AmeriCares and GSK: Helping People When Disaster Strikes
By Sue, GSK Community Partnerships
However, several weeks ago when the phone rang, it was different. Out of the blue Randy informed me that AmeriCares had nominated GSK for a prestigious honor that they award together with the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA)--and we won for our exceptional dedication to expanding access to healthcare for disadvantaged populations. I was thrilled! And this morning, my colleague Joe Kucharski walked on stage to accept the award from AmeriCares President & CEO Curt Welling on our behalf.
You don't need to look far to know how much AmeriCares is a part of my daily life. The AmeriCares calendar is on the wall at my office. Each month depicts a scene from one of the 120 countries they support with donated medicines and outreach services, along with their mission: "A Passion to Help. The Ability to Deliver."
I am passionate about our product donation program. GlaxoSmithKline partners with non-profit organizations and relief charities that have experience delivering humanitarian aid, including AmeriCares, and many others. We provide them with supplies that can be used when disasters strike, or when disadvantaged areas need longer-term healthcare programs. The way it works is that our partners select GSK products from an inventory, and we then send those products to their warehouses. Our partners are then able to respond immediately in emergency situations.
These products could be medicines from our pharmaceutical portfolio, or consumer goods, like toothpaste and skin lotion. Each year, GSK provides products valued at approximately $15 million and thanks to our partnership with AmeriCares and their fast response, GSK's donations are often the first to arrive at the scene of many major disasters.
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About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information go to us.gsk.com, follow us on twitter.com/GSKUS or visit our blog (www.morethanmedicine.us.gsk.com/blog/).
