Helping Local Organizations Save Lives During the Pandemic

With a presence in more than 125 countries, Pfizer colleagues have seen firsthand the swift and devastating impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on local healthcare systems, non-governmental organizations, and frontline workers as they struggle to meet the needs of patients. So, we knew early on that our response needed to be equally swift and powerful.

When the pandemic hit, our nearly 90,000 talented and dedicated colleagues around the world rallied behind our purpose: Breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. This purpose drove us to issue on March 13th our Five-Point Plan calling for unprecedented industry collaboration to battle COVID-19. In addition to guiding our efforts to help find potential medical solutions to the virus, our purpose also embraces the understanding that science alone can’t keep society healthy. For society to flourish, we need both innovative medicines and vaccines, and robust and effective healthcare systems that can deliver high-quality care.

As the novel coronavirus spread across the globe bringing economies to their knees and healthcare systems to the brink of collapse, it quickly became clear that there was an immediate need for another kind of collaboration: significant philanthropic and private-sector contributions to help sustain many local organizations working on the front lines to save lives.

In many cases, these organizations were operating outside of the spotlight of major news cycles, some had novel ideas for serving their communities, while others were facing an unimaginable strain brought on by already challenged and inadequate local health infrastructures. We heard their urgent pleas for financial help, and we acted.

We had already allocated $5 million in funds, beginning in January 2020, to address early needs as the COVID-19 virus first appeared, but as transmission rates grew, we quickly realized we needed to do more. So, on March 24, the Pfizer Foundation board met and approved $30 million in additional financial grants to be allocated as quickly as possible and within 24 hours started the process for allocating the funds to health partners working across the globe. In addition to this philanthropic contribution, Pfizer Inc also provided an additional $5 million to support meritorious medical educational and research proposals that seek to improve the recognition, diagnosis, treatment and overall management of patients with COVID-19.

As we announced the charitable contribution of the Pfizer Foundation, we learned of the widespread needs facing communities around the world to address both health and liveliness needs. By the end of June, we had dispersed grants to more than 160 organizations in the U.S. and around the world, with an initial focus on the hardest hit U.S. states, including New York, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Michigan, Louisiana, Texas, Oregon and Florida. The process brought into sharp focus the ingenuity and dedication of volunteers and frontline workers.

To cite just a few examples:

• Vulnerable populations have been significantly impacted, and New Orleans has been hit especially hard by the underlying health issues that have caused the Black community to experience a higher death rate from COVID-19. Forward Together New Orleans (FTNO) received a $250,000 grant structured to enable the FTNO to immediately issue grants and scale programs providing for residents' basic needs (food, clothing, shelter), mental and behavioral health needs, economic stability, job assistance and education. The donation provided FTNO full flexibility to put the funds to the greatest areas of need, since we know challenges will emerge in the future that we cannot see in the present.
• It’s been heartbreaking to watch scenes of the homeless population in California face the grim challenge of COVID-19 from the streets and makeshift tents. Without easy access to hand washing options and social distancing protections, the homeless are especially susceptible to infection. Homeful Foundation, another recipient of a Pfizer Foundation grant, is helping address the critical need of homeless families who need to isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing RV trailers in Northern and Southern California towns, including Salinas, San Bernardino and Santa Cruz. Through a $500,000 donation from an Anonymous donor, Homeful has purchased 28 RV trailers to date. We are exceedingly proud that our $250,000 donation will allow for the purchase of 12 additional trailers.
• Another area of significant investment was a grant to the National Black Nurses Association ($1,040,000) for the provision of mental health and wellness services and support for nurses on the “front lines.” It is hard to even imagine what nurses have seen and experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. No doubt, many will need support to help them get over anxiety, depression and loss in the short and long term. Our NBNA grant is designed to support anonymous, confidential, culturally sensitive and accessible mental health services and general wellness services. The grant also supports “real talk” from trusted messengers so underserved communities have access to accurate information about COVID-19 from trusted sources and messengers to proactively dispel myths and learn about vaccinations and other relevant health topics.
• The International Rescue Committee (IRC) works in more than 40 countries and more than 20 U.S. cities, helping people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. Now, those communities are facing the coronavirus. As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread, the IRC is seeing significant disruptions in the delivery of life-saving healthcare services in the countries where they work – further straining under-resourced health systems and communities that have already suffered from war and humanitarian disasters, and the secondary threat the disease is causing to these settings’ already fragile humanitarian, security and political environments. The Pfizer Foundation is supporting the IRC’s work to help prevent the spread of the virus through a $1 million grant providing a comprehensive strategy of infection prevention and control, fever testing and contact tracing, and community engagement and education.

When facing an enemy as strong, fast-moving and destructive as the COVID-19 pandemic, no one company, government or NGO can win the battle alone. No one vaccine or treatment will be enough to stop transmission of the virus. As we have seen, it will take unprecedented public and private-sector collaboration. It will take the scientific, logistical and manufacturing skills of large multinational companies, the powerful resources of governments and financial institutions, the courage and determination of front-line health workers, and the ingenuity, agility and volunteers of local organizations dedicated to serving their communities. It will take courage, conviction and compassion. And it will take not only science but also an unwavering commitment to reducing healthcare disparities so that all people can benefit from that science.

We feel the enormity of the challenge and the great responsibility for Pfizer’s nearly 90,000 colleagues to serve patients at this unparalleled moment of global health need. We are incredibly proud to be partnering with purpose-driven organizations – large and small – to keep people safe and healthy while we work to find potential scientific solutions to this global crisis.

NOTE: The Pfizer Foundation is a charitable organization established by Pfizer Inc. It is a separate legal entity from Pfizer Inc. with distinct legal restrictions. The Foundation’s mission is to promote access to quality healthcare, to nurture innovation, and to support the community involvement of Pfizer colleagues.