Microsoft co-founder and Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Founder and Chairman of the Board, Paul Allen announced today $3.2 million in grants to three organizations to scale-up Ebola relief efforts: Direct Relief ($1 million), Action Against hunger ($1.9 million), and Americares ($1.35 million). With today’s news, more than half of Mr. Allen’s $100 million pledge has been allocated to the fight against Ebola.

Image used by permission/CHESS, WSAID
Image used by permission/CHESS, WSAID

Mr. Allen announced Oct. 23 of his increased commitment to the Ebola battle when he pledged $100 million to the worthy cause.

From the early days of the outbreak, Mr. Allen and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation have focused on finding, funding and coordinating strategic solutions that address the most critical needs and can be deployed quickly. Mr. Allen has also created TackleEbola.com to provide an easy way for individuals to contribute to specific organizations and fund critical response needs. Mr. Allen has committed funding toward the following:

  • A contribution to the American Red Cross to fund equipment, volunteers and educational materials in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. (August 2014)
  • A matching grant to Global Giving, which more than 700 donors doubled in only four days. Ten groups received funding to distribute sanitation supplies, conduct training sessions and produce public service announcements. (August 2014)
  • A partnership with UNICEF to airlift 50,000 protection kits into Liberia. (September 2014)
  • A partnership with Airlink to execute a continuous air bridge to deliver critically needed medical protective gear and pharmaceuticals. (September 2014)
  • A grant to the CDC Foundation to establish CDC emergency operations centers in the most-affected countries, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. These centers are helping to develop a systematic response with improved data management and communication systems for disease and patient contact tracing, which will ultimately help to detect and stop the disease from spreading. (September 2014)
  • Funding to Medical Teams International (MTI) to help provide infrastructure, housing and transportation needs for MTI’s staff in Liberia. (September 2014)
  • A partnership with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontieres to support their existing Ebola emergency programs in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. (September 2014)
  • A grant to BBC Media Action to support education and communications programs in the affected countries aimed at increasing public knowledge and awareness, supporting the government in responding to the crisis and instilling safer health practices among local audiences. (October 2014)
  • The establishment of the Ebola Medevac Fund to fund and develop two Medevac containment units that can be used to safely evacuate medical professionals from West Africa. (October 2014)
  • A partnership with University of Massachusetts Medical School to help provide training, medical workers, and lab equipment for relief efforts in Liberia. (October 2014)
  • A $1.35 million grant to AmeriCares, to provide additional supplies and services to under-resourced clinics to improve the county health system in Grand Bassa County in Liberia. (October 2014)
  • A $1.9 million grant to Action Against Hunger to provide food for isolated patients, construct water kiosks and hand washing stations, improve Ebola prevention awareness, and train community health volunteers. (October 2014)
  • A $1 million grant to Direct Relief to support the continued delivery by Direct Relief of medical supplies and logistical support on the ground in Ebola-affected West African nations. To date, Direct Relief has sent 140 tons of medical materials via airlifts and ocean freight containers. (October 2014)

“The Ebola virus is unlike any health crisis we have ever experienced and needs a response unlike anything we have ever seen,” Mr. Allen said.  “To effectively contain this outbreak and prevent it from becoming a global epidemic, we must pool our efforts to raise the funds, coordinate the resources and develop the creative solutions needed to combat this problem. I am committed to doing my part in tackling this crisis.”