Stamford, Connecticut - September 9, 2026
Americares today announced it has received a $50 million donation—the largest in the organization's nearly 50-year history—from an unnamed philanthropic family based in Connecticut. The gift comes as global health programs face unprecedented funding challenges following reductions in international aid.
The five-year investment will help Americares achieve its 2030 goal of providing quality health care access to 100 million people worldwide. The donation also strengthens the organization's endowment, ensuring long-term program sustainability.
"For nearly 50 years, Americares has worked alongside local partners to help people and communities in crisis," said Christine Squires, president and CEO of Americares. "This remarkable investment will allow Americares to expand access to lifesaving medicines, strengthen our partnerships with local health providers and support more resilient health systems for the future."
Last year, Americares delivered $1.8 billion in aid to 164 countries, including enough medicine to fill 9 million prescriptions and 3 million medical supplies for patients in need. The organization supports more than 4,000 health centers globally.
The timing of the donation is significant. According to the World Health Organization, international aid reductions have directly affected nearly 5,700 health facilities, with more than 2,000 suspending operations and cutting services for 53 million people.
Strategic Priority Areas
Americares plans to deploy the gift across several priority regions, including Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, and Latin America—areas where chronic gaps in medicine access leave patients without care. The organization will also expand support for safety net health centers in the United States serving uninsured and underinsured patients.
"We are facing a perfect storm for global medicine access," said Kellen Thomas, senior vice president of medicine security at Americares. "Conflict, climate-related disasters, supply chain disruptions and reductions in global health funding are all increasing pressure on already fragile health systems."
Thomas described Americares Access to Medicine strategy as designed to meet this moment by strengthening supply chains, diversifying medicine sources, and supporting local health providers.
Institutional Stability
Beyond programmatic expansion, the donation strengthens Americares' financial foundation. The organization receives about 10 percent of its funding from the U.S. government, according to Squires, and the private gift will help diversify revenue streams while expanding reach.
The Connecticut family that made the donation has supported Americares for 30 years, according to the organization. The donation structure includes an endowment portion to safeguard future operations.
Americares responds to approximately 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, maintaining emergency medicine and supplies in warehouses across the United States, Europe, and India for rapid deployment.
"We are deeply grateful for this extraordinary vote of confidence in our work, and we hope it inspires others to join us in ensuring more people have access to the care they need."
Looking Ahead
The announcement comes at a critical time for global health funding. Organizations across the sector are grappling with closures and service reductions while humanitarian needs continue to grow.
Americares' five-year strategic plan, outlined in 2025, includes strengthening emergency response capabilities, expanding local health partner networks, and building partner capacity to deliver continuous quality care. The $50 million gift will advance the Access to Medicine program, a key pillar of that strategy.
The organization was founded in 1979 and has provided more than $24 billion in total aid to 164 countries.
Source: Americares press release, September 9, 2026. World Health Organization report on health facility impacts. The Associated Press, September 9, 2026.
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