You Can Make a Difference in Protecting Health and Saving Lives

As Dr. Bill Foege, the man credited with leading the effort to eradicate smallpox, says, “No one will thank you for the disease they didn’t get.” While there is no way to measure exactly how many lives have been saved during the coronavirus thanks to the role that donors to the CDC Foundation have played over the past several months, we do know for certain that your support is making a tremendous impact.

Thanks to donors like you, we have distributed personal protective equipment, donated care kits for frontline healthcare workers, supported state and local public health departments across the country, implemented communications campaigns to targeted audiences such as youth and at-risk and vulnerable populations, updated community data and technology infrastructure, boosted clinical research to optimize clinical care and support, and much more.

As this pandemic continues, there are many ways you can make a difference in protecting health and saving lives today:

In addition to giving now during this time when the need to protect health is greater than ever, this is also a good time to consider leaving a legacy to public health through your will or other estate plans. Many people have shared with us that they are using this opportunity of sheltering at home to create or update their estate plans. For every person of any means, it is easy to leave a bequest to the CDC Foundation in your will or designate the CDC Foundation as a beneficiary of your retirement accounts, insurance policies or other financial assets. Your gift can save and protect lives well into the future and will be recognized for your generosity in our Healthy Futures Society.

Thank you for all you do to support the CDC Foundation to further the mission of CDC during this unprecedented time. We hope you and all your loved ones remain healthy and safe.


Helene Erenberg
Helene Erenberg, MPA, is the director of major gifts and individual support for the CDC Foundation.