Stamford, Conn. – Aug. 21, 2025 – Americares is expanding its efforts to protect uninsured and underinsured patients across the United States from extreme heat this summer. Twenty clinics will receive funding from Americares for targeted interventions to reduce the impact of extreme heat on patients’ health.
This summer, for the first time, 13 free and charitable clinics and community health centers that create heat-health action plans will be awarded grants to purchase essential supplies for patients. Eligible items include fans, air conditioners, indoor thermometers, electrolytes, ice packs, cooling towels, re-usable water bottles and more.
“Heat-related illness can be deadly, but it’s preventable. As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, we’re taking action to protect those most at risk,” said Americares SVP of Programs and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Julie Varughese. “Health care providers at safety net clinics see firsthand how the environments where their patients live and work exacerbate existing health disparities. These heat safety grants will truly make a difference—extending care beyond the clinic walls to lessen patients’ exposure to dangerous heat.”
Extreme heat is the No. 1 weather-related cause of death in the United States. Adults 65 and older, those who live alone, people with chronic diseases and patients taking certain prescription medications that affect their body temperature or ability to sweat are at increased risk of heat-related health complications.
Free and charitable clinics care for patients who are among the most vulnerable during emergencies due to language barriers, limited finances, insecure housing, among other challenges, and often lack access to essential heat safety supplies and cooling equipment that can prevent heat-related illness.
Participating clinics in regions frequently affected by heat will receive grant funding to distribute cooling supplies and equipment. The supplies will be accompanied by multilingual educational materials tailored for use in free and charitable clinics. The grants are generously funded by donations from global medical technology company, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) and global pharmaceutical company, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. BD is also supporting workshops and presentations at health care events and convenings to make clinics aware of the resources Americares has available.
Thirteen clinics in nine U.S. states will receive funding including:
The grants are an extension of the Climate Health Equity for Community Clinics Program, a collaboration of Americares and The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard Chan C-CHANGE) launched in 2022 with support from Johnson & Johnson to help free and charitable clinics and community health centers lessen patients’ exposure to dangerous heat and wildfire smoke.
At the same time, Americares plans to award an additional eight grants this summer to allow clinics to purchase heat safety and treatment supplies when extreme heat is in the forecast, with support from the CVS Health Foundation. The funding is part of an 18-month pilot project that leverages weather forecast data to provide just-in-time resources that will support clinics caring for patients affected by heat. The interventions aim to reduce the number of patients requiring hospital-level care, and/or seek care at clinics for heat-related illnesses. Clinics in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico and Texas will be prioritized because of the extreme heat in those locations.
“As temperatures rise and extreme weather events continue to endanger more lives each year, we’re committed to helping communities build resilience and protect the health of those at risk,” said CVS Health Vice President of Sustainability and Community Impact Jennifer McColloch. “Through our support of Americares, we’re helping frontline clinics prepare for dangerous heat events to ensure patients have the resources they need to stay safe and healthy.”
By taking this approach, Americares aims to leverage innovative approaches that build the resilience of frontline health workers in locations most affected by extreme heat, while at the same time evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the interventions.
Americares growing portfolio of climate and disaster resilience programs builds on the organization’s more than 45 years of experience in emergency response, with a unique focus on safety net health care providers caring for low-income, uninsured and underinsured patients. In the United States, Americares supports nearly 1,000 free clinics and community health centers with donated medicine, supplies, education, training and innovations in health care delivery.
Americares also responds to more than 35 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings preparedness programs to communities vulnerable to disasters. Americares relief workers are among the first to respond to emergencies, helping to restore health services for survivors, and often stay for months—or years—helping communities recover.
To learn more about Americares climate resilience work visit: www.americares-sampler.materiell.net/climateclinics
