Partnership Spotlight
For more than twenty years, 3M has supported Direct Relief’s global relief, recovery, as well as resilience efforts as the official N95 respirator sponsor. Direct Relief was able to quickly respond to many global emergencies because of their necessary protective breathing gear.
Via this collaboration, 3M’s N95 respirators have helped safeguard many medical staff members and at-risk groups, enabling Direct Relief to securely provide support in challenging settings globally.
“Through our partnership with Direct Relief, 3M is able to bring our mission to life in under resourced global communities. Our company believes that we can apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives. We are proud that our technologies are contributing to humanitarian aid and wellbeing through Direct Relief’s deep expertise, scale, and infrastructure.”
— Michael Stroik, VP of Community Investment
COVID-19
When the COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented global health crisis, 3M’s partnership with Direct Relief proved more vital than ever. In the early days of the pandemic, when personal protective equipment shortages threatened healthcare systems globally, 3M prioritized production and distribution of their industry-leading N95 respirators to areas of critical need. Working closely with Direct Relief’s logistics network, 3M helped ensure that these essential protective devices reached healthcare workers in hotspots across underserved communities.
LA Wildfires
When devastating wildfires threatened Los Angeles communities, 3M and Direct Relief’s longstanding partnership once again demonstrated its crucial value. The high-quality N95 respirators donated by 3M enabled Direct Relief to equip emergency response teams with protection against harmful smoke and particulates while delivering medical aid to evacuation centers and affected communities. For residents with respiratory conditions, these respirators provided a critical defense against the dangerous air quality conditions that followed the fires.
Hurricanes
When Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck in rapid succession, devastating communities across the southeastern United States, the partnership between 3M and Direct Relief proved critical to emergency response efforts. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s destructive path, 3M’s donated N95 respirators became essential tools for first responders and cleanup crews working in hazardous conditions and compromised infrastructure. When Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida just weeks later, 3M expanded their support to meet the escalating needs.