Improving the Lives of People
The Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen) Impact Foundation is a strong supporter of Direct Relief’s mission. Since 2018, the Cencora Impact Foundation has provided Direct Relief funds to help where it matters most, supporting several global humanitarian issues.
The Cencora Impact Foundation has demonstrated its commitment to global health equity through significant investments in Direct Relief’s mission. In 2023, the Cencora Impact Foundation awarded Direct Relief a transformative two-year grant to strengthen critical cold chain infrastructure worldwide. This investment enabled the purchase and delivery of essential refrigerators and freezers to healthcare facilities serving vulnerable communities, ensuring temperature-sensitive medications and vaccines remain viable during transit and storage.
Direct Relief Awarded Cencora Healthier Futures Grant to Strengthen Healthcare Resilience in Latin America
Direct Relief has been selected to receive funding through the Cencora Healthier Futures Grant Program. This initiative, funded by the Cencora Impact Foundation, will enable Direct Relief to strengthen healthcare resilience across Mexico, Peru, and Brazil.
By developing climate-resilient cold-chain infrastructure and providing comprehensive training for healthcare workers, Direct Relief aims to help disaster-affected communities “build back greener” while improving health outcomes in vulnerable regions.
This partnership with the Cencora Impact Foundation will create lasting improvements in healthcare delivery systems across Latin America, ensuring that life-saving medications remain accessible even in challenging conditions.
Key Initiatives
Hurricane Relief
When hurricanes strike vulnerable communities, the partnership between the Cencora Impact Foundation and Direct Relief mobilizes critical medical resources precisely when and where they are needed most. Leveraging the Cencora Impact Foundation’s pharmaceutical supply chain expertise and Direct Relief’s humanitarian response capabilities, this collaboration has proven essential during recent hurricane emergencies.
Through targeted financial support, the Cencora Impact Foundation has strengthened Direct Relief’s hurricane preparedness and response initiatives. Their contributions help fund emergency medical packs containing life-saving medications, IV solutions, and chronic disease management supplies—resources that become urgently needed when healthcare infrastructure is compromised by storm damage.
Cold Chain
For patients relying on insulin, certain vaccines, biologics, and other temperature-sensitive therapies, this cold chain infrastructure makes the difference between receiving effective treatment or compromised medications. In regions with unreliable power, extreme climates, or limited resources, such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Ecuador, the Cencora Impact Foundation’s support helps bridge critical gaps in the medical supply chain.
The impact extends far beyond the physical equipment. By strengthening cold chain capacity, this partnership enables healthcare providers to expand their services, reduce medication waste, and ensure consistent treatment for patients with chronic conditions. During disasters when power systems fail, these refrigeration units become even more crucial, protecting vital medical supplies when communities need them most.
Flood Relief
In November of 2024, the Spanish province of Valencia experienced unprecedented rainfall and flooding, causing widespread damage and displacing thousands of residents. In response, the Cencora Impact Foundation supported Direct Relief which provided an emergency cash grant to Bomberos Unidos Sin Fronteras, or BUSF, a Spanish search and rescue organization, to support their deployment to the affected region.
The 17-member BUSF emergency response team focused on 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.