The UPS Foundation announced a $1 million commitment to fight the COVID-19 surge in India. The pledge is a combination of emergency funding, in-kind transportation movements and technical expertise to provide urgent relief, as well as strategic support.
“The UPS Foundation is committed to improving the well-being of communities impacted by COVID-19 and we want to help alleviate the suffering in India by leveraging our partnerships, our resources and our logistics expertise,” said Nikki Clifton, president of social impact and The UPS Foundation. UPS is coordinating with strategic partners, including UNICEF, CARE, The Salvation Army, The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, MAP, Medshare, Rotary Club, the US Chamber Foundation and others to mobilize critical medical supplies including oxygen concentrators, ventilators, nebulizers, respiratory supplies, PPE, COVID-19 test kits and antiviral medications to India.
The UPS Foundation is also providing emergency funding to The Salvation Army and CARE. CARE is supporting the Bihar state of India’s health system, including activation of two temporary COVID-19 care centers with five intensive care centers to follow. In addition, The Salvation Army dollars will fund oxygen concentration facilities in hospitals to increase their capacity to treat the most serious cases.
As another wave of COVID-19 bears down on India and hospitals struggle to maintain critical medical equipment, UPSers like Jackson Carter are eager to help.
“We use the phrase ‘delivering what matters,’” Jackson said. “And this is it.” Jackson, a director of international air freight for UPS Global Freight Forwarding, recently began running daily calls to coordinate shipments of much-needed supplies to cities across India. “Lives are on the line,” he said. “If they don’t have these supplies, this virus is going to keep spreading. Every pallet we move is another way to fight this pandemic.”
The UPS Global Freight Forwarding team, in coordination with The UPS Foundation has moved 5,000-plus oxygen concentrators to various locations across India with Sewa International and UNICEF. Shipments began arriving in India Monday, May 3 and will continue for the foreseeable future.
In addition, UPS Global Freight Forwarding has moved pallets of respirator equipment destined for hospitals, remote villages north of Mumbai and the tribal areas of the state of Gujarat on behalf of Friends of Disabled Adults and Children. The Joy of Sharing Foundation will receive the shipment and lead distribution.
“Our hearts go out to the people of India during these tough times,” said Romaine Seguin, president of Global Freight Forwarding. “We’ll always be ready to lend a helping hand.”
