Hundreds of thousands of doses of vaccine and medical supplies also provided
Swiftwater, PA – Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, announced its 2010 company employee fundraising program, titled “Hope for Haiti,” has raised more than $96,000 for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Of the overall donation, $48,032 was collected from employees. The remaining $48,032 was matched dollar-for dollar by Sanofi Pasteur.
Funds were distributed to five leading non-profit humanitarian relief organizations with significant operations in Haiti, including American Red Cross, CARE, Partners in Health, Project Hope, and UNICEF.
Additionally, the company has shipped hundreds of thousands of doses of childhood and adult vaccines to various relief organizations providing services to the Haitian population. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of free medical supplies were also distributed through the company’s Scranton-based subsidiary VaxServe. Another shipment of several hundred thousand doses will be made in the coming weeks. All together, about 375,000 doses of vaccine will be delivered.
“Helping those in need is at the heart of our company’s heritage,” said Damian Braga, president, Sanofi Pasteur US, vice president Sanofi Pasteur Americas. “The support from our employees is truly commendable – especially during these challenging economic times. I am humbled by my colleagues who have once again demonstrated their compassion and commitment to others less fortunate, whether across the county or across the globe.”
The Sanofi Pasteur donations complement other significant employee philanthropic and volunteerism activities, including the company’s 2009 record-breaking United Way campaign, which raised almost $325,000 to benefit the United Way. Locally, Sanofi Pasteur’s US philanthropic programs donated more than $1 million in 2009 to assist local non-profit organizations.
Earlier this year, parent company sanofi-aventis announced it had “committed 1 million Euros in financial aid to long-term reconstruction initiatives and the rehabilitation of the population of Haiti.”
About sanofi-aventis
Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY). For more information, please visit: www.sanofi-aventis.com
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, provided more than 1.6 billion doses of vaccine in 2009, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company’s heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: www.sanofipasteur.com or www.sanofipasteur.us
