Direct Relief International
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Santa Barbara, CA
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About Me
HISTORY ñ A Tradition of pragmatic, respectful assistance.
For nearly sixty years, Direct Relief International has worked to help people who confront enormous hardship to improve the quality of their lives. The tradition of direct and targeted assistance, provided in a manner that respects and involves the people served, has been a hallmark of the organization since its founding.
Founded by Immigrants after WWII:
In 1945, William Zimdin, an Estonian immigrant who had amassed significant wealth in pre-war Europe, began sending thousands of relief parcels containing food, clothing and medicines to relatives, friends, and former employees who were rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of WWII. These efforts served as the cornerstone for the William Zimdin Foundation, established on August 23, 1948 as a California not-for-profit corporation.
After Zimdin’s death in 1951, Dezso (Dennis) Karczag, a Hungarian immigrant and close business associate of Zimdin assumed management of the organization. In 1957, the organization changed its name to the Direct Relief Foundation. In 1982, the organization formally adopted the name Direct Relief International.
"Self-Help" a Core Principle:
Assistance provided by Direct Relief in the postwar years was considered a means to enable people to help themselves. In 1950, this principle served as the basis for a revolving-loan fund, from which small grants were extended to refugees seeking to establish new lives, with repayments providing capital for subsequent grantees. While the grant program was stopped in the early 1960’s, the underlying notion remains integral to current program efforts.
Focus on Health:
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the organization received an increasing number of requests for assistance related to health issues and from areas outside Europe. The geographic focus broadened and the programmatic focus narrowed, as the organization determined that providing medical assistance to indigenous facilities would achieve the greatest overall impact. The mission was refined to serve disadvantaged populations living in medically underserved communities throughout the world.
In 1962, Direct Relief International obtained a license as a wholesale pharmacy, which enabled the organization to secure prescription medicines for use abroad. This early experience in the handling of pharmaceutical products led to the development of strict internal protocols regarding the suitability of certain types of products, inventory controls, and the qualifications of trained health professionals on the receiving end of aid shipments. This focus also established strong ties to U.S. health care companies, which have long supported our efforts with donations of high value pharmaceutical and other medical resources that are allocated through our assistance program.
Disaster Relief Efforts:
Throughout its history, Direct Relief has provided assistance in response to natural disasters and to refugee populations. Beginning with postwar refugee assistance in Eastern Europe and Greece, Direct Relief has also provided support for more than 40 years to Tibetan refugees, and has consistently responded with targeted medical aid to major natural disasters since the Peru earthquake in 1970.
Since its inception, Direct Relief has provided appropriate and specifically requested medical resources to community-based institutions and organizations in over 140 countries including the United States.
In 2006, Direct Relief provided $201 million in direct aid through medical material assistance and targeted cash grants serving 23.8 million people in 56 countries worldwide.
For nearly sixty years, Direct Relief International has worked to help people who confront enormous hardship to improve the quality of their lives. The tradition of direct and targeted assistance, provided in a manner that respects and involves the people served, has been a hallmark of the organization since its founding.
Founded by Immigrants after WWII:
In 1945, William Zimdin, an Estonian immigrant who had amassed significant wealth in pre-war Europe, began sending thousands of relief parcels containing food, clothing and medicines to relatives, friends, and former employees who were rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of WWII. These efforts served as the cornerstone for the William Zimdin Foundation, established on August 23, 1948 as a California not-for-profit corporation.
After Zimdin’s death in 1951, Dezso (Dennis) Karczag, a Hungarian immigrant and close business associate of Zimdin assumed management of the organization. In 1957, the organization changed its name to the Direct Relief Foundation. In 1982, the organization formally adopted the name Direct Relief International.
"Self-Help" a Core Principle:
Assistance provided by Direct Relief in the postwar years was considered a means to enable people to help themselves. In 1950, this principle served as the basis for a revolving-loan fund, from which small grants were extended to refugees seeking to establish new lives, with repayments providing capital for subsequent grantees. While the grant program was stopped in the early 1960’s, the underlying notion remains integral to current program efforts.
Focus on Health:
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the organization received an increasing number of requests for assistance related to health issues and from areas outside Europe. The geographic focus broadened and the programmatic focus narrowed, as the organization determined that providing medical assistance to indigenous facilities would achieve the greatest overall impact. The mission was refined to serve disadvantaged populations living in medically underserved communities throughout the world.
In 1962, Direct Relief International obtained a license as a wholesale pharmacy, which enabled the organization to secure prescription medicines for use abroad. This early experience in the handling of pharmaceutical products led to the development of strict internal protocols regarding the suitability of certain types of products, inventory controls, and the qualifications of trained health professionals on the receiving end of aid shipments. This focus also established strong ties to U.S. health care companies, which have long supported our efforts with donations of high value pharmaceutical and other medical resources that are allocated through our assistance program.
Disaster Relief Efforts:
Throughout its history, Direct Relief has provided assistance in response to natural disasters and to refugee populations. Beginning with postwar refugee assistance in Eastern Europe and Greece, Direct Relief has also provided support for more than 40 years to Tibetan refugees, and has consistently responded with targeted medical aid to major natural disasters since the Peru earthquake in 1970.
Since its inception, Direct Relief has provided appropriate and specifically requested medical resources to community-based institutions and organizations in over 140 countries including the United States.
In 2006, Direct Relief provided $201 million in direct aid through medical material assistance and targeted cash grants serving 23.8 million people in 56 countries worldwide.
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