OAKLAND, Calif. — The Clorox Co. Foundation announced Tuesday a wide-ranging series of grants to three organizations on the front lines of fighting coronavirus: Direct Relief, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation’s Emergency Response Fund and the American Red Cross. The donations, totaling $5 million, will directly go toward “care for the caregivers” — people who are working with these public health organizations on the front lines to support public health.

“We are humbled by the work being done by these organizations in the fight against the coronavirus and want to join them in providing aid to caregivers who are performing heroic acts during this time of need,”  said Benno Dorer, chair of Clorox Foundation and chair and chief executive officer of The Clorox Co. “The private sector needs to act, and these donations are part of our longstanding history of providing support to public health organizations. In addition, we’re doing everything possible to get our disinfecting products to people and communities as quickly as possible. In this unprecedented time, we must all work together to battle this pandemic.”

Direct Relief Donation Has Potential to Help a Quarter-of-a-Million Caregivers

Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies. The Clorox Foundation’s said its donation will have the potential to help approximately a quarter-of-a-million healthcare facility caregivers and employees across the United States responding to coronavirus. The efforts are focused in three areas:

• Alleviating the strain on the nation’s hospitals, emergency rooms and ICUs and its caregivers.
• Providing assistance in the form of personal protective equipment to protect health workers.
• Purchasing and distributing portable oxygen concentrators allowing ICU units to discharge patients on the other side of critical care for COVID-19.

“Support from private industry during this public health emergency is critical, and Direct Relief is deeply appreciative of the extraordinary step by Clorox to help in these extraordinary times,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief president and CEO.

CDC Foundation Emergency Response Fund

The CDC Foundation’s Emergency Response Fund is mobilizing support to extend the lifesaving work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 response. The donation will help bolster health care system and provider readiness, such as:

• Managing needs for healthcare providers, from ensuring adequate medical supplies to workforce challenges, including childcare and family support.
• Disease control including required tracking and follow-up as community transmission occurs and training for caregivers.
• Expanding communication infrastructure between hospitals and state and local health departments.

American Red Cross Donation to Help Provide Safety to Frontline Caregivers and Donors

The Clorox Foundation said its coronavirus support will help American Red Cross provide for the safety and well-being of Red Cross frontline caregivers and donors through:

• Enacting enhanced disinfecting measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, or any respiratory infection.
• Bolstering temperature checks for donors and frontline caregivers, to protect the well-being of individuals at blood drives and donation centers.
• Increasing American Red Cross’ reach and capacity to help ensure blood products are available for patients in need, and mitigate risk to caregivers and donors.