Posts by Laura Kelly
Donation Supports Free Health Clinic in Downtown Pittsburgh
Brother’s Brother Foundation sent a truck of assorted medical equipment and medical supplies to a free medical clinic in Downtown Pittsburgh earlier this month, establishing a new partnership with Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh. Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh’s Free Health Care Center provides free medical services to adults ages 19 years or older who make an…
Read MoreBack in School, Maui Students Process Trauma
August 9th was supposed to be the first day of a new school year at Maui Preparatory Academy. But on the last day of summer vacation, a brush fire started in the village of Lahaina. Strong winds led to a flareup, then a road closure. There was a storm of black smoke, quick decisions on…
Read MoreBooting Up A More “Tech”uitable Pittsburgh
Laptops and smartphones from Brother’s Brother Foundation are helping students in economically disadvantaged communities learn the skills they need to enter a job market fueled by digital literacy. The Steel City is transforming into a tech town as more companies choose Pittsburgh for their headquarters. But today’s youth will need modern technology skills if they…
Read MoreMobile Health Clinic Update
Volunteer doctors and medical students visited Ambridge in the “eyeVan” and prescribed nearly 50 pairs of glasses. The Guerilla Eye Service traveled to Ambridge, PA, this summer to provide free eye exams in the new “eyeVan” at two mobile health clinics. The events prescribed and ordered nearly 50 pairs of glasses for adults and children…
Read MoreVermont Underwater
Brother’s Brother Foundation provided a grant to Capstone Community Action, a non-profit organization headquartered in Barre, VT, that helps people in crisis access food, housing and job training. BBF also sent hygiene kits and tarps for Capstone to distribute to flood victims. Smooth roads and Main Street shops in Barre, VT, turned into heaps of…
Read MoreHawaii Wildfire Response
The wildfires that swept across the Hawaiian island of Maui on August 8th have become the deadliest wildfire outbreak in the United States in over a century, taking more than 100 lives and leaving over 1,000 others unaccounted for. As first responders, DNA analysts and anthropologists continue to search for and identify the people who…
Read MoreFrom our President, Ozzy Samad
Responding to disaster and helping address longer-term needs – your impact on both fronts. Having developed an avid interest in World War II history since my teenage years, though differing in magnitude, the burnt out remains of the town of Lāhainā in Maui, rekindled images of a near obliterated Dresden after the bombing runs over…
Read MoreA Message from Laura Kelly, VP of Communications and Development
I have always loved fall. It is a vibrant season of change and renewal. The cool, crisp air is energizing and inspires me to create. This year, my BBF Development Office to-do list is overflowing as we have brainstormed so many fresh ideas for the fall and end of the year. Before we start with…
Read MoreMay Clean Water Flow
Written by Dr. Steve Greene President and Founder of Hope for Ghana 2023 has been an exciting year for Hope for Ghana as we reach new heights, in large part because of the incredible partnership with Brother’s Brother Foundation. A strong relationship forged at the end of 2021 has been built on the similar visions…
Read MoreHaiti Response Update
There’s never an ideal moment for the ground to start shaking, but June 6 was particularly bad timing for an earthquake in Haiti. It had only been a few days since a torrential rainstorm overflowed rivers across the country, causing severe flash flooding, rockslides and landslides. The storm impacted 45,000 households and killed 58 people.…
Read MoreBlossoming Beyond
Celebrating Second Chances Two years after being diagnosed with invasive stage III breast cancer, Laura Kelly recently returned from the doctor with good news: her PET scan came back clear. She was cancer free from head to toe. “It was such an incredible feeling of relief, knowing the PET scan results. That night I slept…
Read MoreThe Ukraine Neurology Initiative
Written by Svetlana Faktorovich, MD, Neurologist and BBF Board Member Prior to February 24, 2022, the day of the Ukrainian invasion, approximately 250,000 people, including 40,000 children, were living with epilepsy in Ukraine. Epilepsy, a potentially life-threatening neurological disorder of recurrent seizures, is also a frequent complication of traumatic brain injury, a common injury in…
Read MoreSupplies for Success
“Anyone need a brand-new air purifier?” Abbie Marx asks after removing the shrink wrap from a pallet of brown boxes. A wall fan hums in the background as hands begin to dart into the air—one, two, then three. It’s a Thursday in the middle of July and a dozen teachers with shopping carts are making…
Read MoreNewborn Screening In Latin America
Written byChristina Briscoe Abath, MD EdM, BBF Board MemberJuan Francisco Cabello, MDAgnieszka Kielian, MD, BBF Board Member You likely had a small heel prick when you were born. If you have children, you probably saw this happen for them too. For most people, this small test is quickly forgotten. However, for about 1 in 1000…
Read MoreHealing from War: One Year of Addressing Mental Health Needs in Ukraine
What causes the most disruption when a war breaks out? The lack of safety? A lost job? More likely, it’s the toll of war on mental health. A survey from the United Nations found that roughly half of Ukrainian respondents said the war has most impacted their mental health, surpassing other areas including safety, physical…
Read MoreMobile Eye Van Unveiled in Florida
Brother’s Brother Foundation unveiled its second mobile eye van at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at Caridad Center, a free health clinic in Palm Beach County, Florida, in early September. Caridad Center is one of the largest free health care clinics in Florida and has more than 700 volunteer doctors, dentists, nurses and dental hygienists who…
Read MoreBrother’s Brother Foundation Responds to Hurricane Idalia
Brother’s Brother Foundation has provided a grant to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Big Bend in response to the destruction in Florida caused by Hurricane Idalia. The Category 3 storm made landfall in Keaton Beach, FL on August 30, bringing 125 mph winds that impacted communities from Tampa to Tallahassee. The hurricane flooded thousands…
Read MoreFlamingos in Odd Places A Reminder of Idalia Disaster Relief
We have been following (with fascination, mind you) stories of flamingos showing up in odd places in recent days. The famous pink birds have been spotted in Ohio, Texas, Virginia, in the Carolinas – all places where people don’t expect to see them. Hopefully, they will be a reminder of the need for Idalia disaster…
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