Americares, Direct Relief, and World Central Kitchen, Along With Bright Horizons, Join #FirstRespondersFirst As Implementing Partners, Supporting Healthcare Workers on the Frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#FirstRespondersFirst, an initiative of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation supporting healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, proudly announces Americares, Direct Relief, and World Central Kitchen as implementing partners, joining the previously announced Bright Horizons. Having raised more than $3 million since the launch of its fundraising call to action on March 23, #FirstRespondersFirst will activate its implementing partners to provide critical supplies, equipment, and resources to this demographically and socially diverse healthcare workforce. With unique access to the expertise, reach, and capabilities of Harvard Chan School, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation, #FirstRespondersFirst can be immediately responsive to the most vital needs of healthcare workers, by tapping into the coalition’s extensive networks to meet those needs.

Following is an overview of the resources each implementing partner brings to #FirstRespondersFirst.

AMERICARES

Americares is delivering critically needed protective supplies – masks, gowns, gloves, and disinfectants – to health workers in COVID-19 hot spots worldwide, including free clinics and health centers serving low-income and uninsured patients across the United States. Americares is also training health workers in infection prevention and control, mental health, and psychosocial support and disaster preparedness.

DIRECT RELIEF

Direct Relief is providing essential PPE – N95 masks, surgical masks, gloves, isolation gowns, and face shields – to hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers. PPE will be sent to the frontline doctors and nurses working in community clinics and health centers, as well as those in hospital ERs and ICUs.

WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN

World Central Kitchen is a team of food first responders, mobilizing with urgency to get nourishing meals to those who need them most. They are activating restaurants and kitchens to safely feed medical professionals on the frontlines, as well as vulnerable communities around the country.

BRIGHT HORIZONS

Bright Horizons has opened child care hubs, providing free high-quality, safe, and nurturing care for the children of first responders, enabling this workforce to have peace-of-mind to focus on their critical jobs. Bright Horizons is operating with special COVID-19 protocols in place, including limited capacity and small group sizes, enhanced teacher-to-child ratios, and intensive hygiene and cleaning practices to protect the health and safety of the children and staff. The centers are staffed with expertly trained and experienced local Bright Horizons early educators, and available for children ages infants through six-years-old. Last week, Bright Horizons opened special #FirstRespondersFirst child care hubs for first responders in Seattle, Detroit, and Washington, D.C., with additional hubs to open across the U.S. in the coming days.

About #FirstRespondersFirst

#FirstRespondersFirst is an initiative of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation to provide first responder healthcare workers with physical and psychological resources they so desperately need as they serve on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. #FirstRespondersFirst’s fundraising call to action helps provide critical supplies, equipment, and resources, including accommodations and meals, to healthcare workers, ranging from minimum-wage hourly workers in home-care settings to social workers, nurses, physicians, and beyond. Harvard Chan School, which has a distinguished century-old history of developing and communicating evidence-based environmental, occupational, and behavioral health information, provides evidence-based content specifically tailored to this demographically and socially diverse workforce powered by Thrive Global's behavior change platform, delivering access to online workshops, virtual training, coaching, and content to help improve the physical and mental well-being of healthcare workers. #FirstRespondersFirst is a fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a Charity Navigator 4 Star Charity that meets all 20 BBB Charity Standards.