Month: July 2024

Originally published in FedEx’s 2023 FedEx Cares Report

Integrating mental health and psychosocial support into emergency response

Mental health and psychosocial support are critical parts of effective and sustainable first responder programs. With support from FedEx, International Medical Corps (IMC) created the Principles of Psychological First Aid (PPFA) training to equip first responders with the skills to compassionately support affected individuals and families. Yvonne Groenhout, an ICU nurse and IMC first responder, is one of 5,000 global medical professionals trained on PPFA. The PPFA training enabled Yvonne and so many others to spot people struggling in the aftermath of an emergency and provide them with the support they need to recover and stay healthy.

Restoring access to care after tornado destroys clinic

After a tornado ravaged the Delta Health Center in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, Heart to Heart International (HHI) stepped in to help. With support from FedEx, HHI deployed a disaster team, mobile medical units, and a portable clinic to ensure medical care continuity. The clinic staff, now equipped with secure facilities, aided storm victims and reached elderly patients in remote areas.

This has given us such an advantage as we work to continue to improve our disaster response efforts.

Maddy Langemach

Disaster Response Specialist

for Heart to Heart International

Helping to fund the Grassroots Revolution in Canada

With support from FedEx, GlobalMedic delivered 50+ tons of aid across Canada as part of its Grassroots Revolution – a suite of programs that address chronic emergencies. The deliveries included food, medical supplies, and hygiene items for Hurricane Fiona victims in Atlantic Canada, support for domestic Emergency Food and Hygiene Hub programs, and fire skid units for British Columbia’s forest fire relief. FedEx Canadian volunteers chipped in to help, assembling food kits for survivors across the region.

No-cost trainings bolster disaster management capabilities within at-risk communities

Team Rubicon aids communities worldwide in disaster preparedness. FedEx helps fund expert exercises, led by FEMA-trained practitioners, to stress-test plans, identify deficiencies, and bolster response capabilities. From simulations to nuclear disaster drills, Team Rubicon empowers communities of all sizes to face any calamity.

I get to help train communities to better respond, and FedEx helps get us there before that worst day happens.

Greg Ramoni

Exercise & Field Leadership Manager,

Team Rubicon

A long-term collaboration to deliver aid in Chile

FedEx delivered 40 tons of aid across Chile in 2023 in partnership with Desafío Levantemos Chile. Together we supported rehabilitation projects in fire and f lood-hit areas including rebuilding the Rural Medical Station in Santa Juana. With a network spanning 400 Chilean cities, FedEx has signed on to facilitate charitable transportation for Desafío Levantemos Chile on a regular basis.

FedEx has been one of our strongest logistical allies in dozens of emergencies since 2012. They help us to be more efficient and faster in the transportation “ of donations, reaching more families and entrepreneurs who need to get back on their feet.

Ignacio Serrano

Executive Director of Desafío

Levantemos Chile

All hands on deck to support Turkey after the earthquake

On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey near the Syrian border, followed by aftershocks up to 7.5 magnitude. Tragically, over 50,000 people died, with significant damage to infrastructure including destruction of many homes, businesses, hospitals, and utilities. Nine million individuals were directly affected and three million were displaced.

FedEx is committed to helping the many communities impacted by the earthquakes during this incredibly difficult time. We are inspired by the heroic work of first responders and humanitarian organizations and grateful to use our global network to donate flights, logistics support, and aid to advance recovery, rebuilding, and relief in the region.

Raj Subramaniam

FedEx President and CEO

FedEx receives OTHERS Award

FedEx received the OTHERS Award from The Salvation Army, recognizing our commitment to humanitarian efforts worldwide. Named after William Booth’s succinct telegram urging service to others, the award highlights the FedEx donation of 22 mobile feeding units to Salvation Army locations globally. This gesture reflects our company’s ongoing dedication to disaster relief and aiding communities in need.

Within hours of the earthquake in Turkey, FedEx began our multidimensional response:

Donated $100,000 to the Red Cross to aid recovery efforts in Turkey and Syrian communitiesDelivered critical humanitarian supplies from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Malatya, Turkey, on behalf of the Istanbul Governorship and local municipalityFlew five consecutive flights from February 17 to 21, which delivered approximately 230 metric tons of relief supplies including tents, blankets, baby items, household supplies, and hygiene kitsProvided shipping support for Canadian disaster-relief organization GlobalMedic, including the delivery of AquaResponse3 Water Purification UnitsWith the help of FedEx, Water Mission shipped five of its Living Water Treatment Systems to Turkey to provide emergency safe water access to those impacted by the devastating earthquakesWorked with World Central Kitchen to ship a deployable kitchen unit, kitchen supplies, and operations kits from Madrid, Spain, and Capitol Heights, Maryland, U.S., to Adana, TurkeyFedEx Cares team members in Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Slovenia collected items for the local Red Cross/Red Crescent societies and donated approximately 885 kilos of supplies including new warm clothes and shoes, blankets, hygienic materials, and family tents

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Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

PNC | Insights

A PNC-led effort to help bridge gaps in financial education and to equip local community residents with budgeting resources is coming to nine new markets by year end. Aimed at boosting the money management skills of individuals, first-time homebuyers and small business owners, the PNC Center for Financial Education (CFE) plans to fully launch its free financial well-being curriculum to communities in Atlanta, Birmingham, Cleveland, Harrisburg, Indianapolis, Oakland, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

“Our push into new markets builds on PNC’s multi-year effort to develop a scalable financial education model that can be replicated in community spaces where participants can gain the confidence and know-how to navigate their well financial well-being,” said Rey Ocañas, executive vice president & managing director, PNC Community Development Banking. “We understand that banking and finances can be intimidating, which is why we’ve partnered with local community organizations to deliver a curriculum that’s accessible to diverse learning styles and levels of financial knowledge.”

A collaboration between PNC and community-based nonprofit organizations in select cities, the CFE workshops break down barriers and provide accessible resources for people to build a solid foundation in personal finance, small business, and home-buying. Since launching the pilot in Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, and Houston last year, PNC subject matter experts have collaborated with community organizations to facilitate 80 CFE workshops serving more than 1,000 adults–primarily in unbanked, underbanked and low and moderate-income (LMI) communities.

PNC’s Community Development Banking team recently kicked off its expansion efforts with a CFE launch event at Fairfax Connection in Cleveland. As the program enters new markets later this year, CDB hopes to engage new community partners and PNC subject matter experts to help facilitate the CFE workshops in local communities.

CFE Pilot Helps Long-Term Partner Deliver Successful Results

Long-time community partner UnitedMegaCare has leveraged the CFE curriculum to offer in-person workshops to a broad network of community residents and employees at the organization’s Dallas and Fort Worth campus locations. And since the program’s launch in 2018 (formerly under BBVA), both attendance and engagement has continued to improve, with greater participation expected by year end, according to Tiffany Brinkley, UnitedMegaCare’s Community Impact Director.

“Based on the work we do and our mission to serve the most vulnerable, it’s important that we bring financial literacy resources to LMI families and homes, said Brinkley. “Growing up, many of our Black and Brown communities didn’t receive information on how to budget, save and invest for generational wealth. We see how important CFE is for the next generation and how much it’s needed even for younger adults to not to be afraid to embrace money and to understand how important financial education is to every facet of life.”

Last year, the Dallas-based global nonprofit offered 12 CFE workshops to more than 375 attendees as part of the organization’s strategic focus on providing adult education and career readiness resources.

PNC’s efforts to extend the financial literacy initiative to more communities comes at a pivotal moment, as more households grapple with economic uncertainty and rising debt loads. According to The Federal Reserve of New York’s latest quarterly reports. American household debt increased by $212 billion to $17.5 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2023, with lower-income and younger households experiencing increased financial stress amid higher delinquency rates on credit card and car loans.

“PNC’s investment in the CFE program has given us the resources not only to execute the program but also to help incentivize the community to make personal investments. For example, we’ve given residents who complete the modules stipends of up to $100 to open banking accounts to help leverage the money management tools and resources they’ve learned,” said Brinkley.

The Center for Financial Education is one of several initiatives PNC has expanded to help bridge the gap in financial learning. Earlier this year, PNC and EVERFI announced a new curriculum designed to boost financial literacy in high schools across Florida, Georgia and Ohio. And in 2023, PNC launched its 10th dedicated mobile branch to provide free financial education sessions and resources to residents in low and moderate-income communities across the U.S.

“CFE is not just another educational resource, it’s a catalyst for better financial well-being. By equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions, we’re working within the community to help break the cycle of debt, foster long-term savings habits, and promote financial independence,” added Ocanas.

For more information about the PNC Center for Financial Education workshops offered, contact your local PNC Community Development Banking team.

Originally published on Forbes

SAP is playing a key role in the business coalition to end plastic waste, and its software has been helping customers to manage material flows, including plastics, for decades.

“With SAP customers generating almost 90% of the world’s global business, we understand first-hand the challenges of today’s complex and fragmented web of regulations,” said Jamieson. “We know how difficult it is to understand current material flows and align upstream efforts with downstream solutions.”

“We’re seeing a new focus on eco modulation with material level incentives to use more recyclable materials,” said Jamieson. “Businesses can play a pivotal role in eliminating plastic pollution, and we’re here to help.”

Click here to continue reading on Forbes

Originally published on Forbes

SAP is playing a key role in the business coalition to end plastic waste, and its software has been helping customers to manage material flows, including plastics, for decades.

“With SAP customers generating almost 90% of the world’s global business, we understand first-hand the challenges of today’s complex and fragmented web of regulations,” said Jamieson. “We know how difficult it is to understand current material flows and align upstream efforts with downstream solutions.”

“We’re seeing a new focus on eco modulation with material level incentives to use more recyclable materials,” said Jamieson. “Businesses can play a pivotal role in eliminating plastic pollution, and we’re here to help.”

Click here to continue reading on Forbes