Disaster Relief Program helps Gulf region dialysis patients replace medications, food and household items, and pay for essentials such as the cost of fuel or transportation to dialysis if they have been temporarily evacuated.
ROCKVILLE, Md. (PRWEB) March 17, 2016
The American Kidney Fund (AKF), the nation’s leading provider of charitable assistance to people with kidney failure, has activated its Disaster Relief Program to help dialysis patients affected by the devastating flooding in the Gulf region.
AKF’s Disaster Relief Program is a rapid-response system that provides emergency assistance in the form of block grants to local dialysis centers when disaster strikes a community. Dialysis centers then distribute the funds to help their patients replace medications, food and household items, and pay for essentials such as the cost of fuel or transportation to dialysis if they have been temporarily evacuated.
“For a patient who depends on regular dialysis for survival, major storms and flooding represent a serious threat to their ability to get their life-sustaining treatments. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the American Kidney Fund stands ready to provide emergency assistance to any qualified U.S. dialysis patients who have been affected by the recent floods,” said LaVarne A. Burton, president and chief executive officer of the American Kidney Fund.
The American Kidney Fund’s largest disaster relief effort occurred after Hurricane Katrina, when more than 5,100 Gulf Coast dialysis patients in 12 states received emergency assistance totaling over $260,000 from AKF, thanks to generous donations from individuals and corporations. More recently, the American Kidney Fund provided disaster relief support to nearly 200 dialysis patients affected by Superstorm Sandy, and to more than 100 patients affected by tornadoes across the Great Plains in 2013.
To make a contribution to the American Kidney Fund’s Disaster Relief Program to assist kidney patients affected by the recent floods, as well as to assist patients affected by future disasters, visit KidneyFund.org/disaster-relief.
About the American Kidney Fund
As the nation’s leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 31 million Americans with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund is dedicated to ensuring that every kidney patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. AKF fulfills its mission by providing a complete spectrum of programs and services: prevention outreach, top-rated health educational resources, and direct financial assistance, enabling kidney patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation.
AKF helps 1 out of every 5 U.S. dialysis patients with treatment-related expenses. More than 93,000 patients in all 50 states received AKF grants last year. AKF invests in clinical research to improve outcomes for kidney patients, and fights tirelessly on Capitol Hill for legislation and policies supporting the issues that are important to kidney patients. To address the enormous public health threat of kidney disease, AKF provides public and professional health education materials and courses, the Kidney Action Day® community outreach program, a Kidney Health Educator program, and a toll-free health information HelpLine (866.300.2900). AKF’s new grassroots fundraising platform, KIDNEYNATION, unites Americans who are raising funds to support the organization’s mission.
AKF spends 97 cents of every donated dollar on programs and services. AKF holds the highest ratings from the nation’s charity watchdog groups, including Charity Navigator, which includes AKF on its “top 10” list of nonprofits with the longest track records of outstanding stewardship of the donated dollar.
For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/03/prweb13276010.htm
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