Amid a new shortage of supplies, Amazon donated 4.4 million masks and thousands of contactless thermometers to Direct Relief and Feeding America over the past several weeks. The masks and thermometers went to over 200 of Direct Relief's partner clinics and Feeding America member food banks and partner agencies in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. We are also in the process of donating over 273,000 gallons of hand sanitizer to the Feeding America network of food banks across the U.S. Our strong community ties have helped us to identify organizations in need and use our procurement partnerships and logistics network to source and transport more than $10 million worth of essential supplies to them.
Direct Relief is the nation's largest charitable provider of personal protective equipment (PPE) and critical care medications in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. On an ongoing basis and during emergencies, the organization works to equip doctors and nurses with life-saving medical resources to care for the world's most vulnerable people—without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay. Previously, we partnered with Direct Relief to donate supplies in China during the early stages of the pandemic, and the Puerto Rico earthquake in 2019.
We flew the donated supplies to the U.S. and used Amazon trailers to deliver them to Direct Relief's warehouses. Direct Relief then fulfilled final distribution of the masks and thermometers to its clinics as well as Feeding America's member food banks, which are working hard to feed people in need during the crisis. Direct Relief distributed the PPE supplies Amazon donated to organizations across the country including the Venice Family Clinic in California, Fetter Healthcare Network in South Carolina, Hope Clinic in Texas, St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance in Arizona, Food Bank for New York City and the Mercy Mobile Clinic in Florida, among others.
"Amazon's donation of millions of masks and thousands of contactless thermometers through Direct Relief to the safety clinics around the country is helping to protect at-risk populations," said Thomas Tighe, CEO of Direct Relief. "As a humanitarian aid organization operating for more than 60 years, these types of donations make the lifesaving work we do possible."
"Food banks have been working hard every day to provide essential items including food and supplies for people in need during the COVID-19 crisis," said Blake Thompson, chief supply chain officer at Feeding America. "We are grateful for Amazon’s generous donation, which helps food bank staff and volunteers safely continue the important work they do, helping our neighbors in need."
Health and safety has always been our focus, both across our employee base and for people in the communities we serve. Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we've distributed more than 100 million masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and additional PPE to our associates across the U.S. Masks are now standard and stocked across our network, and all Amazon associates, delivery service partners, Amazon Flex participants, seasonal employees, and Whole Foods Market stores employees are required to wear them. Now that we've taken care of our associates, we are able to be deliberate with how we distribute additional masks and other PPE to our partners still in need of supplies.
