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Ahead of Disaster Season, Direct Relief Commits $250,000 to Footprint Project to Power Critical Health Services

News

Resilient Power

The Footprint Project deploys a solar microgrid system for Delta Health Center in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, after an EF4 tornado devastated the area in March 2023. (Photo courtesy of the Footprint Project)
By Staff

Direct Relief today announced a commitment of $250,000 to the Footprint Project to proactively fund the deployment of mobile solar and battery storage to communities impacted by disasters this year.

When the grid goes down, Footprint Project sources and sustainably implements the setup of mobile solar microgrids to bring emergency power to Direct Relief’s network of community health clinics. Through this collaboration, Footprint Project serves as the rapid response arm to Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative, which supports the installation of off-grid, renewable, reliable power systems for critical health services in vulnerable communities.

“Direct Relief’s humanitarian health and emergency response activities have made it unmistakably clear that power losses compound the health consequences for people in emergency settings due to spoiled medication, inaccessibility of medical records, and often the complete shutdown of health services when people need them most,” said Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief. “Footprint Project is addressing in such a thoughtful way the huge, recurring, and growing problem of power losses in emergency situations.”

The strategic alliance between Direct Relief and Footprint Project enables both organizations to support critical healthcare infrastructure through both blue and gray skies. This is the second consecutive year that Direct Relief has donated $250,000 to Footprint Project.

“As climate change increases the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, it’s imperative that we transition disaster response and recovery operations off fossil fuels,” said Will Heegaard, Operations Director at Footprint Project. “We are grateful for Direct Relief’s partnership and innovative leadership in renewable response and community resilience.”

Footprint Project currently has a fleet of 80+ mobile solar assets across the U.S. and Puerto Rico and has been developing, assembling, testing, and deploying cleaner energy infrastructure since 2018.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts with 70% confidence there will be 8-13 hurricanes during the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season, including 4-7 major hurricanes (Categories 3-5). The pre-positioned aid from Direct Relief enables both organizations to respond proactively rather than on the heels of a crisis.

POWER FOR HEALTH

Direct Relief’s investments in resilient power have expanded rapidly since Hurricane Maria in 2017 left Puerto Rico without power for months, which led to a still-ongoing effort to equip health centers and other facilities with self-sufficient micro-grids that enable sustained operations during outages.

In recent years, Direct Relief has provided more than $20 million in grants to health centers and clinics throughout the United States for the installation of off-grid, renewable, reliable power systems, improving resiliency and continuity of care for critical health services in vulnerable communities.

Without power, critical health services can’t be provided – lifesaving medicines go bad, electronic health records can’t be accessed, essential medical equipment can’t be powered, and vital community health facilities serving the most vulnerable shut down. This single initiative addresses health, renewable energy, and community resiliency.

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