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Global Coronavirus Crisis Creates Unique Challenge For Santa Barbara County Based Aid Agency

A Santa Barbara County relief agency is reporting that since the start of the coronavirus crisis, it’s provided the most support around the world that it has in its more than half century history.

Diect Relief is known for shipping medicine, and medical supplies to areas of the world hit by hurricanes, earthquakes, and famine.

But, for the last six months it’s been helping to deal with the global pandemic.

Direct Relief has shipped 13 million masks, 5.2 million gloves, and 1.3 million face shields to health facilities.  The agency has also sent out a staggering 76 million doses of medication.  And, it’s made more than $34 million dollars in grants to more than 500 non-profit health providers.

The aid coming though Santa Barbara has gone to 54 states and U.S. territories, and 86 countries.  In six months, Direct Relief has sent out 1,400 tons of medical supplies and medicine in more than 17,000 shipments.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral. 
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