Brother's Brother Foundation
Where aid leads to sustainable development
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Lack of access to health care is an issue that plagues much of the developing world. In particular, individuals in rural areas may live miles from the nearest hospital or clinic. By helping to fund construction of new hospitals and clinics, and strengthening the medical programs of already-existing health centers, Brother’s Brother Foundation hopes to develop robust health infrastructure in areas of highest need.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Healthcare
BBF's healthcare program is made up of three complementary areas:
1. Pharmaceutical Donations: Since 1972, BBF has been receiving short-dated pharmaceuticals (generally less than one year to expiration) from a number of pharma donors. We work with our partners on the ground in developing countries to donate this much needed medicine to their patients.
2. Medical Equipment and Supplies: One of BBF's core activities for many decades, this program is centered around collecting medical equipment and supplies primarily from our hospital and other types of medical donor partners. We send these donations, often along with pharmaceuticals, to medical facilities around the globe. The scarcity of available resources makes these items especially useful to help treat patients in hospitals and clinics.
3. Med-Surg Trips: This program focuses on supporting physician led teams, who give of their time and expertise to help patients on the ground in various countries.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure program aims to provide lasting solutions of the highest quality to those in need. Our programs focus on the areas of solar power and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene). Creating reliable, clean, and affordable access to energy provides security to communities in need leading to a prosperous future for all. BBF has been working with partners since 2013 to install solar panel systems on hospitals, clinics, and schools in Sub-Saharan Africa and Puerto Rico. The WASH program works to reduce the risk of water-borne illness and the spread of illness while increasing access to clean water and hygiene education.
Disaster Response
The Disaster Response program focuses on working hand-in-hand with first responders and relief agencies in the affected areas to provide ongoing support. This includes the sourcing and staging of resources, creating partnerships with transportation networks, and working with local partners and other VOADs (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster), along with engaging volunteers to sort and send disaster relief supplies.
Education
The Education program began with publishers donating books to BBF for recipients in countries around the world. Since then it has grown to working with local communities to help repair schools damaged by hurricanes and other natural calamities such as earthquakes. Other initiatives include installing solar panels and working with local communities to provide refurbished computers along with educational software to students.
Infrastructure
The Infrastructure program focuses on the areas of solar power and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene):
1. Solar: BBF has been working with partners to help install solar panel systems since early 2013. The program first began with supplying batteries to six hospitals in Liberia and has grown since then in both size and scope. By the end of 2020, BBF has worked with partners to equip over 55 clinics and hospitals in Sub-Saharan Africa and Puerto Rico.
2. WASH: This program aims to reduce the risk of water-borne illness and the spread of illness while increasing access to clean water and hygiene education. This program is a new BBF initiative and continue to take shape as we work to identify the areas in which we can have the greatest impact. The program is currently focused on working with volunteers to sew washable feminine hygiene pads for school age girls in Latin American countries.
Disaster Response
The Disaster Response program focuses on working hand-in-hand with first responders and relief agencies to help affected communities impacted by disasters from hurricanes to humanitarian crises here at home and abroad. This includes the sourcing and staging of resources, creating partnerships with transportation networks, and working with local partners and other VOADs (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster), along with engaging volunteers to sort and send disaster relief supplies.
Education
The Education program began with publishers donating books to BBF for recipients in countries around the world. The program has since grown to working with local communities to help repair schools damaged by disasters, installing solar power panels, providing refurbished computers along with educational software, and providing sporting equipment for a holistic learning experience.
Healthcare
The Healthcare program is made up of three complementary areas:
1. Pharmaceutical Donations: Since 1972, BBF has been receiving short-dated pharmaceuticals (generally less than one year to expiration) from a number of pharma donors. We work with our partners on the ground in developing countries, to donate this much needed medicine to their patients.
2. Medical Equipment & Supplies: One of BBF's core activities for many decades, this program is centered around collecting medical equipment and supplies primarily from our hospital and other types of medical donor partners. We send these donations, often along with pharmaceuticals, to medical facilities around the globe. The scarcity of available resources makes these items especially useful to help treat patients in hospitals and clinics.
3. Med-Surg Trips: This program focuses on supporting physician led teams, who give of their time and expertise to help patients on the ground in various countries. Not only do Med-Surg Trips connect medical providers to those in need of medical treatment, but it also ensures the short-dated pharmaceuticals BBF receives from our donors are given to those who need them most.
Where we work
Accreditations
Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance 2015
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of health education trainings conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Healthcare
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The number of health education trainings conducted by partners hand-carrying the organization's pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and equipment
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of hospital partners
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of hospital partners donating or working with Brother's Brother Foundation
Number of pharmaceutical partners
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of pharmaceutical organizations donating or working with Brother's Brother Foundation
Number of accolades/recognition received from third-party organizations
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of print, radio, or online ads developed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of press releases developed and distributed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Includes both institutional and individual donors
Average number of dollars given by institutions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Average number of dollars given by individuals
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The mission of BBF is to promote international health and education through the efficient and effective distribution and provision of donated medical, educational, agricultural, and other resources.
BBF's goal is to remain dedicated to operating at its utmost capacity and to carefully manage its growth to ensure continued quality and efficiency. In this way BBF works to improve the quality of life for people around the world by connecting people's resources with people's needs.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
BBF works in collaboration with trusted and vetted partner agencies in various countries around the world to connect people's resources with people's needs.
BBF provides requested donated pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and equipment to promote international health. These donated items are supplied by generous corporations, medical facilities and individuals throughout the US.
In an effort to increase aid to areas where it is most needed, BBF's Africa Medical Initiative delivers requested medical items for hospitals and clinics in countries in Africa. The materials, primarily simple medical equipment and supplies such as surgical packs, syringes, gloves and other consumable items, are sent to individual hospitals, clinics, and hospital distribution systems. BBF also purchases new and refurbished medical equipment, including autoclaves, surgical lights, anesthesia machines, operating tables, birthing tables and suction machines for this initiative.
BBF provides supplies for an ever increasing number of hand-carry mission trips at no cost to the mission teams. These medical and humanitarian supplies may include pharmaceuticals, vitamins, other over the counter medications, surgical instruments, exam gloves, etc. These trips allow BBF to serve and reach additional marginalized populations.
BBF receives donations of new text books and educational material from large US-based publishers. BBF works with trusted and vetted partner organizations to ensure that all donated educational material will improve the access and quality of education for disadvantaged children and out-of-school youth in recipient countries. Though most of BBF's donations are distributed outside the US, some projects provided new text books and educational materials to faith-based and charter schools, Head Start programs and Native American Reservation schools and libraries throughout the US.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
BBF has over 50 years of experience connecting people's resources with people's needs. Board Trustees have backgrounds in a variety of fields including medicine, education, business, nonprofit management and finance. BBF's ample budget allows room for program growth.
BBF's excellent reputation for ethical conduct and low expense ratio inspire confidence in donors, assuring them that their resources, both in-kind and financial, are being used wisely. BBF has been repeatedly recognized by Forbes Magazine for fundraising efficiency and charitable commitment, and the Better Business Bureau continues to give BBF its “Wise Giving Alliance Standards" seal of approval. BBF has strong, long-term relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers, publishers and others US companies that regularly donate new, surplus product to BBF. Donations of used medical equipment, surplus medical supplies and used books are received daily from hospitals, nursing homes, schools, organizations and individuals.
BBF has excellent working relationships with other gift-in-kind charities, which enhance BBF's ability to secure additional product donation. Staff and trustees regularly contact pharmaceutical manufacturers and hospital networks to broaden BBF's medical donor base. In March 2013, BBF assumed the assets of CrossLink, International, a nonprofit organization with a similar mission, which had closed in 2012. BBF opened an office and warehouse in Fairfax, VA employing former CrossLink staff, and now gathers medical equipment and hospital consumable supplies from large medical facilities in that area.
With the move toward electronic publishing, BBF staff and trustees are increasing their efforts to ensure a steady supply of up-to-date textbooks for donation to schools and libraries in developing countries.
BBF works with trusted partner agencies to distribute requested donations to those in need. Recipient organizations are carefully screened to ensure that donations are put to the best use and reach intended recipients in good condition. In times of natural disasters, BBF has demonstrated its ability to connect with trusted partners to deliver requested aid quickly to help relieve victims in distress.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
BBF's progress is shown by the increase in the volume and quality of medical container shipments to underserved countries, particularly in Africa. For example, in 2014 BBF sent 26 medical shipments to 10 African countries. BBF has purchased essential equipment including operating/surgical tables and lights, delivery tables, manual hospital beds, suction machines and anesthesia machines for donation to address priority needs. Since 2011, BBF's medical donations have been distributed in over 250 medical facilities in 21 African countries.
BBF's Education Program, which had its start in 1961 through the distribution of used books from community donors, has grown to become the largest distributor of privately donated new books in the world. In 2015 alone, BBF distributed 40 shipping containers of more than 490,000 textbooks and other educational supplies to 20 countries around the world including the US. Many of these books have been used by USAID programs and similar initiatives to improve the literacy of children and adults around the world. Other books have been used at the secondary and university level to improve the education and capacity of future generations of doctors and teachers in the developing world.
As both the Medical and Education Programs have grown over the years, the quality of the materials donated has also improved. As a result of this growth, BBF is able to provide essential materials requested by recipients. BBF's recipients are able to request very specifically the types of medicines, equipment, supplies and textbooks that best fit their needs. BBF never sends donations that have not been requested by recipients.
BBF provides medical and humanitarian supplies for a steadily increasing number of mission trips. BBF regularly receives letters of appreciation from teams returning from remote areas where BBF's donations have made it possible to deliver desperately needed medical care. Mission teams return to BBF year after year for supplies and many new requests come via referral.
BBF continues to identify new domestic and international partners, and to work toward increased levels of efficiency, consistency and quality in the donation process. BBF receives numerous acknowledgement letters from grateful recipient facilities attesting to the improvement in patient care and education made possible by BBF's donations.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Brother's Brother Foundation
Board of directorsas of 10/18/2024
Mr. Terrence Murphy
Deborah K. McMahon, M.D.
University of Pittsburgh
David M. Swan, M.D.
Allegheny Health Network
John C. Unkovic, Esq.
Reed Smith, LLP (retired)
Thomas L. Wentling, Jr.
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Walter B. Fowler
Chatham University
Drew N. Harvey
Alcoa (retired)
Linda Renninger
Medmark/Walgreen
Ron A Alvarado
Novus Group
Lilla O. Hillman
Milllenium Pharmaceuticals (retired)
Darren Macioce
Highmark
Ngoc Thai, M.D., Ph.D.
Allegheny Health Network
Mangino Robert
KDKA Radio
Terrence H. Murphy, Esq.
Littler Mendelson P.C.
Douglas Holmes
Holmes, Hollister & Company
Lance Kann
PharmaSupplyPartners LLC
Chronis Manolis
UPMC Health Plan
Bryant Mitchell
F.N.B. Corporation
Santiago Pujadas
Imagine Pharma
William Simmons, M.D.
University of Pittsburgh
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
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Gender identity
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Transgender Identity
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Sexual orientation
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Disability
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