Americares

Americares vision is a world in which all people have pathways to health and opportunity.

To achieve that vision, the health-focused relief and development organization is committed to helping millions of people affected by poverty or disaster have the foundation of health they need to reach their full potential. With good health, people can attend school, be productive at work, care for their families and contribute to strong communities.

Our long-term goal is that everyone affected by poverty or disaster has access to a thriving local health center.

We also seek to achieve medicine security, where every clinic, health worker and patient in a community has reliable, equitable access to needed medicines and medical supplies.

Americares has three key strategies:

1.) To Deepen impact: We prioritize and resource key efforts—programmatic and otherwise—where we can help to achieve long-term positive impact. At times, the barriers to health can feel overwhelming, insurmountable—certainly for the people and communities who must confront them each day. Embedded within the mission of an NGO is an intent to help, but that is not enough: we need to engage deeply within our communities in ways that are complementary to existing capacity and other efforts, and serve as true allies. And nor is it enough to merely seek positive change: we must seek impact that lasts beyond our direct involvement. Over the next five years, we will build on our current strengths as we focus and prioritize our programmatic efforts to achieve measurable impact in focused areas where we can bring complementary and differential value, such as access to medicine, emergency response and health services (particularly in areas such as mental health and respectful care). These are areas where critical barriers exist in people’s efforts to achieve and sustain health equity: although they align broadly to global, national and local priorities, progress has lagged relative to other contributions to individual and community-level health, particularly among people in disproportionately affected and excluded communities.

2.) Work Locally: We catalyze locally led impact through a deep engagement in communities where we work, and as an increasingly locally aligned organization. The most powerful solutions come from those closest to the problem. We intend to have a sustainable positive impact at the local level, through activation of partnerships with and in local communities. We believe that the capacity for deep and lasting impact already exists within communities around the world, and that our role is most impactful as a catalyst, ally and partner for change that is driven by those communities. Over the next five years, to align to this path, we will design projects that incorporate constituent voice and are locally implemented, in partnership with local health centers and other community-level entities. And we will evaluate our success not only by improved health outcomes, but also by how well we meet or exceed patient and participant expectations, and how deeply engaged communities are with the health of their own residents.

3.) Engage Globally: Spark change beyond our own programming fueled by an expanded global position and thought leadership voice. Over the next five years, we will seek a transformational leadership role among NGOs and others in our efforts to drive system-level change with and for people in disproportionately affected communities worldwide. To achieve this goal, we will continue to align to global priorities and forge partnerships across sectors and geographies built on shared principles.

We approach all of our work through the lens of our two core principles--equity and partnership.

Americares is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations for delivering donated medicine and medical supplies to health programs around the world, providing over $1 billion in aid to an average of 85 countries every year.

Americares has more than 40 years of experience responding to the needs of people affected by disaster and poverty, as well as an expansive partner network of hospitals, clinics and community health partners worldwide. In addition, Americares has the support of more than 200 pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors that donate medicine and medical supplies for its health programs.

Americares achieves its goals by:
- Helping communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters;
- Increasing accessibility, availability, affordability and acceptability of medicine and medical supplies;
- Improving and expanding health services, preventing disease and promoting good health.

Americares health programs focus on the following health themes: women’s and children’s health, infectious disease, hypertension and diabetes and mental health.

Americares agility, global reach and expertise allows the organization to respond rapidly to the needs of local partners and their communities, as well as develop sustainable health programs. Since it was established in 1979, Americares has delivered $22 billion in humanitarian aid to 164 countries, including the United States.

Americares reached 88 countries last year with health programs, medicine, medical supplies and emergency aid valued at $1.35 billion.

Americares reached an estimated 3 million people with medicine alone. In 2022, Americares delivered 5.2 million medical supplies and enough medicine to fill 14.7 million prescriptions. Americares deliveries of medicines and supplies include antibiotics to fight infections and medicines to help patients manage diabetes, hypertension and other chronic diseases. Americares also provides resources, training and mental health support so health workers can better serve their communities and improve the health of low-income patients. In addition, Americares responded to 36 emergencies in 34 countries.

Americares also delivers and supports quality health services at Americares-run clinics and partners with health centers to address the unique health needs of their communities, focusing on the root causes of illness and disease. Americares-operated clinics and emergency medical teams provided more than 534,000 consultations last year.

Going forward, Americares will increase access to medicine and supplies by strategically expanding donations and its partner network, while improving supply chains. At the same time, Americares will continue to provide essential primary care services, respond rapidly and effectively to disasters, enhance community-based health programs and expand climate and disaster preparedness for health centers.