Project C.U.R.E.

Project C.U.R.E., short for Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment, is the operating name and registered trademark of the Benevolent Healthcare Foundation, a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian organization headquartered in Colorado. Its work centers on addressing shortages of medical equipment, supplies, and basic healthcare resources in developing and underserved countries. The organization originated in 1987 after founder James W. Jackson visited Brazil and saw rural clinics unable to meet local demand because they lacked essential medical supplies and functioning equipment. After returning to Colorado, Jackson organized approximately $250,000 worth of donated medical materials for a Brazilian clinic. That initial effort developed into a continuing logistics and relief operation linking U.S. manufacturers, hospitals, healthcare providers, distributors, individual donors, volunteers, and medical institutions abroad. Project C.U.R.E.'s principal model is to obtain new, surplus, overstocked, or gently used medical supplies and equipment, assess and sort them at U.S. facilities, and distribute them according to the needs of recipient hospitals and clinics. Its shipments may include medical equipment, clinical consumables, surgical materials, diagnostic items, and other healthcare goods. The organization emphasizes needs assessment rather than indiscriminate dumping of supplies, with local healthcare partners helping identify appropriate materials. Its program portfolio has included ProCURE, the collection and processing system for donated healthcare goods; C.U.R.E. Cargo, through which large freight containers are sent to healthcare institutions overseas; C.U.R.E. Kits, compact packages intended for medical professionals traveling on short-term international missions; C.U.R.E. Clinics, which connect volunteer medical professionals with communities requiring clinical services; C.U.R.E. Corps, its volunteer network; and C.U.R.E. Kits for Kids, which provides children and families with hygiene and basic household medical items. Project C.U.R.E. operates a principal distribution center in Centennial, Colorado, with additional distribution facilities reported in Phoenix, Nashville, Houston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. It has also maintained collection locations in several U.S. communities. By 2017, the organization reported work in more than 134 countries, illustrating a model based on centralized American collection and logistics combined with local partnerships overseas. The organization has worked with ministries of health, corporations, hospitals, clinics, volunteer groups, and individual donors. Its Belize work included a partnership established with the Belize Ministry of Health in 2005 and a later collaboration with Belize Natural Energy and the ministry to send medical supplies to a hospital in Belmopan in 2010. Project C.U.R.E. presents itself as a practical bridge between usable medical resources that would otherwise remain surplus or go to waste and healthcare providers serving populations with limited access to equipment. Project C.U.R.E. is not a publicly traded company and is not controlled by a commercial parent. Its identity is closely associated with humanitarian logistics, in-kind medical donation, volunteer mobilization, and international health relief. James W. Jackson is identified as founder and chairman emeritus, while his son, Dr. Douglas Jackson, became president and chief executive officer in 1997. The available reference material does not establish a separate current leadership roster beyond those historical and organizational roles.

Project C.U.R.E. began in 1987 when James W. Jackson encountered severe medical-resource shortages during a visit to Brazil. Rural clinics were serving large numbers of patients without enough medical supplies or equipment to provide adequate care. Jackson returned to Colorado and organized a donation effort that assembled roughly $250,000 worth of medical supplies for a Brazilian clinic. The project subsequently developed into a formal nonprofit relief operation under the Benevolent Healthcare Foundation. The organization's central activity became the collection, sorting, inventorying, and overseas distribution of donated healthcare goods. Sources describe donations coming from manufacturers, wholesale suppliers, hospitals, clinics, and individuals. Rather than treating medical donations as a simple one-way transfer, Project C.U.R.E. has used needs assessments and relationships with hospitals and clinics to determine what equipment and supplies are suitable for particular destinations. Over time, the organization created a network of distribution and collection facilities in the United States. Its main headquarters and distribution center are in Centennial, Colorado, while other distribution centers have been reported in Phoenix, Nashville, Houston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Collection centers have operated in communities including Albuquerque, Austin, Basalt, Brooklyn, Grand Junction, Harrisburg, Ithaca, Lexington, Sarasota, and Tampa. The organization expanded its work beyond bulk shipments. ProCURE formalized the acquisition and preparation of donated supplies. C.U.R.E. Corps organized volunteers to contact potential donors, collect materials, sort goods, pack boxes, and load freight containers. C.U.R.E. Cargo handled large containerized shipments, with each container described in the reference material as comparable in size to a semi-trailer and capable of carrying a substantial quantity of medical goods. C.U.R.E. Kits were designed for medical professionals traveling internationally, while C.U.R.E. Clinics enabled volunteer clinicians to provide services in overseas communities. Kits for Kids added a household-oriented component by distributing drawstring bags containing hygiene products and basic medicine-cabinet items. Project C.U.R.E. established a partnership with Belize's Ministry of Health in 2005. In 2010, it worked with Belize Natural Energy and the Belizean ministry on a shipment of medical supplies to a hospital in Belmopan. Other reported C.U.R.E. Clinic locations have included Guatemala, Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana, Bolivia, China, and Togo. By 2017, Project C.U.R.E. was described as having worked in more than 134 countries. Its international reach has depended on U.S.-based donations, volunteer labor, freight logistics, and partnerships with local health institutions. James W. Jackson later became chairman emeritus of the board, and Dr. Douglas Jackson, his son, became president and chief executive officer in 1997. The available material does not provide enough information to document subsequent changes in executive leadership or a full current governance structure.

• 2017

  Reported operations in more than 134 countries

  [1]Project C.U.R.E.en.wikipedia.org

  The organization was reported to have expanded its work to more than 134 countries.

• 2010

  Belmopan hospital shipment

  [1]Project C.U.R.E.en.wikipedia.org

  Project C.U.R.E. collaborated with Belize Natural Energy and Belize's Ministry of Health on a medical-supply shipment to a hospital in Belmopan.

• 2005

  Partnership with Belize's Ministry of Health

  [1]Project C.U.R.E.en.wikipedia.org

  Project C.U.R.E. and Belize's Ministry of Health established a partnership to support the delivery of medical supplies and equipment.

• 1997

  Douglas Jackson becomes president and chief executive officer

  [1]Project C.U.R.E.en.wikipedia.org

  Dr. Douglas Jackson, the founder's son, assumed the organization's president and CEO roles according to the referenced account.

• 1987

  Project C.U.R.E. is founded

  [1]Project C.U.R.E.en.wikipedia.org

  After observing shortages in Brazilian rural clinics, James W. Jackson organized an initial donation of approximately $250,000 in medical supplies, establishing the foundation for Project C.U.R.E.

A humanitarian medical-relief and logistics organization that converts surplus and donated healthcare resources into needs-assessed shipments, clinical support, and community health assistance for underserved populations internationally.

• Medical donation collection and distribution

  ProCURE

  ProCURE is Project C.U.R.E.'s system for obtaining new, surplus, overstocked, and usable medical supplies and equipment from manufacturers, wholesalers, hospitals, clinics, and individuals. Donations are brought to distribution centers, where they are sorted and inventoried before being matched with the requirements of hospitals and clinics in underserved countries.

• International medical freight

  C.U.R.E. Cargo

  C.U.R.E. Cargo refers to the organization's large-scale container shipments of medical supplies and equipment. The containers are prepared at U.S. distribution facilities and sent to partner hospitals and healthcare institutions overseas. The program is designed for substantial institutional needs rather than for individual travelers or small clinical teams.

• Medical mission kits

  C.U.R.E. Kits

  C.U.R.E. Kits package essential medical supplies and equipment in a portable format for healthcare professionals taking part in short-term international medical missions. The kits can be shipped to a volunteer's home before travel, helping teams prepare mission-specific materials without arranging a full freight container.

• Volunteer clinical services

  C.U.R.E. Clinics

  C.U.R.E. Clinics provide a framework for volunteer medical professionals to travel to countries where communities need additional clinical services. Reported locations have included Guatemala, Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana, Bolivia, China, and Togo. The program complements equipment donations by connecting volunteer care with local healthcare needs.

• Volunteer program

  C.U.R.E. Corps

  C.U.R.E. Corps is the volunteer network supporting Project C.U.R.E.'s collection and logistics work. Participants may help identify donors, contact hospitals and doctors, collect donated goods, sort supplies, pack shipments, and load cargo containers. The program is open to individuals, families, civic organizations, and church groups.

• Family health and hygiene assistance

  C.U.R.E. Kits for Kids

  C.U.R.E. Kits for Kids distributes drawstring backpacks containing personal-hygiene products and basic medicine-cabinet items for children and families with limited access to these supplies. The bags include tracking tags intended to document their movement to recipient communities.

1. 1Project C.U.R.E.en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Project C.U.R.E. official websiteprojectcure.org