Reflecting its strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency, Direct Relief has earned a renewed four-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the 12th consecutive year that Direct Relief has earned the four-star distinction.

Direct Relief has received a 100% rating in Charity Navigator’s Accountability & Finance category, which “provides an assessment of a charity’s financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies,” Charity Navigator says. Direct Relief has also earned 100% scores in the Leadership & Adaptability and Culture & Community categories.

In a report issued in October, the non-profit watchdog CharityWatch gave Direct Relief an A+ grade, its highest rating, based on its independent analysis of how Direct Relief uses donated funds. CharityWatch also named Direct Relief to its list of “Top-Rated Charities Providing Aid in Ukraine.”

From January through mid-November 2022, Direct Relief distributed more than $1.5 billion (wholesale value) of medicines and supplies to more health workers providing services to more people in more communities around the world than ever before in its 74-year history. Direct Relief distributed more than 507 million defined daily doses of medicine to people in 92 countries and all 50 U.S. states.

Responding to the Ukraine Crisis

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Direct Relief has been the largest private donor of medicine and medical supplies to help the people of Ukraine. Direct Relief has delivered over 1,030 tons of medical assistance, including trauma kits, cancer drugs, insulin, antidotes for chemical attacks, and other critical medical products, to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and other healthcare providers.

Direct Relief has also supplied the Ministry of Health with hundreds of emergency medical backpacks for first responders working in the field who are dealing with injuries, trauma, infections, and other acute medical needs.

Through the generosity of donors from around the world, Direct Relief has provided $20 million in cash assistance for programs benefiting the Ukrainian people. Working with Pelion, Poland’s largest healthcare company, Direct Relief has connected more than 270,000 Ukrainian refugees in Poland with medications they need to maintain their health, free of charge.

Other highlights of Direct Relief’s actions in 2022 include:

• Hurricane response: Direct Relief has provided more than $6.2 million in medical aid and disbursed more than $1 million in grants in response to hurricanes in Puerto Rico and Florida this year.
• Cholera response: Direct Relief has delivered 12.5 tons of emergency medical essentials to fight a cholera epidemic in Haiti, including IV fluids, oral rehydration salts, antibiotics and water purification tablets. Direct Relief also is actively responding to three other cholera outbreaks across the globe in Lebanon, Syria, and Malawi.
• Diabetes and cardiovascular health: Direct Relief distributed medicines to treat Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes to 536 healthcare facilities in 438 U.S. cities. It also distributed medicines to treat cardiovascular diseases to 546 healthcare facilities in 450 U.S. cities.
• Bolstering oxygen supply: Since January 2020, Direct Relief has shipped or provided funding to procure 35,541 oxygen concentrators to healthcare facilities in 55 countries
• Expanding cold storage for medicine: To enable access to vaccines, insulin, and other medications that require refrigeration, Direct Relief funded the construction of Nepal’s first modern cold chain facility with a $275,000 grant, and has delivered 243 pharmaceutical-grade refrigerators and freezers to health care providers in eight countries in 2022.

More on Charity Ratings

Charity Navigator’s Financial score reflects measures of stability, efficiency, and sustainability. At Direct Relief, 99.4 cents out of every donated dollar goes to program expenses, with 0.3 cents going to administration and 0.1 cents covering fundraising expenses.

Direct Relief does not spend donor contributions to cover its traditionally modest fundraising expenses, which are paid by earnings on bequests held in a separate foundation, the Direct Relief Foundation.