CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The AmerisourceBergen Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable giving organization focused on supporting health-related causes that enrich the global community, committed more than $100,000 to support relief efforts in the communities affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
The Foundation has made more than $55,000 in targeted donations to regional organizations supporting relief efforts in Houston, the Southeast United States and the Caribbean, including International Medical Corps, Center for Disaster Philanthropy Hurricane Irma Fund, Healthcare Ready, Greater Houston Community Foundation and Austin Pets Alive!. Each grant recipient is dedicated to building healthy communities and improving patient outcomes and will be working to address pressing needs, such as the delivery of critical medications, the operation of mobile medical units, establishment of temporary housing and shelter for both individuals and pets, and the support of long-term disaster relief needs.
In addition, the Foundation will match up to $100,000 in AmerisourceBergen associate and customer donations made to the American Red Cross. Over the course of the next several weeks and months, the Foundation will continue to closely monitor all impacted areas with the goal of identifying additional opportunities to support organizations and communities in need.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the devastation in communities across the country and Caribbean – and as millions of people now face the daunting challenge of rebuilding their lives, we hope to bolster the ongoing relief efforts led by organizations on the ground,” said Gina Clark, Executive Vice President and Chief Communications & Administration Officer at AmerisourceBergen, and President of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation. “In order to maximize our impact, we identified organizations that align with our core mission to improve the health and wellbeing of patient populations.”
AmerisourceBergen plays a daily role in maintaining a complex supply chain, working as a link between manufacturers and healthcare providers, such as hospitals, pharmacies and long-term care facilities. The company’s 26 distribution centers service more than 50,000 healthcare facilities nationwide.
During natural disasters, AmerisourceBergen leverages its network of distribution centers, couriers and associates to ensure healthcare providers – particularly hospitals – gain access to critical pharmaceutical products. For example, after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, AmerisourceBergen’s transportation team identified alternative routes and delivery methods, such as airlifting supplies or using vehicles capable of navigating high-standing waters, to reach hospitals in the Houston metro area. Additionally, about a week before Hurricane Irma reached Florida, AmerisourceBergen associates reached out to hospitals and offered advanced ordering options and recommendations for when and how much product to order to ensure they had an adequate supply throughout the storm.
“For AmerisourceBergen, we are committed to ensuring patient access to vital pharmaceutical products every day. It is during these rare occasions, when something like an unprecedented natural disaster jeopardizes the critical and necessary medical deliveries that the role of an AmerisourceBergen – comes to the forefront,” said Erin Horvath, Senior Vice President of Distribution Services at AmerisourceBergen. “Successful supply chains rely on a trusted partner with a strong infrastructure in place to react to the unexpected. During these times we are working around the clock to provide hospitals and healthcare providers with the products they rely on to treat those who are immediately impacted, as well as long-term patients with chronic or existing life-threatening conditions.”
AmerisourceBergen associates monitored the projected paths of the hurricanes and prepared nearby distribution centers – including the ones in Houston, Orlando and Puerto Rico – to serve as shelters for employees and their families. AmerisourceBergen stocked the Puerto Rico distribution center with non-perishable food and pallets of water, as well as a rented refrigerated trailer that could store temperature-sensitive products in the event the distribution center lost power for an extended amount of time. Meanwhile, the distribution center in Houston – which had working electricity – offered families access to an on-site shower, as well as emergency supplies, such as food, water, charcoal, clothing and baby food.
Established in 2014, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation focuses on health and wellbeing initiatives that improve patient outcomes including pharmaceutical accessibility programs, pharmaceutical adherence programs and health improvement research. The Foundation aims to enhance healthcare delivery and improve access through responsible corporate citizenship. AmerisourceBergen and the Foundation recognize the economic, social and physical impact of their work, and strive to integrate sustainability and socially responsible principles into their daily actions. For more information on the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, visit: http://www.amerisourcebergenfoundation.org/.
About AmerisourceBergen
AmerisourceBergen provides pharmaceutical products, value-driving services and business solutions that improve access to care. Tens of thousands of healthcare providers, veterinary practices and livestock producers trust us as their partner in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Global manufacturers depend on us for services that drive commercial success for their products. Through our daily work—and powered by our 20,000 associates—we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #11 on the Fortune 500, with more than $145 billion in annual revenue. The company is headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa. and has a presence in 50+ countries. Learn more at amerisourcebergen.com.
