Two thousand families affected by Typhoon Haiyan will receive care packs filled with basic necessities thanks to the generosity of nearly 1,000 volunteers from the Santa Barbara community who packed the kits at Direct Relief’s warehouse Thanksgiving morning.

The packs, which contain hygiene supplies like soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and sunscreen, will be sent to health care partners working on the ground in the Philippines who have requested basic supplies for their patients – many of whom are still displaced from the storm.

To kick off the event, Billy Baldwin teamed up with our longtime volunteer, 105-years-young Edythe Kirchmaier,  in getting the crowd ready and assembling the first pack.

In addition to organizing the care kits, many of the younger volunteers made pictures and wrote letters for survivors of the typhoon to be sent along with the packs that will soon be en route to the Philippines.

To date, Direct Relief has sent 65 tons of critical medicines and medical supplies valued at more than $9 million – including the largest shipment in the organization’s history – to help people affected by the typhoon access medical care. This response would not be possible without the dedicated people like these volunteers and others who are supporting the efforts.