The partnership with the UPS Foundation, which was established in 2010, helps the UN Refugee Agency quickly respond and make a difference in restarting the lives of people forced to flee.
At a time of simultaneous natural and human-caused disasters, the UPS Foundation uses a multi-tasking approach to respond — providing everything from freight services and cash to technological development and training for UNHCR staff and partners. All that added up to to a total donation of almost of $1 million in 2015, benefitting thousands of displaced families and individuals in locations ranging from Nepal to Greece to Mauritania.
“The UNHCR-UPS partnership has really evolved to become one of our model partnerships. “We have our people engaged in the field and we have engagement all the way up to the most senior level of the organization.”
– UPS Foundation President Eduardo Martinez
Utilizing its expertise in transport, logistics, supply and communications, the partnership has evolved to meet needs that otherwise would be very difficult to find solutions for. Thanks to UPS, more than 30,000 people received core relief items such as blankets, sleeping mats, solar lanterns and plastic sheeting.
In 2015 UPS also provided winterization supplies for people displaced inside Syria, emergency supply training for UNHCR staff and partners, and a contribution of $150,000 to UNHCR’s Emergency Response Fund, a source of flexible money that can be directed rapidly to deliver critical aid and assistance to emerging crises around the world.
“The partnership is a great example of a company that not only provides financial support but also leverages its unique expertise to help solve difficult challenges around the refugee crisis. We look forward deepening our partnership in 2016 and beyond.”
– Anne-Marie Grey, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of USA for UNHCR
Check out our new partnership video: