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ADA, JDRF, Insulin for Life send diabetes supplies to Houston after Hurricane Harvey
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The American Diabetes Association, JDRF and Insulin for Life partnered to ship more than 3,000 pounds of donated diabetes supplies to people affected by Hurricane Harvey, the organizations announced in a press release.
The pallets, due to arrive next week, each include 200,000 syringes, 50,000 pen needles and 20,000 alcohol pads. Accompanying each pallet are separate packages containing dozens of blood glucose meters along with thousands of glucose test strips and lancets, which will allow an individual to test his or her blood glucose three times per day for nearly 2 months.
More than 25,000 units of analogue and human insulins, in both vial and pen forms, will also be delivered for each pallet, pending safe delivery and temperature-control conditions at the locations, the organizations announced.
Two of the pallets are going to Harris County, Houston, for distribution to evacuees sheltered at the newly opened NRG Center. One pallet each will be delivered to the Austin and San Antonio communities. The first five pallets of supplies, for Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center, where thousands are sheltered, and the Galveston and Corpus Christi communities, will arrive by Friday, Sept. 1.
Additionally, the ADA’s Center for Information, 1-800-DIABETES, has extended phone hours to assist anyone in need: from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time through Friday, Sept. 1, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, Sept. 2.
The ADA’s link dedicated to Hurricane Harvey, www.diabetes.org/hurricaneharvey, was launched Monday and is updated regularly to include the latest resources, including the Red Cross’s live map of open shelters, tips for how to advocate for yourself or a loved one with diabetes, recommendations on how to help someone with diabetes and signs of a diabetes emergency for caregivers and emergency personnel. The link also includes a list of open pharmacies and additional resources from partners on how to access or donate supplies or medications.
As additional supplies are donated and the storm moves out of Louisiana, all three partners will continue to collaborate to get supplies and medications where they are most needed, the organizations said.