Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 525 shipments of requested medical aid to 44 U.S. states and territories and 22 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 3.2 million defined daily doses of medication.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included rare disease therapies, cancer treatments, surgical supplies, personal protective equipment, insulin, and more.

Long-Term Recovery Continues After Turkey-Syria Earthquake

On February 6, 2023, powerful earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northwest Syria, killing over 50,000 people and displacing hundreds of thousands.

Two years later, recovery and rebuilding continues, including health services in the region. After the earthquakes, Direct Relief mobilized more than $200 million in medical aid, dispatching over 800 tons of supplies and more than $10 million in financial assistance to frontline healthcare providers.

In the long-term recovery from the earthquakes, mental health support remains a critical need. Direct Relief is funding trauma prevention programs like World Human Relief, providing survivors with ongoing psychological support in a safe, healing environment. Direct Relief is also focused on rehabilitation services, and continues to support the Hatay Medical Chamber, which operates a mobile physical therapy and rehabilitation unit, which treats both adult and pediatric patients.

This essential funding ensures communities have access to vital mental health and rehabilitation resources, supporting their long-term healing and recovery.

Direct Relief Signs MOU with Spanish First Responder Group

In January, Direct Relief signed a memorandum of understanding with United Firefighters Without Borders, or BUSF, a Spanish search and rescue group that has recently responded to extreme flooding in the Valencia area of Spain. The agreement will enable swift, coordinated action during future emergencies.

Direct Relief has worked with BUSF during multiple disaster responses, including in response to the Nov. 2024 unprecedented rainfall and flooding, causing widespread damage and displacing thousands of residents. In response, Direct Relief provided $205,000 in emergency cash grant funds to BUSF to support their deployment to the affected region. BUSF conducted search and rescue efforts, medical evacuations, and clearing critical infrastructure to restore emergency logistics. The grant from Direct Relief enabled the team’s mobilization and funded essential equipment, including water pumps and generators.

Direct Relief also supported BUSF after the organization deployed to support search and rescue efforts after the Sept. 2023 Moroccan earthquake. The memorandum of understanding, signed in person by Direct Relief staff at BUSF’s Madrid headquarters, will support future emergency response efforts.

Diabetes Medications Depart for Young People in East Africa

This week, shipments of oral diabetes medication departed Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara warehouse for Djibouti. The medications are bound for the Centre Jeune des Diabetiques de Djibouti, a national center of excellence for the care of Djibouti’s pediatric/adolescent population with Type 1 diabetes, including patients up to 25 years old. The center provides care for hundreds of patients free of charge – including refugees and migrants, who make up a significant portion of Djibouti’s population.

Direct Relief has also provided cold storage to the organization to support its capacity to accept temperature-sensitive medications. Direct Relief has installed three solar-powered medical-grade refrigerators with future plans to expand cold storage.

Equipping Search and Rescue Emergency Response Teams in Mexico

As part of Direct Relief’s ongoing multi-year emergency preparedness support program with FedEx, Direct Relief staff in Mexico delivered 70 field medic backpacks for first responders this week, equipping them for future emergency response.

Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense’s Emergency Response Battalion received the packs, along with eight emergency health kits filled with essential medications commonly requested after disasters. The emergency response battalion is trained in medical assistance and disaster relief operations, and the delivery will equip the battalion for future emergency responses.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 477 shipments containing 963,531 doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 2.3 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 61,866 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 3,355 shipments to 1,179 partner organizations in 53 U.S. states and territories and 52 countries. These shipments contained 33.6M defined daily doses of medication valued at $171.3M(wholesale) and totaled 596,689 lbs.

in the news

New York Times: Help California Wildfire Victims

NBC News | Today: California Fires – How to Help

LA Times: How to Help Victims of Pacific Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst Fires

Fox News: Video: How to Help Wildfire Victims

CNN: Help Los Angeles Residents During Unprecedented Wildfires

CNBC: Where to Give for California Wildfire Relief

Axios: How to Help Victims of LA Fires

ABC7: How to Help SoCal Wildfire Victims

Charity Navigator: Where to Give for the Palisades Fire 2025

Santa Barbara Independent: Santa Barbara Fire Crews Assist Los Angeles Wildfires