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Stamford, Conn. – Oct. 8, 2019 – The GE Foundation has generously donated $250,000 to support Americares response to Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. The funds will help ensure survivors have access to critical health services, including lifesaving medicines.
“The devastation in the Bahamas is just heart-breaking,” said Americares Associate Director of Emergency Response Sambhavi Cheemalapati, who recently returned from Nassau. “This donation will directly support Americares relief efforts and allow our emergency medical teams to continue providing care for the most vulnerable survivors, including many families left homeless.”
Hurricane Dorian tore across the Bahamas as a Category 5 hurricane, leveling neighborhoods, destroying roads and leaving portions of the island nation under water. According to local officials, at least 61 people are dead and hundreds remain missing.
“Our thoughts are with the thousands of families that were impacted by this devastating hurricane,” said GE Foundation Executive Director David Barash. “Along with our disaster and humanitarian relief program, which draws on GE people, technology and other resources to reduce suffering and deliver vital supplies, our Matching Gifts program doubles employees’ contributions to crisis relief agencies like Americares and others to help these communities recover and rebuild.”
In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, Americares deployed an emergency medical team to Nassau and delivered 8 shipments of medicine and relief supplies to support the needs of survivors. To date, the medical team has provided medical consultations and psychological support services to more than 400 children and adults. The team is working in the Kendal G.L. Isaacs Gymnasium, the largest shelter in Nassau housing more than 1,000 survivors. Americares is coordinating its response activities with the Ministry of Health as well as local and international organizations responding to the crisis.
This donation builds upon a long-standing relationship between the GE Foundation and Americares. The GE Foundation has provided financial support for Americares disaster relief efforts and its health programs for people affected by poverty or disaster since 1989.
Americares has professional relief workers ready to respond to disasters at a moment’s notice and stocks emergency medicine and supplies in warehouses in the U.S., Europe and India that can be delivered quickly in times of crisis. The organization responds to approximately 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings disaster preparedness programs to vulnerable communities. Since its founding 40 years ago, Americares has provided more than $17 billion in aid to 164 countries, including the United States.