Afya Foundation Uses Expertise to Help Those Closer to Home in COVID-19 Crisis

The Afya Foundation, whose mission is to improve global health in underserved systems around the world, found itself in a unique position when the COVID-19 epidemic struck here. The organization, which collects donated medical supplies, was able to pivot its operations to protecting health care workers here in Westchester and the New York area by identifying, acquiring and delivering desperately needed personal protective equipment (PPE).

Afya has delivered more than 100,000 N95 masks, 50,000 face shields and many other PPE items to front line health care workers.  Since early March, Afya has delivered supplies to 44 area hospitals, 14 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), nine emergency responders, and 42 community health organizations, including many in Westchester.

“The FQHCs serve some of our poorest and most vulnerable. Feedback from them indicates that, were it not for the supply services of Afya, they may have ceased to function under the weight of the pandemic,’’ said Danielle Butin, Founder and CEO of the Afya Foundation. “While fortunately, the Covid-19 curve has been flattening, there is still tremendous demand for PPE.”

Butin said to support their work, Afya Foundation has launched the Protect a Hero campaign with the goal of raising $125,000 to protect 5,000 healthcare heroes.

For more information and to donate to the Protect a Hero fund visit https://afyafoundation.org/campaigns/protect-a-hero/.