About Us

Direct Relief Celebrates 60 Years!

Direct Relief International was founded in the aftermath of World War II with the simple aim of helping people in postwar Europe who were living under tremendous hardship. In 1948, our war-refugee founders William Zimdin and Dennis Karczag provided—initially with their own funds—food, clothing, and medical aid to friends and associates in Europe recovering from the war. Click here to read more about our history.

Amid the sweeping changes of the last 60 years in technology, science, and society, Direct Relief has remained focused on helping those caught in the undertow of history’s rising tide. See a timeline of our work here.

Today, our assistance delivers medical and financial resources to health professionals serving impoverished people in 59 countries around the world, including the United States. All these resources are provided through donations from private parties, including some of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers, not government grants.

Our goal is to help break the cycle of poverty and illness among vulnerable populations. Working with individual, corporate, and foundation donors, we leverage medical material and funds so they may do the greatest good. Since 2000, we have provided more than $1 billion (wholesale) of aid around the world, which translates to 49.7 million courses of treatment. We leverage each dollar given to approximately $35 worth of aid.

Our humanitarian focus and efficient use of resources have remained constant. So too has the approach of supporting local efforts in a respectful manner, without regard to race, ethnicity, politics, religion, gender, or ability to pay.

Sixty years after our founding, the simple goal of enabling people to live healthy, productive lives—regardless of the circumstances into which they are born or find themselves—remains a powerful incentive.

Thank You for 60 Years of Success

We couldn't accomplish our work without the generous support of our donors and dedicated volunteers, including our esteemed board of directors and international advisory board.

On November 7, we honor them with a gala dinner event at the Montecito Country Club in Montecito, California. Their distinguished service to Direct Relief International has helped the organization grow through the decades into one of the most respected nonprofits in the United States.