Vaseline and Direct Relief Donate $100,000 to Support Mobile Medical Units, Expanding Skin Health Access in Los Angeles and New Orleans

Vaseline®, in partnership with humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief, announced new support for two community-based mobile medical units operated by Venice Family Clinic in Los Angeles and Baptist Community Health Services in New Orleans that bring comprehensive care – including dermatology – directly to neighborhoods impacted by hurricanes, wildfires, and ongoing systemic barriers to care. In the wake of a natural disaster, help often comes fast but doesn’t stay; as attention fades, communities are left to rebuild without the care they still urgently need, and for many, something as basic as skin health – from wound care to infection prevention – remains out of reach. These grants keep care on the ground when the headlines move on, bringing care directly into communities still healing long after the spotlight has shifted – reflecting Vaseline’s long-standing commitment to advancing equitable access to skin health.

For more than 150 years, Vaseline has been committed to caring for everybody’s skin, guided by the belief that skin health is a right, not a privilege. The Vaseline Healing Project, which has reached 27 million people worldwide over the past decade, turns this belief into reality by providing resources like financial support, products, and training to nonprofit health clinics and disaster response teams – helping make skin health accessible for all. That’s why, for communities facing the greatest barriers, Vaseline believes Healing Starts Here – with every act of care that restores dignity, hope, and long-term skin health.

“From dermatological missions in refugee camps to communities recovering from natural disasters, Vaseline is on a mission to bring skin health to places where it’s being overlooked,” said Kathleen Dunlop, Chief Marketing Officer, Beauty & Wellbeing, Unilever North America. “We’re proud to work with trusted clinics in these communities and our long-term partner, Direct Relie,f to help all people get access to the skin health they deserve in the places they live. That’s what Healing Starts Here is all about.”

Each clinic’s mobile medical unit provides primary care, on-site dermatology, mental health support, and lifesaving cancer screenings to put care within reach and ensure people are seen by medical professionals.

• In Los Angeles, the grant funds Venice Family Clinic’s mobile medical unit to expand outreach to residents experiencing homelessness and to communities still healing from this year’s devastating wildfires.

• In New Orleans, where transportation gaps, dermatology deserts, and longstanding inequities persist, the grant supports Baptist Community Health Services’ mobile medical unit as it expands access across the Ninth Ward, continuing to rebuild since Hurricane Katrina.

“Mobile care delivers impact where it’s needed most,” said Maris Steward, Program Manager at Direct Relief. “Vaseline is supporting local clinic partners to ensure critical health services are being delivered to people who need it most.”

“For many in New Orleans, the transportation gaps that have persisted since Hurricane Katrina continue to make it challenging for many residents to access health care,” said Philip Brodst, CEO, Baptist Community Health Services. “With our mobile medical unit, we’re able to bring essential care directly to neighborhoods that have faced ongoing barriers, ensuring that people receive the health services they need, when they need it, right where they live.”

“As a member of the street medicine team at Venice Family Clinic, I see every day how critical it is to meet people where they are—on the streets, in shelters, and in neighborhoods that have been overlooked for far too long,” said Emem Brown , MSPAS, MPH, PA-C, Physician Assistant at Venice Family Clinic. “Support for our mobile medical unit means we can deliver comprehensive care directly to those who need it most, breaking down barriers and helping restore dignity in the process.”

Last night, Vaseline convened 50 dermatologists, advocates, creators and community leaders in Los Angeles for a preview of the mobile medical unit partnership and a panel, moderated by Shirley Raines of Beauty2theStreetz, on how mobile care can reduce barriers and expand access for people who need it most.

“As someone who shows up every week on Skid Row, I see firsthand how powerful it is when people are met with dignity and care—right where they are,” said Shirley Raines, founder of Beauty2theStreetz. “These mobile medical units are more than just clinics on wheels; they’re a lifeline for people who are too often overlooked. By bringing health, healing, and hope directly to our streets, this partnership is helping restore not just skin, but a sense of humanity and possibility.”

The Mobile Medical Units program is the latest effort in Vaseline’s mission to make skin health more accessible. Now celebrating its 10-year anniversary, the Vaseline Healing Project has reached 27 million people worldwide over the past decade by expanding access to care, providing education for dermatologists and consumers, and donating products – including 10 million Vaseline products to Direct Relief for communities with urgent skin health needs. Looking ahead, the Vaseline Healing Project aims to reach 33 million people globally by 2030, continuing to drive impact through these efforts in partnership with organizations like Direct Relief, HUED and VisualDx. For more information, go to https://www.vaseline.com/us/en/healing-project.html