Global healthcare company Abbott, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, and Feeding America recently combined forces to prepare for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
On Tuesday, May 13, more than 20 Abbott employee volunteers from the company’s facility in Orlando assembled 1,000 Abbott Disaster Relief Packs. Each box can meet a family’s immediate nutritional needs for three days and does not require warming or refrigeration. The packs contain Abbott nutrition products, such as Ensure, Pedialyte and PediaSure drinks for adults and children.
Stored at Second Harvest until needed, the Abbott Disaster Relief Packs (500 for families of two and 500 for families of four) can be quickly deployed within hours and provide a first wave of aid to families in need across Florida following a storm. The boxes were distributed to the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Helene last year.
“It’s a big deal for us, and we’re so grateful to be able to help,” said Paula Owens, a director at Abbott’s site in Orlando. “We’re able to come here and help prepare in advance of hurricane season, which allows for a quick response later after a storm hits.”
She said Abbott chose products that can help in the period right after the storm when people can’t get to a store or don’t have electricity.
“It doesn’t have to be refrigerated and it’s shelf-stable to provide nutrition and hydration families might not be able to get otherwise in a time of crisis,” Paula said.
This is the eighth year that Abbott, Second Harvest and Feeding America have worked together to stock Abbott Disaster Relief Packs in Florida.
“Our continued partnership is fantastic,” Paula said. “We’re so proud to be wearing yellow stickers that mean we’re returning volunteers.”
The event is part of a national Abbott and Feeding America initiative that began after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. By the end of this year, these and related efforts will provide nearly 1 million people with needed nutrition and care following a hurricane, tornado or other disaster.
