Frontline Impact Project Expands Capacity as 44 Enterprises Join to Get Resources to Healthcare Workers and First Responders

NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Frontline Impact Project, an initiative started by The KIND Foundation in consultation with Project N95, has expanded capacity to meet the needs of frontline heroes. Just one month following the project's launch, some of America's most recognizable companies including Unilever; Mars, Incorporated; Nestlé; and Keurig Dr Pepper; dozens of beloved brands, such as Saffron Road; Justin's; and Hint Water; and associations like the American Hotel & Lodging Association have joined KIND to deliver resources to healthcare workers and first responders.

As these heroes struggle to find time to meet their own basic needs, Frontline Impact Project is connecting thousands of institutions with enterprises donating food, beverages, lodging, personal care items, virtual fitness classes, and mental health services. The initiative has already stewarded resources across 35 states and Washington D.C. to reach more than 180,000 people, most of whom work in hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient medical practices. With an increasing number of partners on board, the project is poised to scale its impact.

Says KIND Founder Daniel Lubetzky, whose team helped launch Frontline Impact Project, "Our healthcare workers and first responders have needs ranging from proper nourishment to self-care that will only grow in the coming months. As more partners come together to offer diverse resources, we will be better equipped to support frontline heroes and show our gratitude in small ways."

Born out of KIND's own search for an effective means to donate five million healthy snacks to those on the front lines, Frontline Impact Project has become an adaptive platform for corporations of all industries and sizes to streamline resources, scale impact, and reach qualified institutions in real time.

Says Adnan Durrani, Founder and CEO of Saffron Road, one of the first food companies to commit resources, "At the start of the COVID-19 crisis, we swiftly began outreach to several organizations and healthcare facilities and discovered many were not able to accept or safely store large quantities or frozen shipments of our meals. When we learned of Frontline Impact Project, it was a no-brainer for us to join. Their platform and matching process greatly simplified our efforts and amplified our charitable work to seamlessly reach thousands of providers."

Food is the most requested item on the platform, but requests for personal care items have recently soared. Many frontline workers are seeking products to heal their faces, which are irritated from wearing a mask all day, and their hands, which are rough from constant washing. Jessica Sobel, Corporate Strategy Director at Unilever, which is donating skin cleansers, says, "We are proud to donate personal care products to Frontline Impact Project to support individuals serving on the front lines. Our donation is part of United for America, a broader movement ignited by Unilever to inspire collective action to deliver food, medical supplies, hygiene products, and other critical support to frontline aid organizations."

Unexpected items such as gum and mints have also been frequently requested.

"We at EXTRA gum are thrilled to work with Frontline Impact Project to help provide gum & mints to our frontline heroes that are working hard in the fight against COVID-19," says Chanel Gant, Brand Manager of EXTRA Gum. "We hope that something as simple as a stick of gum can deliver some joy to essential workers and provide fresh breath while wearing their protective masks."

For institutions overwhelmed by individual inbound offers for aid, Frontline Impact Project offers a centralized place to request and receive resources that meet the needs of workers and volunteers while making their days a little brighter.

Norman Stein, Chief Development Officer and Senior Vice President, Boston Medical Center, says, "It is of vital importance we provide our frontline caregivers with nourishment as they work tirelessly to care for our patients and community, and the donation from Frontline Impact Project (FIP) has certainly helped us stay committed to that goal. We are grateful for the creative ways partners, like FIP, are supporting us during this unprecedented time." 

To submit a donation or make a request, visit www.frontlineimpact.org. Those seeking PPE and other critical equipment should visit www.projectn95.org.

About The KIND Foundation
The KIND Foundation is a charitable organization established by KIND with a mission to foster kinder and more empathetic communities. Its signature initiative, Empatico, is a video conferencing tool for educators to connect their classrooms with others around the world. To learn more, visit kindsnacks.com/foundation.  

SOURCE The KIND Foundation