The UPS Foundation, which leads the global citizenship programs for UPS (UPS), announced $15M in funding for non-profit organizations around the world, with a focus on the United States. The funding will aid communities impacted by the novel Coronavirus and support non-profits fulfilling their missions now and into the recovery phase.

The grants include an initial $1M directed toward urgent and immediate relief in the United States, including delivering life-sustaining healthcare supplies, providing essential food, supporting education, and sustaining financial security.

“For many local non-profit organizations, the dramatic increase in need, particularly in underserved communities, combined with the lack of volunteer support and uncertainty of ongoing funding, is creating a breaking point,” said Eduardo Martinez, President of The UPS Foundation and UPS Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

“Communities rely on UPS to deliver life-saving supplies and vital necessities. By tapping into the power of The UPS Foundation, along with the incredible strength of UPSers working every day to sustain our communities and support our neighbors,” he continued. “We are addressing the needs of non-profits who need our support now more than ever.”

The support reflects The UPS Foundation’s strategy of addressing immediate needs while also setting up people, communities and organizations for long-lasting success and recovery.

UPS employees provide more than three million volunteer hours within their communities each year, and have the opportunity to request local grants for the organizations where they volunteer.

The grants will focus on underserved communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Funding will go out to hundreds of organizations, in areas of need including:

Healthcare

Family Scholar House in Kentucky will purchase 450 digital thermometers and bottles with sprayers for bleach cleaner to distribute to families and seniors.

American Red Cross in New Jersey will support blood supplies and other relief items for families and communities.

Sun.Risas in Miami for the fabric and production of 15,000 handmade reusable face masks.

Education

Junior Achievement in New Jersey for remote learning resources, including online and other materials to address the digital divide, accelerate the building of the JA Career Pathways Center digital platform, and ensure the sustainability of its operations during this critical time.

United Way of New York City supporting a broad network of over 600 community-based partners and providing resources to agencies and community-based organizations working with individuals disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. 

All About Change in South Carolina to support at-risk children through a telehealth platform.

Financial Sustainability

Ramsey Responds in New Jersey, supporting financial assistance for local residents on rent, mortgage, utilities, medical expenses, food and other critical needs.

Memorial Foundation Inc. in Florida, working to alleviate financial distress among patients and staff of the Memorial Healthcare System.

Food Security

Concrete Jungle in Georgia will provide grocery delivery for seniors, food pantry clients, and other vulnerable and immunocompromised people.

Special Olympics Florida - Miami Dade County will support immediate food deliveries to underserved families.

Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc. in Pennsylvania will maintain and increase food capacity for low income families.

Second Harvest Food Bank in Louisiana will provide food to underserved families.

Tarrant Area Food Bank in Texas will feed local school children and families.

Beyond the local community efforts, collaboration within UPS’s worldwide network of employees, strategic partners and providers is resulting in global and local solutions for rapidly developing relief efforts. With support from The UPS Foundation, UPS has developed a distribution model to support the collaboration with the USDA and McLane Global to distribute meal kits containing two weeks of food for children across the United States who rely on lunch programs impacted by school closures. Through the Emergency Meals-To-You partnership, rural school districts can sign up for home delivery of free meals for their students.

To date, The UPS Foundation has coordinated more than 80 shipments of relief materials through UPS’s worldwide network. More than $6 million in cash contributions, supply chain consultation and in-kind transportation have been provided to expedite the distribution of life-sustaining materials.