By Susy Schöneberg, Head of Flexport.org
Hello everyone,
Almost four years ago, I founded Flexport.org, the impact team of Flexport, a global transportation company. After witnessing the power of Flexport to move goods efficiently, I knew that we have the ability to get medical goods and other aid supplies where they need to go during crises. And I know first hand how important this is, as I once struggled to receive medical aid myself when I contracted Cholera and fought for my life. Since Flexport.org was formed, we’ve shipped aid to over 50 countries during crises like the Syrian Civil War and the consequent European Migrant Crisis, Cyclone Idai in Mozambique and the California Wildfires.
Today, amidst this unprecedented pandemic, our work transporting medical equipment is more crucial than ever. We activated our COVID-19 relief efforts this January, three days before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, by shipping masks to medical clinics in Wuhan, China. As of today, Flexport has shipped over 96 million units for the response efforts, including 91 million masks and respirators as well as medical supplies and hospital equipment.
Since launching our GoFundMe Frontline Responders Fund campaign, we’ve raised over $7.4 million, 82% of which has already been awarded to over 65 incredible organizations who are equipping frontline responders with PPE and keeping communities safe.
Donations have already been used to bring goods to the frontlines. We have:
- Shipped over 10.8 million units of PPE and COVID-19 response items, including approximately: 9.5 million masks, 240,000 gowns, 1,000 ventilators, 235,000 gloves, and even 252,000 meals for vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by social isolation
- Delivered to ICUs, emergency rooms, hospitals, and healthcare facilities, but also to medical distribution nonprofits such as MedShare, nursing homes and elderly care centers, government agencies, food aid distribution centers, and even supplies to domestic production facilities
- Sent goods throughout the US, particularly hotspots in New York and Los Angeles — you can see the concentration of shipments in the map below. And our focus is global to ensure every responder is equipped to safely fight this battle: we’ve helped ship to the UK, Ireland, Greece, Burkina Faso, and Haiti, with support coming for South America.
We’re grateful for those helping our mission, including:
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Shutterfly
- BeautyUnited, a coalition of beauty and wellness brands focused on awareness to our campaign, as well as coordinating product donations to health care workers from their own companies
- The National PPE Coalition, who is coordinating all response organizations activating for COVID-19 relief
- Atlas Air, United Airlines and Airlink, who have helped to provide chartered flights in an incredibly constrained air market
- FiveStar Freight, who are discounting all trucking services in the New York and New Jersey area for Frontline Responders Fund shipments
- You, our donors and supporters, we wouldn’t be where we are today without the support from each and every individual who has contributed to or shared our campaign.
This is what we have done in just a few weeks, but even as millions of supplies start to arrive, we know the response efforts will be a journey. The current demand outpaces our available funds: we can only support less than 30% of organizations who have applied for help.
Please share our mission and our Frontline Responder Fund initiative with your friends and families: beginning today, anyone can text FRONTLINE to 41411 to donate. With everyone’s support, we can provide the essential medical equipment that allows doctors and nurses to save peoples’ lives and continue to serve those who have been impacted by the economic repercussions of social distancing. Together, we can truly help more people.
Thank you,
Susy
