Direct Relief

U.S. Measles Cases Rising: Why This Once Eliminated Threat is Back For decades, measles existed mostly as a memory in the United States, a disease largely consigned to textbooks and history lessons. After the measles vaccine was introduced in the 1960s, cases decr…

With outbreaks occurring in Florida and other states, health providers are urging the public to take the risks of this once-obscure disease seriously.

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As a Severe Flu Season Strains U.S. Health, Providers Hurry to Prevent the Worst As a severe 2026 flu season strains U.S. health systems, Direct Relief’s new test-to-treat initiative provides millions in vaccines and antivirals to safety-net clinics.

Vaccinations and immediate test-to-treat programs are keeping patients out of overwhelmed emergency rooms and averting the most dangerous symptoms.

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“The Pitt” Name-Checked Them in a Crisis Storyline. In Real Life, They Do This Every Day. When HBO’s “The Pitt” name-checked North Side Christian Health Center in a medical crisis storyline, they weren’t just picking a name out of a hat—they were highlighting a real-li…

North Side Christian Health Center was surprised to hear the clinic named in HBO Max’s The Pitt, where an uninsured patient in crisis is referred there for affordable follow-up care — a storyline that mirrors real life in Pittsburgh.

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Ukraine Relief: Response Continues into Fifth Year of War Today, Ukraine enters its fifth year of war, which has claimed extensive and devastating loss of life, as well as massive damage inflicted on the country’s energy grid and healthcare system, school…

Today marks a somber milestone as the war in Ukraine enters its 5th year. In January 2026, Direct Relief surpassed $2.2 billion in aid to Ukraine, marking one of the largest private philanthropic responses to the country’s health crisis since the war.

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East Coast Winter Storm 2026: Millions Under Travel Bans and Freeze Warnings from New York to Florida The Nor’easter winter storm has turned into a ‘blizzard bomb,’ as the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions in the U.S. saw upwards of 20 inches of snow from Sunday evening into Monday morning. Origin…

Direct Relief is monitoring the latest U.S. winter storm and is ready to respond to any medical requests that become known.

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Strengthening Health Systems in Puerto Rico, Medical Aid for Vanuatu, and Energy Resilience in New Orleans Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 257 shipments of requested medical aid to 37 U.S. states and territories and 22 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 2.8 million defined dail…

Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 257 shipments of requested medical aid to 37 U.S. states and territories and 22 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 2.8 million defined daily doses of medication.

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Santa Barbara County Fire Chiefs Honor Direct Relief for Longstanding Support of Emergency Response and Firefighter Mental Health The Santa Barbara County Fire Chiefs Association today recognized Direct Relief for a longstanding partnership supporting local emergency response operations and firefighter wellness, presenting th…

The Santa Barbara County Fire Chiefs Association recognized Direct Relief today for its longstanding partnership, presenting the organization with a ceremonial fire service bell at its headquarters.

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Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas Wildfires: Evacuations Underway as Blazes Grow More than 155,000 acres in Oklahoma have burned due to multiple fires in the western part of the state. About half of the state is currently under a red flag warning due to dry conditions. Oklahoma…

About 700 residents in the small town of Tyrone, Oklahoma, were under evacuation orders and asked to relocate across state lines into Kansas. Crews are also working to get fires near Amarillo, Texas, and Kansas under control.

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Thousands Rally for Health and Recovery at Dodger Stadium Jubilation and a shared sense of belonging were in the air at Dodger Stadium last Saturday, when residents across the Los Angeles community gathered to move together. That was the goal for Saturday…

Over the weekend, 10,000+ community members gathered at Dodger Stadium for @laschools.bsky.social Move It 5K & Wellness Fair — one year after the 2025 wildfires.

Direct Relief co-sponsored the event and has delivered $18M+ in aid across LA County since the fires.

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Direct Relief Surpasses $2.2 Billion in Aid for Ukraine Direct Relief—one of the world’s largest providers of charitable medical aid—announced today that its support for Ukraine has exceeded $2.2 billion, underscoring both the urgency of the ongoing cri…

Direct Relief announced today that its support for Ukraine has exceeded $2.2 billion, underscoring both the urgency of the ongoing crisis and the organization’s long-term commitment to strengthening the country’s health system.

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After Massive Winter Storm, Texas Clinic Rushes to Treat Patients Who Struggled in the Cold and Dark The power was out, the pipes had frozen and burst. Even if doctors could have cared for patients in the dark, it wouldn’t have been possible: The snow was so deep they couldn’t get into the buildin…

Backed by a $50,000 Direct Relief emergency grant, VCare Clinics reopened their four facilities after a recent winter storm to ensure uninsured patients could access care.

www.directrelief.org/2026/02/afte...

“Insulin, My Best Friend”: How Diabetes Care is Saving Lives in Eastern DRC When patients first visit the Kivu Diabetes Center, they are often hesitant to accept insulin treatment, concerned about monitoring their blood sugar, or convinced they don’t need it. But recently,…

A doctor in South Kivu Province, DRC, teaches patients about their diabetes. Insulin, cold storage, and other material medical aid from Direct Relief make it possible for patients to effectively manage the disease.

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“Insulin, My Best Friend”: How Diabetes Care is Saving Lives in Eastern DRC When patients first visit the Kivu Diabetes Center, they are often hesitant to accept insulin treatment, concerned about monitoring their blood sugar, or convinced they don’t need it. But recently,…

A doctor in South Kivu Province, DRC, teaches patients about their diabetes. Insulin, cold storage, and other material medical aid from Direct Relief make it possible for patients to effectively manage the disease.

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Tune in to Episode Three of the Emergency Preparedness and Response podcast as guest Ruth Smarinsky shares how Direct Relief and the American Society of Nephrology mobilize to deliver dialysis supplies, transplant medications, and kidney care during emergencies

🔗http://asn.kdny.info/tYeT50Y9zRH

Record NC Snowfall Hits Hurricane-Struck Towns: How NC MedAssist is Providing Free Medicine Amid Extreme Cold Parts of North Carolina saw record-breaking snowfall of 12 inches or more over the last few weeks, and in some areas, more wintry mix is predicted. The unprecedented winter weather has caused schoo…

As record-breaking snow and sub-freezing temperatures grip Western North Carolina, NC MedAssist and local health workers are bridging the gap for families forced to choose between groceries and medication.

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Medical Aid for Florida Measles Outbreak, U.S. Communities Facing Winter Storms, and More Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 426 shipments of requested medical aid to 46 U.S. states and territories and 20 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 4.6 million defined dail…

Direct Relief is coordinating with local health officials in Florida to support response efforts to a measles outbreak in the state.

Read this week's operational update here: bit.ly/4qi5u8j

Direct Relief and Treasure Coast Community Health Complete First Power for Health Solar Microgrid in Florida Direct Relief and Treasure Coast Community Health, Inc., today announced the completion of a solar-powered microgrid system at TCCH’s Fellsmere health center. This resilient power installation mark…

Direct Relief and Treasure Coast Community Health today announced the completion of a solar microgrid at TCCH’s Fellsmere health center, helping protect essential care during storms and power outages.

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Hurricane Melissa Recovery: Direct Relief Delivers $11.5 Million in Aid to Caribbean Nations Three months ago, Hurricane Melissa made initial landfall as a Category 5 storm near the southwestern Jamaican town of Black River before weakening and continuing across Cuba and the Bahamas. The h…

Three months have passed since Hurricane Melissa ripped through Jamaica and caused damage in neighboring countries. In response, Direct Relief has provided $11.5 million in aid to Caribbean nations.

Learn more here: bit.ly/46hXUDy

As Sudan’s War Rages On, Doctors Fight to Rebuild Care for Patients with Cancer, Diabetes, and Other Complex Diseases When civil war first broke out in Sudan, medical care for children with diabetes was upended. Sudanese families scattered across the country, and many of the clinics where their children received i…

When civil war began in Sudan, Direct Relief expanded its work to supply providers with wartime support to manage cancer, diabetes, and more.

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How the Aftermath of a Massive Winter Storm Threatens Health for Millions At least 17 people have died because of a vast winter storm that barreled across the United States this weekend. As of Monday morning, more than 800,000 households were without power, and more than…

At least 17 people have died because of a vast winter storm that barreled across the United States this weekend. Direct Relief will continue to support on-the-ground providers and emergency responders as the scale of need becomes known.

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Emergency Supplies Depart Ahead of Major U.S. Winter Storm Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 355 shipments of requested medical aid to 42 U.S. states and territories and 20 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 18 million defined daily…

Ahead of a major winter storm, Direct Relief has shipped medical support to health providers in Texas and Maryland as they brace for storm impacts.

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In Puerto Rico’s Community Clinics, Resilient Power Bolsters Healthcare and Access to Treatment Before their resilient power system, a power outage could shut down the clinic at Profamilias, said services manager Michael Domínguez. At Profamilias, a San Juan healthcare organization that provi…

Direct Relief has funded solar installations at 15 healthcare partner facilities across Puerto Rico. Providers say resilient power is key to reaching more patients.

www.directrelief.org/2026/01/in-p...

Direct Relief Support Departs for 14 Countries, 44 U.S. States and Territories Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 500 shipments of requested medical aid to 44 U.S. states and territories and 14 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 6.9 million defined dail…

Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 500 shipments of requested medical aid to 44 U.S. states and territories and 14 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 6.9 million defined daily doses of medication.

www.directrelief.org/2026/01/dire...

‘Medicine in Its Purest Form’: Saving Limbs in Ukraine’s Hospitals Dr. Andrew Bauder first went to Ukraine to support a pediatric surgical case requiring specialized microsurgical skills. After a week with colleagues at a local children’s hospital and a regi…

With support from Direct Relief, the Penn Center for Global Health team is performing complex surgeries in Ukraine and training local doctors to help preserve limbs and quality of life.

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Today marks one year since wildfires ignited across Los Angeles County, devastating communities. Since the fires began, Direct Relief has delivered more than $18 million in aid across the county.

Tomorrow marks one year since the LA wildfires. With the continued support of generous donors, Direct Relief remains committed to working alongside local partners to address ongoing needs and support long-term recovery.

Read more at the link: bit.ly/4sutDeh

Cyclone Ditwah Killed Hundreds and Blocked Sri Lankans from Aid. A Medical Team Reached Them. When Cyclone Ditwah battered Sri Lanka late last month, killing more than 600, landslides and infrastructure damage cut whole communities off from aid and medical care in the country’s north. In th…

After Cyclone Ditwah, Alabaster International reached isolated communities in northern Sri Lanka, treating hundreds of patients with Direct Relief provided medical supplies.

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2025: The Year in Photos From devastating wildfires in Los Angeles to the catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, 2025 had no shortage of crisis moments. Direct Relief was privileged to support local he…

From devastating wildfires in Los Angeles to the catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, 2025 had no shortage of crisis moments.

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The L.A. Wildfires: Looking Back on a Year of Response In January 2025, fast-moving wildfires ignited across Los Angeles County, consuming more than 50,000 acres and destroying nearly 16,000 homes, business, and other structures. At the height of the c…

In total, Direct Relief has delivered more than $18 million in aid to communities throughout Los Angeles County since the fires began.

Read the full report at the link:
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Direct Relief and Watch Duty Partner on Expanding Access to Emergency Information Direct Relief today announced a new partnership with Watch Duty, a nonprofit emergency alerting platform delivering real-time, life-saving information during wildfires and other disasters. The coll…

Direct Relief and @watchduty.org partner to expand access to real-time emergency information, helping communities find care and critical resources during disasters.

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