FedEx and Direct Relief team up to deliver aid to Lebanon

Care in handling a late night shipment might seem to be standard procedure at the FedEx World Hub. But this time, the delivery being loaded onto the FedEx Express Boeing 777 experienced an additional touch. Two labels adorned each package being sent out in the night’s shipment: one of the Lebanese Flag, and another displaying the FedEx Cares logo. 

Sixty tons of medical equipment were shipped August 22, as Direct Relief and FedEx collaborated to provide humanitarian aid to Beirut after an explosion left more than 100 people dead and 5,000 wounded.

Direct Relief provides essential medical resources to care for those impacted by poverty and disasters, and strengthens in-country efforts of locally-run health facilities around the world by providing ongoing support of medicines, supplies and equipment.

The $11 million worth of assistance was critical in the aftermath of a disaster that destroyed the homes of over 250,000 people during the middle of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The resulting effect has left hospitals overburdened and limited resources for assistance.

“We’ve seen the devastation from the explosion and know people are still in desperate need of help. On behalf of our 500,000 FedEx team members, we are proud to be able to use our global network to provide these lifesaving resources,” said Richard Smith, executive vice president, Global Support, FedEx Express. “We are inspired by Direct Relief’s commitment to making a difference in the lives of others and we are honored to work alongside this incredible organization.”

The collaborative efforts of Direct Relief and FedEx have spanned more than 16 years, delivering critical goods in times of need.  The relief effort is part of the company’s FedEx Cares “Delivering for Good” initiative, utilizing its global network and unparalleled logistics expertise to help organizations with mission-critical needs in times of disaster.

"FedEx has catalyzed and made possible a huge boost of urgently needed assistance to people in Beirut by providing its world-class team, logistics expertise and aircraft,” said Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe. “Direct Relief and the many partners with which we’re working to help, including the American Task Force on Lebanon, are profoundly grateful for FedEx once again providing just an extraordinary example of leadership and action to assist people slammed by a humanitarian crisis.”

In the middle of a crisis, an added touch can translate into much more. From the team members handling the skids, to the group in attendance to see the shipment off, care was the unified feeling expressed by all.