The Coca-Cola Foundation grants $400,000 for COVID-19 relief and response in Vietnam

The Coca-Cola Foundation grants $400,000 for COVID-19 relief and response in Vietnam

The funding will be used to purchase essential supplies for healthcare workers in Ho Chi Minh City and give them extra support in the critical transition time to the “new normal” following Directive No.18/CT-UBND of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

It will provide essential supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE), such as hygiene and nutrition packages containing hand gel, vitamin C supplements, nutrition drinks, hand towels, digital thermometers, face shields, phone cards, medical uniforms, and so on, for volunteers and healthcare staff in Ho Chi Minh City. The donation aims to benefit 3,000 frontline personnel including VRCS staff, volunteers, and healthcare staff, along with 35,000 community members coming to the vaccination sites, local authorities, and mass organisations in the target locations, during these most challenging times.

With the new grant, the total support from The Coca-Cola Foundation to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in Vietnam is up to VND16 billion ($695,650). To date, The Coca-Cola Foundation has provided over $70 million to support local organisations and vulnerable communities around the world in response to the pandemic.

“We know the COVID-19 crisis is far from over,” said Saadia Madsbjerg, president of The Coca-Cola Foundation, adding, “We are proud to support Vietnam Red Cross Society’s efforts to help #StopTheSpread.”

Separately, Coca-Cola Vietnam has also been supporting affected communities during the pandemic. It has provided a total of more than 37,000 beverage products and thousands of medical and hygiene supplies, masks, and PPE to hospitals, quarantined areas, and vulnerable communities to serve people in need. Coca-Cola Vietnam always puts people at the heart of its business with a priority on safety. The company supports the health and well-being of its employees; maintains the continuity and safety of beverage production and delivery operations; supports the resilience of its consumer goods supply chain; assists its bottling partners and customers when needed; and supports the most affected communities.

With the new grant, the total COVID-19 support from The Coca-Cola Foundation has reached VND16 billion

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect every Vietnamese, which is why it is important that we provide continuous support to communities through relevant programmes that help with their immediate needs. Since last year, we have not wavered in our commitment to be there for the people we serve, and we’ll continue to be here to support where we can,” said Leonardo Garcia, General Manager of Franchise Operations of Coca-Cola Vietnam and Cambodia.

“The Vietnam Red Cross Society highly appreciates the efforts of The Coca-Cola Foundation as well as Coca-Cola Vietnam over the last years to support Vietnam’s vulnerable communities. The new grant providing personal protective equipment to frontline workers during this challenging time is critically helpful. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Coca-Cola Vietnam team were one of the first to step up in collaboration with the Red Cross to support the country stay strong during the outbreak. This latest donation from The Coca-Cola Foundation not only provides the necessary equipment for healthcare workers but is also a great motivation for the workforce and communities moving to the new phase of living safely with COVID-19,” said Nguyen Hai Anh, vice president and general secretary of the Vietnam Red Cross Society.

In Vietnam, the partnership between Coca-Cola Vietnam and the VRCS started in 2011. For years, Coca-Cola Vietnam, The Coca-Cola Foundation, and VRCS have carried out many social projects to support relief activities related to natural disasters, community healthcare, disaster prevention and relief, clean water, and environmental sanitation nationwide.