As the United States braces for an unprecedented disaster and hurricane season, the need for preparedness and informed response has never been more critical. This year, experts predict stronger and more dangerous storms, which could harm both communities and businesses.
In the face of such threats, effective disaster response and humanitarian aid are crucial. The World Bank estimates that natural disasters cause an average of $165 billion in damage annually, affecting millions of people. Humanitarian organizations are essential providing rapid, targeted assistance to those in need.
As one of the leading humanitarian organizations, Direct Relief improves the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergency situations by mobilizing and providing essential medical resources needed for their care. In 2023 alone, Direct Relief delivered over 7,000 tons of medical aid to 100 countries, responding to crises such as the earthquakes in Turkey-Syria and the wildfires in Maui.
Understanding the complexities of disaster response and the vital role of humanitarian aid is essential for companies that want to protect their employees and support global relief efforts.
As hurricane season kicks off, your employees are likely to have a strong interest in giving back to global crises like conflicts, earthquakes, flooding, and more. Direct Relief’s local and global scale makes them a great fit for companies trying to ensure their employee engagement and corporate giving efforts address employees’ interests. Direct Relief offers unique, turnkey activities to boost your employee engagement through meaningful learning experiences.
Employee Engagement Offering: Lunch & Learn
Host a virtual Lunch & Learn with Direct Relief and let your team connect with experts tackling critical issues like disaster preparedness, maternal and child health, or the latest global crises. These sessions aren’t just informative; they’re a chance for your employees to dive into topics they care about and link them to your company’s CSR initiatives.
By hosting these sessions, your company shows its commitment to education and social awareness, while also boosting employee morale. Pairing these learning opportunities with payroll giving can further enhance participation and empower employees to make a real difference in communities worldwide.
Partnering with Direct Relief for virtual learning sessions is more than just professional development; it’s a strategic move to build a socially conscious workplace culture. Equip your team with the knowledge that drives empathy, action, and a shared commitment to global health and disaster relief. Then turn learning into impactful action and empower your workforce to be catalysts for positive change.
Direct Relief customizes each session to match your company’s specific interests and goals. Whether you want to highlight your disaster response efforts, showcase the impact of your corporate giving, or educate employees on current humanitarian crises, these sessions will enrich your team’s understanding and inspire action. Here are some interesting and popular topics for your team to consider:
- Disaster preparedness at home and abroad
- Ukraine conflict
- Turkey-Syria earthquake response
- Maternal and child health
- Maui wildfires response
- Country-specific interests (tailored to your company’s locations/operations)
Exploring the Impact
Your company’s and employees’ support of Direct Relief helps people affected by disaster and inadequate health systems around the world. Here’s just one example of their work in action:
In November 2023, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck western Nepal, killing 153 people and injuring hundreds more. In this remote area of the country, patients face difficulties accessing medical care even in ordinary circumstances and are particularly medically vulnerable in emergency situations.
Mountain Heart Nepal, a Nepali nonprofit that specializes in providing emergency medical care, quickly moved into action. With grant funding from Direct Relief and equipped with field medic packs provided by FedEx, their teams set up four mobile clinics, reaching over 700 patients in the highly earthquake-affected districts of West Rukum and Jajarkot.
These clinics provided immediate care for the injured but also performed general health screenings, dental care, infectious disease treatment, and supplied medication refills for the management of chronic diseases, including hypertension and diabetes.
Need help?
At Global Impact, we are dedicated to empowering companies to create meaningful and impactful employee engagement experiences. As a proud partner of Direct Relief, we offer comprehensive support to help you make the most of their incredible offerings. Whether you’re looking to introduce Direct Relief to your organization, need assistance with event planning, or want fresh ideas for themes and topics, we’re here to help.
Let us help you inspire greater giving and foster a culture of social responsibility within your organization. Reach out today to get started!
