3M Announces $20M in Aid for COVID-19 Relief and Recovery

To help in the global battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, 3M announces plans to provide $20 million in financial support to frontline healthcare workers, vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by the virus and medical research initiatives.

Half of that $20 million will be a $10 million investment into 3M becoming the lead sponsor in Direct Relief’s newly formed COVID-19 Fund for Community Health.

Direct Relief is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in California that provides aid globally for areas hit by natural disasters or other extreme difficulties.

According to 3M, its $10 million investment will primarily provide community health centers in the U.S. with direct financial aid to support health care workers. A portion of those dollars will be dedicated to international markets dealing with coronavirus, with those funds being steered where most needed by Direct Relief.

“Direct Relief is so deeply grateful for the leadership and commitment reflected by 3M’s action today, which is keenly needed, will be put to immediate use, and epitomizes exactly what’s needed in this extraordinary time,” says Thomas Tighe, CEO and president of Direct Relief.

3M says another important aspect of its donation will be funds going to communities and families who have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic. 3M will donate $5 million toward United Way’s COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund as the agency works to provide critical resources, including food, shelter and rent assistance, to vulnerable populations around the world.

3M will also provide $5 million for COVID-19 research and development initiatives at leading education institutions in the United States and around the world. This includes $2 million for the University of Minnesota—recognizing its medical school as a federally-designated infectious disease containment center. 3M say its dedication to science is at the heart of the company.