Direct Relief International
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| Direct Relief International | |
 |
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| Founder | William Zimdin and Dezso Karczag |
|---|---|
| Founded | August 23, 1948 |
| Headquarters | Santa Barbara, California |
| Key people | Thomas Tighe |
| Focus | Healthcare |
| Volunteers | Over 400[1] |
| Employees | 34 full-time, 8 part-time[2] |
| Slogan | 'Healthy people, better world, since 1948' |
| Website | http://www.directrelief.com |
Direct Relief International is a non-profit organization founded on August 23, 1948 by William Zimdin and Dezso Karczag as the William Zindin Foundation. After Zimdin's death in 1951, Karczag assumed full ownership, and he remained owner until his death, when Thomas Tighe assumed the helm as President and CEO in October 2000.[3]
Based in Goleta, California, the organization accepts used, manual wheelchairs for donation to approved health care projects and hospitals around the world. The wheelchairs are included in broader donations of medicines, medical supplies, medical equipment, and nutritional supplements. Donated wheelchairs are thoroughly cleaned and examined, and refurbished when indicated, before shipping to resource-poor facilities in Africa, Indonesia, Asia, India, Louisiana and Latin America.[citation needed]
After the tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, Direct Relief International received free AdSense advertising from Google in the form of a 'Google Grant'[4] and raised over $25 million in medical aid. [5]
Following the US gulf coast disasters of 2005 (hurricanes Katrina and Rita) DRI has been highly involved in relief work in the region providing $26.5 million in medical aid.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ About Us, retrieved 2007-02-20
- ^ About Us, retrieved 2007-02-20
- ^ Direct Relief International President Thomas Tighe Recognized by Aspen Institute as Emerging Leader. Retrieved 2007-02-20
- ^ Charity Invites Donors to 'Kick the Tires' and Squeeze the Cash Register. Retrieved on 2006-11-30.
- ^ Direct Relief International Shareholders' Meeting Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
- ^ Charity Navigator - Hurricane Katrina Spending Report: Direct Relief International Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
[edit] External links
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