Guest post from Rise Against Hunger
One of the greatest impacts of in-kind shipping from FedEx is that its reach extends far beyond any single shipment. It helps Rise Against Hunger build stronger relationships with our in-country partners, expand access to healthcare in the communities we serve and respond quickly when emergencies arise.
A recent vaccine donation distribution in Haiti is a powerful example. With support from FedEx, Rise Against Hunger facilitated the temperature-sensitive transportation of HPV vaccines from New York to Miami before they continued to Haiti. Working directly with Haiti’s Minister of Health, Dr. Bertrand Sinal, and his team, we coordinated all logistics to ensure the rapid clearance of the vaccines through customs while maintaining the integrity of the cold chain transportation. The successful shipment, valued at $9.8 million, will help protect approximately 2,500 Haitians against HPV-related cancers and has opened the door to discussions about a substantially larger donation opportunity with the vaccine donor.
However, the impact of that collaboration did not end when the vaccines arrived in Haiti. In the aftermath of the recent earthquake in Venezuela, Dr. Sinal reached out to share that Haiti deployed a delegation of medical professionals and a cargo plane carrying supplies from Haitian hospitals to respond to the crisis.
Through our relationship, Dr. Sinal and his team connected Rise Against Hunger with Haiti’s ambassador to Venezuela, as well as other government officials involved in the response.
Those connections created a direct pathway for Rise Against Hunger to provide additional assistance. As part of our immediate emergency response, we coordinated the transfer of 285,120 Rise Against Hunger meals from multiple warehouses to the Port of Miami for delivery to Venezuela using the FedEx in-kind shipping program.
Our response has expanded beyond meeting immediate food needs to helping strengthen healthcare access for earthquake-affected communities. We have prepared a shipping container filled with 40 pallets of hospital and trauma supplies, antibiotics and other medications for adults and children, along with a large quantity of adult, children’s and prenatal vitamins. These products will help healthcare providers treat injuries, address ongoing medical needs, and continue caring for vulnerable families as recovery efforts move forward.
This response demonstrates the true multiplier effect of our relationship. A shipment that began with expanding access to preventive healthcare in Haiti helped strengthen the relationship with the country’s Ministry of Health. That relationship then created an opportunity for the nation of Haiti, Rise Against Hunger and our established partners to respond to an emergency in another country while expanding access to healthcare for those impacted by the earthquake throughout the longer-term recovery.
The multiplier effect of FedEx in-kind shipping often begins long before a completed shipment leaves our warehouse. Knowing that transportation support is available gives us the confidence to say “yes” when a donor offers medications, medical supplies or other urgently needed products. It allows us to move donations from multiple locations, consolidate them in our warehouses and prepare larger, more comprehensive shipments based on the priorities identified by our partners and government officials.
We have seen firsthand how one successful shipment can lead to so much more. When donors see that we can safely and efficiently move a complex donation, it often leads to additional product offers and larger opportunities. When ministries of health and in-country partners see that we follow through on our commitments, it builds trust and often leads to new connections, requests and opportunities to reach even more communities. The impacts of FedEx in-kind shipping often happen behind the scenes and may not always be visible in an individual shipment update.
This is what collaboration looks like at its best: one act of support opening the door to another and creating an impact far greater than any of us could achieve alone.
Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.