SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (November 15, 2007)  Direct Relief International today announced that the more than $400,000 in cash commitments it has received for the California wildfires would be granted to nonprofit health centers and clinics in fire-affected areas.

The cash contributions will be in addition to the more than $1 million in emergency medicines, masks, medical equipment, and other supplies Direct Relief already has delivered to 23 nonprofit community clinics and 6 shelters over the past two weeks in response to the fires that burned more than 516,000 acres and displaced 880,000 residents in Southern California.

Direct Relief, which has been a licensed pharmacy wholesaler in California for over 40 years, also announced it will continue to provide medical material assistance to clinics and shelters in the fire-affected region as needed.

Cash comes from individuals, businesses, and musicians:  Direct Relief has received over $20,460 in contributions from private individuals.  In addition, the organization was notified of the following cash commitments totaling $560,000 from businesses and the nonprofit organization Music For Relief, which is supported by leading recording artists:

• Abbott Fund
• Amgen Foundation
• FedEx
• Music for Relief
• BD
• Rabobank
• Johnson & Johnson

Direct Relief is allocating funds in coordination with the Council of Community Clinics, the regional association of nonprofit health centers and clinics in San Diego County.

The area's nonprofit health centers and clinics serve as the main point of access for medical care for thousands of low-income people who lack health insurance.  The cash will assist health centers and clinics in the affected area that have experienced increases in patient visits, supply usage, staff costs, and decreased revenue in connection with the emergency.

"These safety-net clinics typically operate on a one percent or less margin, so our aim is to ensure they can maintain their service levels to working-poor, uninsured patients as the immediate emergency subsides," said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief President and CEO.

"The loss of a week's wages for many low-income workers is not something our organization can address directly, so we believe that investing cash grants into the clinics serving people who have the least ability to absorb this type of financial interruption makes the most sense."

Direct Relief took a similar approach in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita with designated funds the organization received.  To date, $4.6 million in targeted cash grants - as well as more than $30 million in wholesale medical products -- have been provided to nonprofit community health centers and clinics in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

Additional donations of in-kind support:  In addition, the organization has received the in-kind contribution of $100,000 in transportation services from FedEx and tremendous support from healthcare companies that have donated specifically needed items for people in fire-affected areas.

The following companies have donated to Direct Relief medicines or supplies requested by area clinics, shelters, and emergency response agencies with which Direct Relief coordinates its response efforts.

• Abbott
• Advanced Sterilization Products
• Alcon Laboratories
• Boehringer-Ingelheim CARES Foundation
• Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Colgate-Palmolive
• Covidien
• Cumberland Pharmaceuticals
• CVS/ pharmacy
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Henry Schein, Inc.
• Johnson & Johnson
• Microflex
• Neutrogena
• Nexxus (Alberto-Culver)
• Procter & Gamble
• Purdue Pharma L.P.
• sanofi-aventis
• Sappo Hill
• Schering-Plough Corporation
• Zee Medical, Inc., A McKesson Company

"We always target our assistance and look for efficiencies that maximize the service provided to people in need, and we are keenly aware that funds received during a high-profile emergency are for the benefit of the people affected by that emergency" said Tighe. "The very generous contributions of needed products and services have allowed us to conduct a large-scale assistance effort with very low cash usage."

"This means the money people contributed specifically for the wildfires will be put directly into frontline clinics that will see the effects of the fires for months to come."

Direct Relief devotes 100 percent of all contributions from the public to program activities, paying all its own fundraising and administrative overhead expenses from a bequest received in 2006.

About Direct Relief International
Founded in 1948, Direct Relief International is a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit organization focused on improving the quality of life by bringing critically needed medicines and supplies to local healthcare providers worldwide. Direct Relief is one of two charities ranked by Forbes that has received a perfect fundraising efficiency score for five consecutive years and is ranked by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as California's largest international nonprofit organization based on private support.  For more information, please visit www.DirectRelief.org.

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