COVID-19 is Hitting India Hard, and Millions of People Need Our Help Right Now
Though more and more people are getting vaccinated each day, the fight against COVID-19 is far from over. India just reported its highest-ever 24-hour surge in cases and a record-high daily death toll. It has also become the second nation after the U.S. to report more than 20 million cases. With the supply chain once again strained and hospitals overwhelmed, government leaders, healthcare providers and others on the front lines of this battle are calling for help.
Last week, Zebra donated $10,000 to support the response by Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization active in more than 80 countries globally to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies. Direct Relief is procuring and distributing medical-grade oxygen throughout India, and our donation is helping to fund this effort.
The Zebra India team has also been focused on providing localized support. Most recently, it donated funds to purchase oxygen concentrators for those fighting the virus and, earlier this year, worked alongside non-government organization (NGO) partners to donate more than 2,300 sanitizers to various government schools, blood banks and primary health care centers.
Last year, during the first wave of the pandemic, the Zebra India team coordinated with NGO partner, Sarvagna Health Care Institute, to donate 400 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, 1500 N95 masks and 60 oxygen tanks to the government health department.
Though the volatility of the pandemic is beyond our control, our Zebra values remain strong and our support of one another and our local communities will carry us through. The people of India are in our thoughts – including our colleagues, partners and families.
If you would like to support Direct Relief’s humanitarian aid efforts in India or other regions of the world, you can donate here.
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Find Out More
You can read more about how Direct Relief – with support from Zebra partner Newcastle Systems – is using Zebra’s technology to make its warehouse operations more efficient in this blog post and case study.
Therese Van Ryne
Therese Van Ryne is Senior Director of External Communications for Zebra Technologies. She joined Zebra as part of the acquisition of Motorola Solutions Enterprise business in October 2014. She and her team are laser focused on growing the company’s brand awareness globally aligned with business objectives. Her accomplishments include leading Zebra events with Harvard University and TED as well as the creation of the annual Intelligent Enterprise Index, resulting in positive media coverage, customer engagement and revenue growth.
Prior to Motorola Solutions, Van Ryne worked at SC Johnson where she led corporate communication strategies and drove PR and branding efforts for leading consumer products. One of her top achievements was leading the Windex® placement in the film, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” resulting in a 25% sales increase for the brand.
One of PR News’ 2019 Top Women in PR and Crain's Chicago's 2021 Most Notable Executives in Marketing, Therese also has experience as a journalist, editor and producer, reporting nightly from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Van Ryne holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Journalism from Marquette University and an Executive Leadership Master’s Certificate from Cornell University.
