As the Russian invasion of Ukraine drags on past the second-year mark, the U.S. government has remained stalwart in its support having provided billions in aid and military assistance since Feb. 24, 2022. While those funds go to more generalized uses, nonprofits like Colorado’s Project C.U.R.E. have stepped in to offer more targeted relief for those impacted by the ongoing war.
Earlier this year, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights verified just over 10,000 civilian deaths and more than 19,000 injuries between the onset of the invasion and Jan. 31, 2024. Over 14 million Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes, seeking refuge both within the country and across the globe. Although recent events have sparked a more urgent need, Project C.U.R.E. has provided Ukrainians with humanitarian aid since the 1990s.
“We shipped about $20 million—or something like that—to Ukraine from 1994 until the invasion, and then the unthinkable happened. Putin took his troops across the border, and we knew we needed to help,” said Project C.U.R.E.’s President and CEO Douglas Jackson. “As of today, we have sent 151 shipments into Ukraine that total over $150 million in medical supplies, and we’re not done, we’re going to continue to work, because those people need it.”
On June 11, the nonprofit hosted its annual “Pinot with the President” event at its Centennial headquarters to celebrate its impact and hear about ongoing initiatives, including Ukraine. Donors, volunteers and supporters gathered for Jackson’s speech in which he reflected on Project C.U.R.E.’s origins and how his father’s vision has transformed into a global movement.
The organization was founded in 1987 by James Jackson, a Denver-based business consultant, after he toured a small clinic on a work trip to Brazil. He noticed patients were turned away because the doctor lacked the necessary supplies to offer care and made a promise to himself that he would find a way to help. Upon returning home, Jackson began collecting medical donations in his garage in Evergreen, Colorado, keeping a promise that would eventually lead to the founding of Project C.U.R.E., or Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment.
“We’re not here to develop a dependency on Project C.U.R.E.,” the current president and CEO said during his speech. “The goal is for us to continue to help them so that they can help themselves and make themselves efficient. We see that in places like Nigeria, and you start laughing and say, ‘Well, that’ll never happen.’ But I think it will.”
Today, Project C.U.R.E. stands as the world’s largest distributor of donated medical supplies and equipment to hospitals, clinics and community health centers in the developing world. Now operating seven warehouses across the country, the organization delivers three to five shipping containers packed with medical equipment and supplies each week. As of March 2024, Project C.U.R.E. has sent a total of 2,401 cargo containers to 135 countries and has accumulated a total of 146,500 annual volunteer hours. Last year, Project C.U.R.E. served over 12,600 patients in 29 countries and reached the milestone of over $1 billion in donated medical equipment and supplies.
“There will be a day when they don’t need us anymore. But until that happens, we’re gonna continue. Probably 90% of what we do is just poverty,” Douglas said. “Just poor people working 12 hours a day to make a buck. And they just, at that level, can’t afford healthcare.”
In his speech, Douglas told stories from the field, illustrating the profound impact of Project C.U.R.E.’s work in Denver. One particularly moving story was from Cameroon, where the organization had sent two semi-trailers of scrubs from their Denver facility.
“The governors and the tribal chiefs of the entire country came together to celebrate that relationship. Do you think you can really change the course of history? We talk about that all the time. People say, ‘Hey, let’s move the needle.’ Don’t move the needle. Bend it back. With scrubs, of all things.”
Douglas’s address concluded with a call to action, emphasizing that, regardless of size, the community’s support is crucial to the ongoing success of Project C.U.R.E.
“One box right there contains about $500 worth of stuff. It’s a small kit for kids, and through our donations and volunteers here in Denver, we can send that anywhere in the world for about $25. So don’t ever feel like your money is insufficient because we will find a way to use it effectively.”
As the event drew to a close, the attendees left with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of their contributions‘ profound impact on global healthcare.
“The main focus has been Ukraine, but we do so many great things in so many other places of the world. Recently, we just sent two containers to hospitals in Serbia and are focusing on sending supplies to Ethiopia,” said long-time Denver resident and Project C.U.R.E donor Robert Johnston. “Overall, Project C.U.R.E. is so much more than just the Denver residents who donate to it.”
From its origins in a small garage to becoming a vital part of the Denver community and the world’s largest distributor of donated medical supplies, Project C.U.R.E.’s mission statement exemplifies how a simple promise can save lives all over the world.
“By providing the necessary medical equipment and supplies, doctors have the resources to care for their patients. Together, we can ensure that WHERE you live doesn’t determine WHETHER you live.”
