss resilience and recovery strategies in response to wildfires in the U.S.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 567 shipments containing 703,966 doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 868,825 defined daily doses of medication, totaling 19,444 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 11.6K shipments to 1,931 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 78 countries. These shipments included 105.7 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $940.4 million wholesale, totaling 1.8 million lbs.

The post Medical Aid Reaches Tornado-Impacted Communities in U.S. appeared first on Direct Relief.

In response to requests, medical aid departed on Tuesday for the People’s Health Centers in St. Louis, Missouri. Six field medic packs, including medical essentials for triage care, were shipped to the health center to support mobile medical outreach in storm-impacted areas.

Tdap vaccines for people at risk of tetanus exposure during storm cleanup, diabetes test strips, and a mix of over-the-counter and chronic disease management medications were also shipped to the center.

Additional requests from CareSTL and Affinia Healthcare, two other community health providers in Missouri serving heavily impacted areas, departed this week and included essential medicines and supplies, tetanus vaccines, chronic disease medications, antibiotics, EpiPens, diabetes supplies, N95 respirators, and gloves.

Affinia Healthcare CEO Kendra Holmes shared that clinic healthcare providers are working in the hardest hit areas to distribute hygiene kits, water, and other essentials to the community. Clinic staff are directing individuals to shelters and providing bus tickets for transportation.

Direct Relief will continue to support the critical work of community health centers, free clinics, and other first responders.

The post U.S. Tornado Response Continues As New Storms Loom appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included therapies for rare disease management, cancer therapies, diabetes management medications, personal protective equipment, and more.

Direct Relief CEO Visits Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics

Direct Relief CEO Amy Weaver visited the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics this week, where she toured the Eastside Neighborhood Clinic and met with staff, including the Neighborhood Clinic’s CEO, Dr. Mahdi Ashrafian. Weaver and Direct Relief staff also delivered requested items, including dental products that will be distributed to patients at the dental clinic.

The Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics is a multi-site community health center providing care to 1 in 10 people in the community and has been serving the Santa Barbara area for over 52 years. Over 22,000 patients are cared for at four medical clinics, two dental clinics, a bridge clinic for substance use disorders, and health promotion services with wellness navigators.

Direct Relief has provided over $1 million worth of medical aid to the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics since 2014 and more than $470,000 in financial assistance.

Medical Aid Continues to Arrive in Myanmar, Post-Earthquake

As part of Direct Relief’s ongoing response to the destructive earthquake that impacted Myanmar in March, an emergency shipment recently reached Community Partners International, or CPI, a Direct Relief partner providing critical aid to communities on the ground.

The shipment included antibiotics, diabetes medications, diagnostic supplies, hygiene items, oral rehydration salts, and field medic packs to equip CPI’s mobile medical teams operating in some of the hardest-hit areas.

This delivery follows a $50,000 emergency support grant to CPI for local search and rescue efforts and mobile health programming in the earthquake’s aftermath.

Responding to the Fuego Volcano in Guatemala

On March 10, 2025, Volcán del Fuego—one of Central America’s most active volcanoes—erupted just 33 miles from Guatemala City, affecting over 30,000 people and displacing more than 900 families. The eruption caused widespread health issues, including burns, respiratory complications, infections, and malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable Indigenous communities.

In response, Direct Relief partnered with Fundación Margarita Valiente, or FMV, a Guatemalan nonprofit focused on supporting Indigenous communities, to provide field medic packs, essential medicines, N95 masks, and other critical supplies. The packs were rapidly deployed to medical teams treating patients in shelters, homes, and mobile pop-up clinics, enabling them to reach individuals in hard-to-access areas, including those unable or unwilling to evacuate.

Using Direct Relief’s donated supplies, FMV organized six health fairs at the two main shelters to address urgent needs. This support helped extend care to those most affected and further expanded access in communities with limited or no access to traditional health services.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 746 shipments containing 2 million doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 1.9 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 57,469 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 11.1K shipments to 1,902 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 78 countries. These shipments included 104.1 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $921.1 million wholesale, totaling 1.8 million lbs.

The post Treating Patients Impacted by Guatemala’s Fuego Volcano, Responding to Myanmar Earthquake, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

Since Hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton made landfall last year, Direct Relief has provided more than $50 million in aid to affected areas—$42 million in medical resources and $9 million in financial support.

Hurricane Beryl

Hurricane Beryl broke records in late June 2024 as the earliest Category 5 Atlantic storm, tearing from Grenada and Jamaica across the eastern Caribbean, brushing Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, and finally striking Texas.

Direct Relief’s support tracked the storm from beginning to end:

• Pre-positioned aid: A hurricane preparedness pack (enough medicines and supplies for 1,000 people for 30 days) and field medic packs, staged in St. Lucia, were moved to Grenada ahead of landfall. Medical cots and large tents from Direct Relief’s Puerto Rico stockpile reached Carriacou Island on July 8, enabling the Ministry of Health to set up emergency wards and shelters.
• Caribbean Aid: Since June 2024, Direct Relief has supplied $6.7 million in medical aid—more than 1.6 million defined-daily-dose equivalents of medication. Shipments covered chronic-disease drugs, PPE, nutritionals, and targeted dengue-response supplies requested by health authorities, and field medic packs have equipped Medical Professionals on a Mission, whose volunteer clinicians reach isolated communities throughout the Caribbean. An additional $3 million grant to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States is strengthening regional disaster-readiness and public-health capacity.
• Texas Aid: After Beryl’s U.S. landfall, Direct Relief dispatched emergency health kits, insulin and diabetes supplies, naloxone, prenatal vitamins, personal-care items, and other requested materials to clinics across the state. To date, Texas facilities have received $7.8 million in medical support, ensuring care continuity for storm-affected communities.

Hurricane Beryl

A Houston Clinic Meets Urgent Needs, Protects Long-Term Health in Beryl’s Aftermath

Hurricane Beryl

Caribbean Rapid Response Medical Team Prepares for Hurricane

hURRICANE bERYL

Hurricane Impacts: Damaged Clinics, No Running Water, Compromised Vaccines

Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Back-to-back hurricanes struck the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic in late 2024. Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm, hit Florida’s Big Bend region on September 29 before sweeping through Georgia, the Carolinas, and into Virginia.

Just days later, Hurricane Milton followed a similar path, exacerbating the damage left behind. Together, the storms caused deadly tornadoes, widespread flooding, and left millions without power.

Since landfall, Direct Relief has provided more than $32 million in assistance, including $27 million in medical aid and $5.8 million in financial support to health providers across the hardest-hit states.

State-by-State Support:

• North Carolina – $13.4 million worth of medical aid, $2,833,000 in financial support (Hurricane Helene)
• Florida – $8 million worth of medical aid, $2,557,000 in financial support (Hurricanes Helene and Milton)
• Tennessee – $3.2 million worth of medical aid, $350,000 in financial support (Hurricane Helene)
• South Carolina – $2.2 million worth of medical aid (Hurricane Helene)
• Georgia – $568k in product, $100,000 in financial support (Hurricane Helene)
• Virginia – $174k worth of medical aid (Hurricane Helene)

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Direct Relief delivered hundreds of specifically requested shipments to more than 90 healthcare facilities across Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Supplies included antibiotics, medications for chronic conditions, epinephrine, vaccines, personal protective equipment, oral rehydration salts, and water purification tablets.

In North Carolina, Direct Relief staff personally delivered support to NC MedAssist, a statewide charitable pharmacy serving uninsured patients. The organization received tetanus vaccines for cleanup crews, epinephrine for insect-sting reactions, and field medic packs for mobile health outreach.

With many facilities damaged, staff displaced, and access to utilities disrupted, Direct Relief issued emergency operating grants to help providers maintain services. Funding supported essential supplies, staffing, repairs, and care for patients with injuries, chronic conditions, mental health needs, and disrupted prenatal care.

Though less intense than initially feared, Hurricane Milton worsened conditions in already battered communities. Power outages, flooding, and tornadoes created urgent medical needs in places like the Spanish Lakes senior community, where Oceana Community Health deployed two mobile clinics even before the storm made landfall. Direct Relief supported the response with medical supplies and emergency funding.

2025 Hurricane Season: Looking Ahead

As the new hurricane season begins, Direct Relief remains committed not only to response, but to helping communities better withstand future storms.

That commitment includes strengthening local supply chains, expanding backup power capacity at healthcare facilities, and ensuring frontline providers have access to the resources needed to safeguard vulnerable populations.

By working in close coordination with trusted local partners and building on lessons from previous responses, Direct Relief continues to invest in scalable, high-impact solutions that protect health and improve disaster readiness—before, during, and after the storm.

hURRICANE hELENE

A North Carolina Pharmacy Confronts Destroyed Roads, Downed Lines to Fight Helene Health Threat

hURRICANE hELENE

Months After Helene’s Floodwaters Receded, North Carolina Communities Still Recovering

Hurricane Milton

Florida Retirement Community Devastated Before Hurricane Milton’s Landfall

The post 2025 Hurricane Season Nears as U.S. and Caribbean Continue Rebuilding from 2024 Storms appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included therapies for rare disease management, prenatal vitamins, surgical supplies, diabetes management medications, personal protective equipment, and more.

Direct Relief Welcomes CEO Amy Weaver

This week, Amy Weaver officially began as Chief Executive Officer of Direct Relief, bringing a record of executive leadership and a deep humanitarian commitment to the organization as it scales its operations to aid people affected by poverty, disaster, and conflict worldwide.

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.

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.

Read more.

Direct Relief Strengthens Response in the Pacific

The Pacific Community, or SPC, and Direct Relief signed a memorandum of understanding that will facilitate collaboration and coordination in strengthening health systems and emergency preparedness by improving disaster management, information sharing, and capacity building.

The MOU was signed during the Pacific Heads of Health Meeting last month and aims to boost the support provided to Pacific Island countries and territories, or PICTs, during disaster-related emergencies. SPC includes Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia.

Direct Relief has worked in the Pacific to support ongoing health efforts and emergency responses to Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu in 2015, Cyclone Winston in Fiji in 2016, the volcanic eruption in Vanuatu in 2017, it supported medical teams during the 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa, it supported partners across the region during the Covid pandemic between 2020-2022, and most recently offered emergency support to Vanuatu after the 2024 earthquake in Port Vila.

Read more.

Field Medic Packs Strengthen Preparedness in Turkey

Direct Relief-donated Field Medic Packs to equip first responders with medical essentials for triage care arrived in Turkey this week.

Direct Relief partner organization, Needs Map, delivered the backpacks to AFAD, Turkey’s national disaster response agency. Needs Map met with AFAD officials in Adana and Cankkale as part of emergency preparedness for the country’s summer season, which brings heat and potential wildfires. The country is also earthquake-prone, with a 6.2-magnitude earthquake rattling Istanbul last month.

Direct Relief responded to the devastating 2023 earthquakes in Southern Turkey and Northern Syria, mobilizing more than $200 million in medical aid, dispatching over 800 tons of supplies, and more than $10 million in financial assistance to frontline healthcare providers.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 478 shipments containing 2 million doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 5.6 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 63,457 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 10.3K shipments to 1,867 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 78 countries. These shipments included 100.2 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $899.1 million wholesale, totaling 1.7 million lbs.

In the News

Amy Weaver Officially Steps into CEO Role at Direct Relief – Pacific Coast Business Times

Grammy Awards Donations Distributed to Those Affected by Wildfires – Pasadena Now

Amid Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Group Finds a Way to Provide Care, Keep Insulin Flowing – Angels in Medicine

Grammy Viewers Donated Nearly $10 Million to L.A. Wildfire Relief Efforts: Here’s Where It Went – Billboard

Direct Relief Accepts 2025 Seoul Peace Prize for Global Humanitarian Impact – AccessNewswire

The post Medical Support Departs for Haiti, 12 Other Countries This Week from Direct Relief appeared first on Direct Relief.

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.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included therapies for rare disease management, surgical supplies, diabetes management medications, personal protective equipment, and more.

Direct Relief Accepts Seoul Peace Prize

Direct Relief this week formally accepted the 2025 Seoul Peace Prize, one of the world’s most distinguished honors for humanitarian achievement, in recognition of the organization’s unwavering commitment to aiding people affected by poverty, disasters, and conflict.

“Peace is not just about the absence of conflict, but the presence of dignity, opportunity, and hope for all people,” said Dr. Byron Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Relief, at the award ceremony Monday in Seoul. “This is what Direct Relief strives to create through our work—by ensuring everyone, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay, has access to the healthcare they need to live full and healthy lives.”

Established in 1990 to commemorate the Seoul Olympic Games, the Seoul Peace Prize recognizes individuals and organizations making significant global contributions to peace, development, and human welfare. Direct Relief, the 17th laureate, joins distinguished previous awardees such as Kofi Annan, Václav Havel, Ban Ki Moon, and Doctors Without Borders.

Read more.

Midwife Kits Arrive in Chad

Direct Relief-donated Midwife Kits recently arrived in Chad to support the country’s health system.

Forty Midwife Kits, which contain medical essentials for safe births, arrived to support Chad’s Ministry of Health. The shipment also included other requested medical support, including insulin. The kits have been deployed to 35 countries to support health providers and were designed in collaboration with and endorsed by the International Confederation of Midwives.

Oxygen Concentrators Support Health System in St. Lucia

A critical donation of medical equipment, including oxygen concentrators, will support health services in the Caribbean country of St. Lucia, thanks to a donation from Direct Relief.

Direct Relief made a $3 million commitment to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, or OECS, to enhance the health infrastructure and resilience within its member states. The Caribbean is vulnerable to natural disasters region, including hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanoes, among others.

St. Lucia’s Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs announced a donation of vital medical equipment under this initiative, which addresses critical gaps in the country’s health infrastructure, especially as Saint Lucia and the wider region continue to recover from disasters such as Hurricane Beryl in 2024 and the lingering impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organization said in a statement

The newly donated equipment includes oxygen concentrators, which are often used to assist oxygen levels in people living with asthma or other respiratory conditions.

“This donation today highlights our commitment to ensuring that we have the necessary equipment and facilities in place to support continued treatment, even during disruptions caused by pandemics or natural disasters. Our priority is to preserve life and minimize the risk of premature death, aligning squarely with the ministry’s mandate,” said Jenny Daniel, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs.

Ashes to Anthems Benefit Concert and Panel Held

Associate Director of U.S. Emergency Response Annie Vu represented Direct Relief on the “Philanthropy in Recovery: Equity, Agency & Rebuilding” panel at the Ashes to Anthems Benefit Concert in Pasadena.

Leaders from Direct Relief, the California Black Freedom Fund, BeyGOOD Foundation, Special Needs Network, Inc., Pasadena Community Foundation, Shared Harvest Foundation, and NAACP gathered for a vital conversation about advancing justice, equity, and resilience in disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 632 shipments containing 2.6 million doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 1.4 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 39,711 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 9,774 shipments to 1,835 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 77 countries. These shipments included 92.6 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $753.7 million wholesale, totaling 1.6 million lbs.

In the News

Medical relief organization ‘Direct Relief’ wins Seoul Peace Prize – Donga.com

Non-profit medical relief organization ‘Direct Relief’ wins Seoul Peace Prize – Yonhap News TV

Direct Relief launches $2.7 million healthcare initiative – Philanthropy News Digest

SPC and Direct Relief: A coordinated approach to Pacific Health – ReliefWeb

The post Direct Relief Accepts Seoul Peace Prize, Medical Support Departs for 19 Countries, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

Below are highlights from his speech.

Direct Relief’s mission to provide life-saving medical resources is a collective effort. This recognition belongs to all those who have shared in our mission, from our tireless staff to the incredible partners who offer their time, resources, and expertise.

But above all, we must recognize the strength of the local health professionals we support around the world.

It is these dedicated individuals – doctors, nurses, community health workers, counselors, and many thousands of others – who truly understand the needs of their own communities worldwide.

Our mission is simple: We use our expertise in sourcing, transporting, and distributing medical aid, and our decades of experience responding to emergencies and supporting communities, to empower local providers to bring health and a brighter future to the patients they serve.

We know that peace is not just about the absence of conflict, but the presence of dignity, opportunity, and hope for all people.

Too often, conflict, economic and political instability, and a rapidly changing environment impact the lives of vulnerable people, depriving them of their health and their welfare. War prevents people from accessing nutritious food, giving birth safely, or treating a deadly disease like cancer. A tropical storm kills untold thousands in the years after it destroys houses, crops, and livelihoods.

But even when these forces remain relatively stable – which they are not at this moment – that stability cannot compensate for lack of health. As the present Dalai Lama so eloquently reminds us, “Peace, in the sense of the absence of war, is of little value to someone who is dying of hunger or cold.”

For us, this prize is a reminder that peace begins in the most fundamental way—in supporting the health and well-being of every person. When health is compromised, so too is the potential of individuals and communities. But when health is protected, people can pursue their education, their work, and their dreams. Their lives, and the lives of their community members, countrypeople, and fellow citizens of the world, are protected and allowed to flourish. This is the peace we aim to foster every day.

Direct Relief’s simple mission has remained unchanged since its founding in 1948: to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies by providing the essential medical resources needed for their care.
However, this simplicity masks the complexity of the challenges we face. Health is not just about treating illness—it’s about strengthening the systems that allow individuals and communities to access the care they deserve.
That is why we focus on supporting local health systems, because sustainable change comes from within communities, where healthcare providers are closest to the needs of the people.

These needs are many and diverse. Physicians working with people fleeing horrific violence in Sudan need insulin to treat diabetes and medical refrigerators in which to store them, while health workers need dedicated supplies to manage and prevent cholera. A field hospital caring for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh needs field medic supplies, so providers can go into the camps to reach their patients. A Puerto Rican health center, whose patients’ lives were shattered by Hurricane Maria, needs reliable, resilient power. Patients in Nepal need high-quality, reliable medical oxygen.

We provide not only supplies but also the resources that empower local health professionals to continue their critical work. Whether it’s by sending vaccines to prevent disease, delivering insulin to children in need, or providing medications to hospitals in conflict zones, we make sure that the right resources arrive in the right hands, at the right time.

While many of these efforts make the world news—like the responses to the devastation of war or the aftermath of disasters—just as much of Direct Relief’s work happens quietly, behind the scenes. It’s the cold chain logistics that ensure life-saving insulin and vaccines reach the most remote communities in pristine condition, even when a conflict or typhoon has cut them off from the world. It’s the investments we’ve made in solar-powered health facilities in under-resourced areas from the U.S. to the Philippines to Sierra Leone, ensuring that health professionals have the power they need to keep operating even when local electricity is unavailable.

I’d like to discuss two examples of ongoing work that speak to building resilience over time, in collaboration with healthcare providers and community groups. Every situation and every place is unique, so no one emergency response or long-term program can capture the scope of Direct Relief’s work. We learn from each response and each partner, and some elements of our support are universal.

But two very different emergencies show how profoundly an emergency impacts health, and the flexibility and range that each situation demands.

In January, wildfires erupted across Los Angeles County. These fires displaced hundreds of thousands of people; destroyed tens of thousands of homes; polluted air, soil, and water.

Direct Relief has worked with partners in these communities for many years, and there are so many people who need ongoing support: low-income communities who rely on a local clinic, agricultural workers, unsheltered individuals, and many more. But in a tragedy like this, the emergent needs are tremendous, and highly urgent.

Our staff transported medicine and equipment to evacuation shelters where medically fragile older adults were congregating, and to health care providers working on the ground to get people their medications and treat their wounds. Search and rescue teams who were evacuating people through the smoke and downed power lines received deliveries of equipment and emergency funding.

Direct Relief staff distributed respirators and hygiene items. Our experience responding to wildfires in Hawaii told us that we needed to have protective equipment ready for thousands of people braving toxins and smoke to return to their homes.

Because disasters so disproportionately hurt low-income and other vulnerable people, we’ve focused on groups working to reduce the disparities caused by disasters. Direct Relief grants will provide mental health support for children, caregivers, and unsheltered individuals affected by the fires. Another will fund safety training and protective equipment for cleanup crews. Because so many medically vulnerable older adults live in the area, we’re working to make sure they find new long-term housing.

Recovery after a catastrophe on that scale will take years. And supporting the existing network, helping health care providers and community advocates carry out their work amid the neighborhoods and people they know, will continue to be indispensable.

That’s a lesson our years of work in Ukraine have only reinforced for us. When the conflict with Russia escalated to a full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, medical supply chains collapsed, and people fled the country or sought safety far from home. Injuries from the shelling were horrific. People with diabetes, cancer, or kidney disease couldn’t access the care they needed to stay alive. Providing the most urgent care, immediately, was everyone’s highest priority.

Now, things have changed. Ukrainians have three years of living with conflict behind them, and many of the systems that were temporarily disabled by war have been at least partially restored. Our goal is to bolster the systems that are already in place, so that they can be resilient in the years to come and meet health needs, even if peace is long in coming.

We’re working with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health to distribute medicine wherever it’s needed, with particular attention to the communities where displaced people have sought safety. Ukrainian doctors – infectious disease specialists, nephrologists, internal medicine providers – are providing much-needed care to children through a mobile outreach program. People whose limbs were amputated are receiving prosthetics and underground rehabilitation.

Mental health will be the next frontier. Direct Relief already supports psychosocial services in Ukraine, including a pediatric program aimed at children displaced or severely affected by the conflict. But an entire nation grieves for lost family and friends. They’ve witnessed the unimaginable, their limbs have been amputated, their homes and livelihoods are gone. Rebuilding their lives, and recovering their mental and physical health, will not happen overnight. With strategic precision and partnership, all of this can happen in the years to come.

The world is growing increasingly partisan, but Direct Relief’s work is not. The forces of government, climate change, geopolitics, and economics may shift over time, but people everywhere still need and deserve to be healthy. Our neutrality allows us to operate in even the most politically sensitive environments, from conflict zones to countries with limited healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that aid is delivered where it is needed—without prejudice, without bias.

By maintaining our independence, we can continue to serve those most in need, regardless of their nationality, religion, or political affiliation.

At Direct Relief, we recognize that healthcare is not just a service; it’s a fundamental human right. We stand alongside doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers who uphold this oath in some of the most challenging environments imaginable. We are their partners, providing the tools, the medicine, and the resources they need to care for those who would otherwise be left behind.

Direct Relief’s work is grounded in the belief that health is the foundation for human potential. When a child is able to receive life-saving insulin, or a mother is able to give birth in a safe environment, we are witnessing not just an individual transformation but the potential for an entire community to thrive.

Let me briefly share just a few of the countless stories that illustrate the life-changing impact of our mission of nonpartisanship, collaboration, and partnership.

More than a decade of conflict in Yemen has reignited fresh hostilities in recent days, but women and girls can receive maternal and antenatal care at clinics run by well-trained, well-equipped midwives. Women with breast cancer receive treatment at a specialized clinic. Tens of thousands of patients have new access to high-quality medical oxygen.

In Haiti, where Direct Relief has worked for many years, political and economic instability has caused widespread security challenges, making it harder than ever for Haitians to get essential medicines and health care. In recent months, we leveraged our logistical expertise and close local partnerships to ensure that new shipments of insulin reached children with diabetes.

When Hurricane Beryl devastated islands across the Caribbean last year, Direct Relief had already strategically placed caches of essential medicines and supplies throughout the region, as it does in communities around the world where people are vulnerable to hurricanes, typhoons, and other tropical storms. These early shipments were used to meet the most emergent need, while our organization launched a multifaceted response designed to increase disaster resilience and health outcomes in the region.

These are not just stories—they are real outcomes made possible by our unwavering commitment to precision, efficiency, and collaboration.

As we look to the future, lasting change will depend on collaboration and listening. Effective action does not come from acting as outsiders, at a primarily global level. It comes from working closely with communities everywhere, and from learning from local leaders, healthcare providers, and advocates about the goals that best serve each unique place.

At Direct Relief, we collaborate with hundreds of companies, humanitarian organizations, and governments to deliver aid effectively. Through these partnerships, we are able to leverage cutting-edge technologies, data-driven insights, and private-sector expertise to solve some of the world’s most pressing health challenges.

Peace is not just the absence of conflict—it is the presence of opportunity, equity, dignity, and health for all people. And this is what Direct Relief strives to create through our work—by making sure that everyone, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay, has access to the healthcare they need to live a full and healthy life.

The post “Health is the Foundation for Human Potential”: Highlights from the Seoul Peace Prize Awards Ceremony appeared first on Direct Relief.

The quake’s epicenter was recorded in the Sea of Marmara, about 25 miles southwest of Istanbul, home to about 16 million people. The country’s Interior Ministry reported that the quake lasted 13 seconds and was followed by more than 50 aftershocks.

Many people were gathered in public spaces after evacuating buildings, and government officials reported most of the injuries had occurred after people were “injured jumping from heights,” requiring hospital treatment, but none were in life-threatening condition.

Direct Relief Response

Direct Relief has staff in Turkey, and the organization has responded extensively to earthquakes in the region, including the 2023 Turkey/Syria earthquake, which caused widespread devastation to human life and infrastructure.

In response to the current earthquake, Direct Relief has been in contact with partner organizations throughout the region, including the Emergency Medical Association of Turkey, Turkish Medical Association, and Needs Map about any medical needs.

Following the 2023 earthquakes, Direct Relief has supported partner organizations with ongoing efforts to strengthen emergency response preparedness and capacity efforts to strengthen readiness for future seismic events along the North Anatolian Fault.

The organization will continue to respond to any requests for medical aid.

The post Earthquake Sends Shock Waves Through Istanbul, Turkey appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included medications for rare diseases, midwifery kits filled with medical essentials for safe births, diabetes management medications, refrigerators and cold storage for temperature-sensitive medications, personal protective equipment, cancer treatment therapies, and more.

Supporting Rapid Response to Cholera in South Sudan

Direct Relief provided medical aid has supported the cholera treatment response in South Sudan, allowing health workers to provide prevention and treatment for the disease which can quickly become deadly. An outbreak was declared by South Sudan’s Ministry of Health last October, and Direct Relief shipped a cholera treatment kit, which includes personal protective equipment, oral rehydration salts, and more. The shipment was received by the International Office of Migration South Sudan, which deployed the supplies to the hardest-hit areas,

Equipped with Direct Relief-supplied field medic packs and cholera response materials. With these supplies, they established a cholera treatment center at Mayom Hospital, where they successfully treated and discharged 565 patients. Mobile oral rehydration points were set up to provide cholera treatment to communities in remote and hard-to-reach areas. The IOM rapid response team also rehabilitated a community water source, and constructed new sanitation facilities, restoring clean water access and significantly reducing the threat of cholera transmission for thousands of people.

As a result of rapid response efforts, IOM reported cholera hospitalizations in Mayom County dropped from an average of 50 cases per day to an average of one per day.

As cholera outbreaks persist worldwide, Direct Relief continues to send life-saving materials to help curb the spread and mortality of the disease. A new shipment of cholera treatment kits and other emergency medical supplies to IOM South Sudan is currently in process, and additional cholera response shipments are underway for Sudan and Haiti.

Medical Aid Departs for the Democratic Republic of Congo

In response to the ongoing violence in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, Direct Relief has shipped a range of emergency medical supplies and essential medications to support Jericho Road’s Wellness Clinic at New Hope Center. This emergency shipment follows a $25,000 emergency grant to help sustain care after Goma’s capture by the M23 rebel group. The grant has been used to procure essential medications locally.

As the fighting intensified, Goma’s airport was closed indefinitely, and with uncertain road safety conditions, the staff at Jericho Road utilized Direct Relief’s emergency grant to procure essential medications locally.

As the airport has yet to reopen, this shipment will be flown to a nearby airport before being trucked to Goma, where clinic staff have continued providing essential services without interruption throughout the violence in Goma. Many staff members even opted to live temporarily within the clinic compound to avoid leaving their patients without services.

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. Direct Relief remains committed to supporting health workers providing lifesaving care amid ongoing conflict and displacement.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 454 shipments containing 704,569 doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 1.8 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 38,872 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 8,116 shipments to 1,649 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 71 countries. These shipments included 78.7 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $591.1 million wholesale, totaling 1.3 million lbs.

The post From Cholera Treatments to Cancer Therapies, Medical Aid Departs for 20 Countries appeared first on Direct Relief.

The fires quickly overwhelmed local emergency services, as intense winds fueled the flames, pushing fires rapidly into densely populated neighborhoods and dramatically escalating the scale and complexity of the disaster.

Tens of thousands of residents were displaced—many evacuated quickly, fleeing dense smoke, hazardous air quality, and congested roads, often with limited personal belongings.

Air quality deteriorated rapidly, exacerbating existing health conditions and limiting access to critical services such as pharmacies and transportation.

Emergency shelters quickly filled to capacity, placing immense pressure on healthcare providers to deliver medical care under extremely challenging circumstances.

Immediate threats to health emerged, especially for those managing chronic illnesses, older adults, and medically vulnerable populations.

Direct Relief’s Response

Within hours of the fires igniting, Direct Relief began dispatching critically needed medications and supplies directly to frontline healthcare teams and emergency responders across Los Angeles, including:

• N95 respirators and protective equipment to mitigate severe smoke exposure for residents and first responders.
• Prescription medications for chronic illnesses, crucial for evacuees who lost access to pharmacies.
• Emergency medical kits to evacuation shelters and community health centers for immediate medical care.

Response to Date: by the Numbers

Over the past three months, Direct Relief’s total assistance surpassed $8.1 million, providing:

• 422 shipments totaling more than 54 tons of essential medications and medical supplies delivered to 77 local health and community organizations.
• More than 130,000 3M-donated N95 respirators distributed in collaboration with public health departments, incident command centers, Gap Inc., the YMCA, and numerous health centers and clinics across L.A.
• Nearly 16,000 burn zone re-entry kits distributed through the L.A. Fire Department, L.A. County Department of Public Health, the City of Pasadena, and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.
• $5.3 million in emergency operating grants awarded to 56 community-based organizations, including health clinics, mobile medical units, women’s health groups, and search-and-rescue teams.

Response Spotlight

1. Urgent Care at the Pasadena Evacuation Shelter

At the Pasadena Convention Center, hundreds of evacuees—including older adults, hospice patients, and individuals with chronic health conditions—found refuge and medical assistance. Direct Relief pharmacist Pacience Edwards personally delivered critical supplies, including insulin, glucometers, and respiratory treatments.

“We ripped open the glucometer packaging immediately to assist a patient facing a diabetic emergency,” Edwards recalled. “Medical providers were delivering exceptional care under extraordinarily challenging conditions.”

2. Supporting Search and Rescue Efforts

Los Angeles County Search and Rescue teams played a critical role in evacuations, public safety, and recovery efforts. Direct Relief provided $230,000 in emergency operating funds, protective Nomex gear for 70 search and rescue volunteers, and 20 medical packs specifically designed for disaster triage.

“We did not have sufficient equipment to cover all the needs we had,” said Rob Klusman, a senior team member with Sierra Madre Search and Rescue. “We had to field so many people, in so many different areas, that we were pressed to equip everyone.”

All eight LA County search and rescue teams and four mutual aid teams received emergency operating grants for their response efforts.

3. Protecting Residents Returning to Burn Areas

Fire-impacted areas often contain unstable structures, sharp objects, and potentially toxic ash, so having protective gear and equipment is of critical importance.

Direct Relief, in coordination with the L.A. Fire Department, the L.A. County Department of Public Health, and the City of Pasadena, provided more than 15,000 sets of full-body protective kits to support the safe re-entry of fire-impacted residents returning to their communities and homes.

The kits contained coveralls, N95 respirators, nitrile and work gloves, protective goggles, and shoe covers needed to help protect residents from ash and other hazardous debris.

4. Leveraging Data and Technology

Direct Relief leveraged cutting-edge technology, including AI-driven remote sensing, human mobility data, and geospatial analysis, to enhance its response:

• Real-time evacuation tracking through tools like ReadyMapper and CrisisReady informed proactive resource distribution.
• Damage modeling identified healthcare facilities at greatest risk, guiding urgent aid deliveries.

California Wildfires

Critical Medicines Bolster Urgent Care in the Halls of an Evacuation Shelter 

California Wildfires

After Eaton Fire Response, A Search and Rescue Team Gears Up for a Future of Wildfire

Hawai’i Wildfires

Medications Reach Patients Where They Are After L.A. Wildfires

Looking Ahead: Commitment to Long-Term Recovery

Los Angeles communities face a prolonged recovery. The extensive destruction will significantly impact physical and mental health for years, exacerbating chronic diseases, mental health issues, and disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations.

Direct Relief remains committed to sustained support, including:

• Continued medical supply deliveries to clinics and mobile teams.
• Long-term financial support for healthcare and mental health services.
• Community resilience initiatives through preparedness and targeted interventions.

Collaboration

Direct Relief was able to supply a large array of medical material support without the expenditure of donor funds due to product donations from healthcare manufacturers and distributors, many of which Direct Relief works with on an ongoing basis.

Direct Relief’s extensive response was significantly strengthened by product donations and financial support from a wide range of supporters, including:

• 3M
• Abbott
• AbbVie
• Activision
• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
• American Society of Nephrology
• Amgen
• Amgen Foundation
• Anthem Blue Cross Foundation
• Banc of California
• Bayer
• BD
• Best Best & Krieger LLP
• BioMarin
• BMO (Bank of Montreal)
• Cipla
• Community West Bank
• Deckers Brands
• Dexcom
• Dodge & Cox
• Gap Inc.
• GE Healthcare
• Genentech
• Genmab
• Haleon
• Henry Schein
• Hologic
• Humble Bundle
• International Society Nephrology
• Jazz
• Kenvue
• Living Proof
• Maravai Lifesciences Foundation
• McDonald’s
• Mediclo
• Merck & Co.
• Merz Therapeutics
• Meta
• Moderna
• National Basketball Association
• O’Melveny & Myers LLP
• Ono Hawaiian BBQ
• Paramount Pictures
• Pura Vida
• Recording Academy® and MusiCares®
• Ricola
• Riot Games Social Impact Fund
• Snap Inc.
• Society of Thoracic Surgeons
• Sonos
• Sullivan & Cromwell Foundation
• Tom’s of Maine
• Universal Music Group
• Vertex
• Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
• Wescom Foundation
• Yardi Systems
• Zeno Group

This collaborative effort ensured efficient, targeted, and effective aid reached impacted residents rapidly.

Direct Relief will continue supporting local organizations and healthcare providers, helping communities rebuild stronger and healthier.

Financial Transparency

All fundraising costs are covered by the Direct Relief Foundation, ensuring 100% of designated contributions support wildfire relief efforts.

This report includes preliminary, unaudited figures current as of April 7, 2025. Audited figures aligned with Direct Relief’s fiscal year (ending June 30) will be included in the official FY2024–25 Annual Report.

The post Response to L.A. Wildfires Continues, Three Months In 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.

Long-term engagement has been key for the Venice Family Clinic’s Street Medicine Team.

For the last eight years, the clinic has worked with the unhoused population in Malibu to ensure they have access to medical care. Clinic staff say they anticipate an uptick in the area’s unhoused population following the L.A. wildfires. While Venice Family Clinic’s network of locations was not affected by the fires, its service area includes Malibu and Pacific Palisades, which lost vast amounts of residential housing and infrastructure during recent fires.

The clinic uses mobile units to provide critical and ongoing care to vulnerable populations who would otherwise lack access to consistent medical services. Clinic staff said people may be displaced or unhoused for months to several years following the natural disaster.

“We want to be a part of a directional plan where we’re supporting and enabling someone to be housing-ready,” said Dr. Coley King, Director of Homeless Health Care for Venice Family Clinic. Direct Relief staff delivered medical aid to King last week, who was conducting medical outreach in Malibu.

The clinic’s street teams meet patients where they are—beyond the four walls of their brick-and-mortar clinic locations. The medical professionals say they want to remove the barriers that prevent people from getting care. According to the clinic’s website, staff employ a harm reduction approach through assertive engagement, trauma-informed care, and linkage to housing. This work has produced an uptrend in patient health, happiness, and housing stability, King said.

Direct Relief is supporting Venice Family Clinic by providing emergency funding, medications, and critical medical supplies to ensure uninterrupted patient care. In an effort to support those most affected by the wildfires, Direct Relief has awarded $2.6 million in emergency operating grants to 43 organizations, including community health centers, free and charitable clinics, reproductive health organizations, first responders, search and rescue teams, and community-based non-profits.

The post For Unhoused People in Malibu, Wildfires Exacerbate Needs appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included surgical supplies, pharmaceutical-grade refrigeration units for temperature-sensitive medications, antibiotics, prenatal vitamins, rare disease therapies, insulin, and more.

Health Fair in Puerto Rico Connects Women to Health Services

More than 100 people attended a health fair over the weekend in Puerto Rico, an event that not only provided essential health screenings but provided mentorship and training for medical residents.

As part of Direct Relief’s continuous needs assessments across communities on the island, staff identified several gaps in healthcare, including limited access to women’s health screenings, specialty medical services, and more. In conversation with NeoMed, a federally qualified health center serving the eastern region of the island, they identified over 1,000 women who had lapsed cervical cancer screening.

Direct Relief had been in communication with physicians from RWJ Barnabas Health System in New Jersey, who had expressed interest in coming to Puerto Rico to support community outreach efforts. To address this gap on routine checkups, RWJ made their OB-GYN physicians available to support a community health fair focused women’s health.

The team flew to Puerto Rico to participate in the community health fair held on February 22. Included in the team were Dr. Ernani Sadural, OBGYN, Dr. Daniel Sansobrino, OBGYN, Dr. Mike Drews, a reproductive endocrinologist, Belkis Ramírez, RN, and Margie Heller, Vice President of Community Health and Strategic Global Partnerships.

During the health fair, they met with second- and third-year residents from the University of Puerto Rico to share training on women’s health screenings, discuss best practices, and provide guidance and mentorship.

The health fair also included mammograms for breast cancer screening, vaccinations, primary health care, blood pressure and glucose measurements, and health education. Additionally, Direct Relief’s Medical Advisor, Dr. PJ Vázquez, visited home-bound patients.

Over 125 people attended the health fair, 57 women received cervical cancer screening, and 48 mammograms were scheduled for the upcoming weeks, and 13 home visits were conducted between Saturday and Monday.

Medical Aid Shipped in Response to Winter Storms

Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and surrounding areas of southern Appalachia are facing widespread devastation after torrential rain and an arctic blast swept through the region, leaving at least 22 people dead and thousands displaced. Beginning on February 14th, record-breaking rainfall triggered severe flooding, submerging entire communities and forcing emergency responders to conduct over 1,000 water rescues.

The situation worsened when an arctic blast followed the storms, trapping residents in freezing conditions without power. Many highways remain closed due to flooding, mudslides, and rockslides, making it difficult for people to access essential supplies, emergency services, and medical care.

In response, Direct Relief has provided emergency medical support to health centers, clinics, and other partner organizations in the affected areas. This week, tetanus vaccines, personal care products, and nutritional supplements were shipped to Big Sandy Health Care in Kentucky and St. Mary’s Health Wagon in Virginia to help meet urgent healthcare needs.

Resilient Power Panel Convenes at Direct Relief

Resilient power and its critical impacts on healthcare were the topics of an expert panel that convened at Direct Relief headquarters this week.

The discussion explored the essential role of power, energy, and light in fortifying healthcare resilience and featured leadership from four Santa Barbara-based nonprofits – Direct Relief, Doctors Without Walls – Santa Barbara Street Medicine, Planned Parenthood California Central Coast, and Unite to Light – all of which utilize reliable energy to power their respective missions. The panel, titled “Resilient Power for Healthcare: Illuminating the Energy-Health Connection,” was moderated by Santa Barbara County Second District Supervisor Laura Capps.

Panelists included Sara Rossi, Direct Relief’s Managing Director of the Health Resiliency Fund, Maggie Sanchez, Executive Director, Doctors Without Walls – Santa Barbara Street Medicine, Dr. Jenna Tosh, President & CEO, Planned Parenthood California Central Coast, and Megan Birney Rudert, President & CEO, Unite to Light.

Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative has 22 completed resilient power projects at health centers and clinics across the U.S., and has more in various stages of design and construction.

“This really is complimentary to the other work that Direct Relief does 365 days a year with our community health center partners and free and charitable clinics to protect health, to protect refrigerated medicines, to enable their doors to stay open, and not have to lose any of that during more frequent power outages,” Rossi said.

Read more about Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 488 shipments containing 1.7 million doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 8.1 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 67,103 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 5,179 shipments to 1,402 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 61 countries. These shipments included 57.6 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $306.2 million wholesale, totaling 800,996 lbs.

The post Medications Depart for 19 Countries, Health Fair Reaches Patients in Puerto Rico appeared first on Direct Relief.