#United States #Las Vegas #Las Vegas Sands #Americares #Sands Cares

Las Vegas Sands Contributes $400,000 for Emergency Preparedness

Las Vegas Sands, a prominent name in the global hospitality sector, recently announced a substantial donation of $400,000 to the health-focused relief organization, Americares. This contribution is a part of a two-year grant facilitated by the Sands Cares initiative, aimed at nurturing community responsibility while bolstering emergency response and readiness efforts globally.

The funding will specifically support Americares' efforts to enhance its Asia-Pacific emergency response hub located in the Philippines and with crucial initiatives around the world. As climate change and natural disasters become increasingly prevalent, organizations like Americares find themselves stretched to their limits, responding to around 35 different natural disasters and humanitarian crises globally each year.

Strengthening Global Preparedness

By joining the Americares Rapid Impact and Support for Emergencies (RISE) program, Las Vegas Sands provides Americares with a consistent and flexible funding source. This initiative will allow Americares to maintain a constant state of readiness and mount strong responses to various crises. The funds will particularly support Americares' Global Readiness Team, which focuses on improving the organization's preparedness and capacity in emergency situations.

According to experts, currently, about 200 million people worldwide are directly affected by disasters annually, facing health emergencies and disruptions in health services. Those living in low-income communities are most vulnerable, often lacking crucial resources for proper preparedness and response.

A Two-Year Commitment

The funding from Sands is structured for activities spanning the 2025-2027 period, with specific goals established for the U.S. and Asia-Pacific regions:

• - In the U.S., the Sands Cares program will facilitate the recruitment and training of new emergency responders, preparation of medical equipment, and stockpiling of essential supplies in regional warehouses. In the second year of the grant, Americares plans to host a World Health Organization EMT Type 1 Mobile Training in the United States.

• - In the Asia-Pacific region, the funds will focus on recruiting at least 25 new emergency response personnel, ensuring that relief supplies and equipment are pre-positioned for rapid deployment. Moreover, ongoing training for response teams will be conducted with support from Sands Cares.

Through the efforts initiated back in 2020, Las Vegas Sands has continued to assist Americares, resulting in significant advancements in their readiness capabilities, notably in the Asia-Pacific region.

Collaborative Impact and Future Outlook

Americares has documented a growing capacity to respond, establishing a response hub in the Philippines and dramatically increasing its emergency roster from 20 to more than 180 trained personnel over the last few years. With Sands' support, Americares has effectively managed responses to numerous natural disasters, including typhoons and volcanic eruptions.

Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications at Sands, emphasized the importance of responding to increasing global disasters and the capability of Americares to mobilize effectively. He stated, "Joining the RISE program is a testament to our commitment to support Americares, enabling it to respond quickly to humanitarian needs while continuing to invest in the valuable work at the Asia-Pacific response hub".

This partnership between Las Vegas Sands and Americares signifies a dedicated effort to support relief initiatives and improve disaster readiness, proving essential in today’s unpredictable climate landscape. For more insights on Sands’ corporate responsibility programs, visit their official website. To learn more about the impactful work done by Americares, check out their dedicated platform.